Nicaragua Initiative for Community Advan Cement Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Crea is our education program, which offers opportunities to primary students in reading and math using ipads, android tablets, and chrome computers, audiovisual equipment and educational materials. We also teach high school students and teachers computer skills and how to use google products to facilitate more writing and critical thinking opportunities. For the high school students, we offer them opportunities to apply for economic or academic scholarships after high school to further their education. This program directly benefits 450 students each year. We provide many other benefits to the school like transportation for students and teachers, to and from school to 16 students and (continued on sch. O) teachers each day, infrastructure repair, and sponsor events like graduations. In 2019 we implemented the english language program in partnership with keiser university (an american university base in nicaragua), the courses take place in the community center "the net" inaugurated in july 2019. The building construction and equipment was funded by nica funds and all the crea programs take place now in nica's community center. The english program is divided in 2 groups and directly benefits 30 students every 15 months. In 2021 the first class from the english program completed, and 14 students went on to pursue employment or other education opportunities using their newly fluent english skills. 12 students need more instruction to complete the program to fluency. In may 2022, a new class of 30 began, the 12 from the prior cohort of students will have a chance to continue with keiser to see if they can pass the final exam. The second graduating class had 16 students who are all committed to improving their quality of life by obtaining better jobs. In 2023 the english program was suspended due to government restructuring in nicaragua. We were waiting to see if our partner would remain open in the wake of several universities being closed due to political opposition. We remain neutral in opinion about political developments in nicaragua as our main objective is to serve and help nicaraguans improve their opportunities and grow their economy from within communities, especially those in rural areas. We shifted to increasing the number of university scholarships. 13 were awarded in 2023, and 2 graduated. We hosted an annual reading and math fair with the purpose of promoting student involvement through activities that spark their interest in reading and math, creating a space in the community center to demonstrate that learning induces imagination and creativity, with the goal of replicating it in the coming years. In 2024 the english program was not reopened. We shifted to increasing the number of university scholarships. 16 were awarded in 2024, and 1 graduated while another student decided to forgo the scholarship due to time and distance constraints. We continued the successful annual reading and math fair that we introduced last year, with the goal of fostering student engagement through activities designed to spark their interest in reading and mathematics. Six students were awarded secondary school scholarships at a private school, which cover their monthly tuition, enrollment fees, school supplies, textbooks, and uniforms for the start of the academic year, in addition to transportation for both the commute to and from school.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 88.2%; rating input score 88
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Limited
  • Conducts field audits: Limited
  • May suspend future funding: Limited
  • Requires financial reports: Limited
  • Conducts site visits: Limited
  • Requires grant agreements: Limited
  • May require repayment: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 33.3%; rating input score 33; 15th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 2 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 29
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -15.9%; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.36; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 3.7% per year; rating input score 100; 48th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -5.8% per year; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -0.8% per year; rating input score 0; 22nd percentile among comparable filings