Pinellas County Education Foundation Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
592688253
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Largo, FL, USA
Phone
7275884816
Rating
87
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Fund Raising and/or Fund Distribution

Reported finances

Revenue
$9,273,902
Expenses
$9,978,023
Assets
$50,240,089
Liabilities
$758,888

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

Leadership & pay

36 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • KIM JOWELL (CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • KIM JOWELL (CEO): $268,950 total reported compensation
  • LISA FASTING (CHIEF PROGRAMS OFFICER): $126,859 total reported compensation
  • ELIZABETH SZOSTAK (CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER): $117,217 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

We accelerate academic achievement for all students through the effective mobilization of innovation, relationships, and resources. (continued on schedule o)our work centers around ensuring every student has access and opportunity to benefit from a high-quality education so that they are prepared for life after high school, whether the choice is to attend college, to enter the workforce, or to obtain technical training.

What it reported doing in 2024

We strategically focus on literacy achievement because research consistently shows that reading at grade level by third grade is a strong predictor of a student's long-term academic success, laying a solid foundation for their entire educational journey. We have two key programs committed to improving literacy outcomes: the pinellas early literacy initiative (peli) and closing the gap. Peli focuses on increasing professional development and coaching for pre-k through 2nd-grade teachers. Now entering its fifth year in our school district, peli aims to increase the number of students reading at grade level by third grade through targeted professional development and coaching. Since the start of this program, 94% of participating peli schools had significant gains in english language arts proficiency. This past year, 350 teachers participated in professional development focused on literacy and improving instructional strategies. Closing the gap addresses the gender achievement gap in literacy without our schools. This initiative provides professional development for teachers and administrators, equipping them with research-based practices to help male students improve their focus and comprehension. This past year, we had 9 schools close the gender achievement literacy gap.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 81% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 71% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • 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 fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 92
  • Transparency & Controls: 81
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 47
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 90.2%; rating input score 90
  • Fundraising efficiency: $19.18 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 89.5%; rating input score 89; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 90.6%; rating input score 91; 26th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -7.6%; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 5.04; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 6.2%; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 3.8% per year; rating input score 100; 32nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4.6% per year; rating input score 100; 38th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 3.9% per year; rating input score 100; 29th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 90.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 31 of 31 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 6 filed program accomplishments · $9M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $269K · 36 people listed · 4 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 39 of 40 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 8 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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 — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 16/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 58/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Domestic grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 46/100.