Safe Passage

What it reported doing in 2025

See Schedule OSafe Passage offers innovative educational programs, holistic health services, and family support to children from families living in extreme poverty in the communities surrounding Central America's largest landfill, located in Guatemala City. It is a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) organization that provides financial, fundraising, and support services for the Guatemala-registered Camino Seguro non-profit association.OUR VISION: Our vision is to catalyze a positive, transformative, and lasting impact by educating and inspiring youth leaders to build an equitable, strong, and just society.OUR HISTORY: Safe Passage was founded on the principle that every child possesses dignity and the right to define their own future. It started in 1999 when educator and social worker Hanley Denning visited the garbage dump in Guatemala City and felt called to act after witnessing the harsh realities faced by families living in the area. Local leaders worked side by side with Hanley to recruit and maintain children in the program, build community trust, and lay the foundation for a safe and supportive learning environment.Today, Safe Passage supports 530 students and affiliates each year, representing 350 families and more than 3,000 individuals in Zones 3 & 7 of Guatemala City, an area with about 60,000 total residents who face extreme poverty, food insecurity, limited access to quality education, and violence. In response to this reality, our model addresses the systemic barriers of abject poverty and economic exploitation through holistic, trauma-informed education and wellness services, including nutrition, mental health, and family engagement, keeping students in school and fostering long-term opportunities. Through our Expeditionary Learning model, students engage in a trauma-informed, interdisciplinary approach where they learn by doingconnecting academic content to their environment and experiences while strengthening critical thinking, collaboration, and resilience.After 26 years of evolving and implementing our model in the community, our alumni demonstrate high levels of academic achievement, employability, leadership, and community engagement. OUR CORE PROGRAMS: EARLY CHILDHOOD The early childhood program offers a unique curriculum for children aged 3-6, incorporating mindfulness and emotional health through play and discovery, while fostering self-esteem and laying the groundwork for educational foundations. El COLEGIO - The elementary school serves grades 1-6 based on project-based Expeditionary Learning (EL). "Expeditions" are 6 to 12 weeks long, collaborative, interdisciplinary research projects that help students apply knowledge to real-world scenarios in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner. BASICO - Basico serves middle school students in grades 7-9. Curriculum takes the next step in EL, engaging students in in-depth projects that apply knowledge directly to relevant, real-world scenarios. Basico couples this curriculum with socio-emotional learning and presentation skills, empowering students to be strong agents of change in their own future. OPORTUNIDADES & PRXIMO PASO - Safe Passage continues to support 9th-grade graduates as they attend external high schools and provides half-day supplemental education in computer technology and bilingual proficiency, along with internships, university, and career preparation. They continue to have access to mental health services and family social workers.INTEGRATED HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES - Safe Passage cares for the well-being of students through its integrative health services, which include a nutrition program that provides four healthy meals and daily snacks, SRH education, socio-emotional and ethical learning throughout our programs, health education, an on-site clinic, social services, and a robust psychology department.PROGRAM PARTICIPATION: In 2025, our educational program supported nearly 530 students, ranging from preschool to high school. Safe Passag

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 93.5%; rating input score 94
• Program expense ratio: 77%; rating input score 77
• Fundraising efficiency: $5.24 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 16; 16th 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: 0 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 0
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Fail
  • Requires narrative reports: Fail
  • Conducts field audits: Fail
  • May suspend future funding: Fail
  • Requires financial reports: Fail
  • Conducts site visits: Fail
  • Requires grant agreements: Fail
  • May require repayment: Fail
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 75th 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: -17.5%; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.05; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 13.1%; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 2.4% per year; rating input score 100; 21st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 1.5% per year; rating input score 100; 14th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -0.4% per year; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings