HOPE Inc Helping Other People Be Empowered

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
271370074
IRS 990 coverage
2016–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2015, Form 990-N 2011
Location
Duluth, GA, USA
Phone
6786956688
Rating
83
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Adult, Continuing Education

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$669,038
Expenses
$760,385
Assets
$314,285
Liabilities
$129,874

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

7 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Kenita Smith (President/CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • Kenita Smith (President/CEO): $114,699 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

HOPE, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization) offers comprehensive services that support low-income single parents pursuing a college degree. HOPE's mission is to serve single parents working to obtain an associate or bachelor's degree by providing housing assistance, childcare support, social services, and financial empowerment.

What it reported doing in 2025

Year to date, H.O.P.E., Inc. has assisted 163 single parents and over 300 children by the end of 2025, while also achieving a significant milestone of over 100 total college graduates served through our program. | Current Participants - In 2025, we served 47 single parents and 76 children, with an average family size of two children. Approximately 60% of participants were first-generation college students. Of those enrolled, 37% were pursuing associate degrees and 63% were pursuing bachelor's degrees. Participants experienced measurable financial progress during the program year, including: * Average income increase of $1,593 (5%) * Average savings increase of $266 (214%) * Average credit score increase of 29 points (5%) * 21% of participants owned their own homes. | Graduates - Our graduate survey achieved an 84% response rate. Outcomes demonstrate strong long-term success: * 100% of graduates are employed in their chosen career field and earning above a living wage * 53% are first-generation college graduates, breaking cycles of intergenerational poverty * 84% reported a significant increase in annual income, averaging an increase of $44,885 * 17% earn between $40,000-$50,000 annually, while 67% earn above $50,000 Financial stability continues to improve post-graduation: * 92% of graduates now have savings accounts, compared to 36% at program entry * Average savings balances increased to $5,601, representing a 932% increase * Average credit scores improved from 592 to 651, reflecting a 29-point increase. These outcomes demonstrate H.O.P.E., Inc.'s ability to not only support academic achievement but also drive long-term economic mobility, financial stability, and generational impact for single-parent families.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 92% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 80
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 15
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 90.6%; rating input score 91
  • Program expense ratio: 79.7%; rating input score 80
  • Fundraising efficiency: $7.15 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 83.3%; rating input score 83; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -13.7%; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.41; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.41; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 15.1%; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 20.8% per year; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 17% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 20.4% per year; rating input score 100; 79th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 90.6% of revenue deployed · 79.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 5 of 6 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $606K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $115K · 7 people listed
  • Consistency: 35 of 35 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 10 filing years from 2016 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 25/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 10/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 21/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 15/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 24/100.