Living Independently Forever Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
223190452
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Hyannis, MA, USA
Phone
5087903600
Rating
86
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Housing, Shelter N.E.C.

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$13,683,377
Expenses
$12,919,202
Assets
$13,213,660
Liabilities
$1,989,736

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

18 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • STEVE BARNEY (INTERIM CEO/VICE CHAIR)
  • CHERYL EVANS (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER(EFF 7/1/24))
  • DIANE ENOCHS (FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • DIANE ENOCHS (FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $248,667 total reported compensation
  • CHERYL EVANS (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER(EFF 7/1/24)): $182,025 total reported compensation
  • JENNIFER HAMM (CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER/TREASURER): $168,698 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Living independently forever, inc. (life) was founded in 1992 with the intention of empowering adults with autism, learning and intellectual disabilities in their pursuit of happy, healthy, and independent lives.

What it reported doing in 2024

Life's community-based day programs (cbds), located in sandwich and plymouth, focus on work readiness and skill development in a supportive community setting. This year, life introduced cbds without walls, a new initiative that offers a truly immersive experience by moving all activities directly into the local community. This program helps individuals gain hands-on practice in navigating real-life scenarios in public with the support of a coach in a small group setting, leading to a beneficial, additional level of skill development.life's shared living program provides a residential option where individuals receive 24/7 support in a caregiver's home. This program allows for a highly personalized, home-like setting, with a dedicated caregiver providing assistance with daily living tasks, social activities, and health care. Life facilitates these arrangements and provides additional supports and respite for the designated caregivers, ensuring individuals have the support they need to thrive.

Operating model

Revenue model
Grant-funded. 70% of the money available for current operations came from government grants.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 99% 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. Expenses are high relative to revenue and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 86
  • Transparency & Controls: 83
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 50
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 84.2%; rating input score 84
  • Program expense ratio: 88.8%; rating input score 89
  • Fundraising efficiency: $110.9 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 86; 86th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 92.3%; rating input score 92; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 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: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 5.6%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.02; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.15; rating input score 65; 65th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 5.4%; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 12.4% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 12.4% per year; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8.4% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 84.2% of revenue deployed · 88.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 12 of 13 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $11.5M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $249K · 18 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 40 of 40 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 4 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 56/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 37/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 47/100.