San Luis Coastal Education Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
824196024
IRS 990 coverage
2018–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2017
Location
San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
Phone
8055491300
Rating
77
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Fund Raising and/or Fund Distribution

Reported finances

Revenue
$853,252
Expenses
$708,646
Assets
$13,872,564
Liabilities
$313,136

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

Leadership & pay

21 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • DAVID MITCHELL (PRESIDENT)
  • CHRISTINE ROBERTSON (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (NON-VOTING))

People named in this filing

  • DAVID MITCHELL (PRESIDENT)
  • BETH MARINO (SECRETARY)
  • LYLE MEEK (INTERIM TREASURER)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

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

Overview

Mission

Partner with public and private sectors to support creative and innovative programs for the benefit of students of the san luis coastal unified school district in the areas of academics, arts, career technical education, extra-curricular activities and programs.

What it reported doing in 2024

The opportunity program is a multi-faceted and high impact initiative to elevate students personally, academically, and socially. Experiences that students have in elementary and middle school can lay the groundwork for future achievement. Research shows that critical programs such as team sports, outdoor education and removing barriers for first generation students, help set kids up with the essential skills for future personal and professional success. The opportunity program includes multiple funds with the goal of partnering with the school district to offer a year-round elementary sports program focused on developing student leadership & academic excellence, equitable access for all students to experience overnight science camp and removing barriers for first-generation students and empowering them to reach for their goals.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 93% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 60
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 88
  • Sustainability: 79
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 70.1%; rating input score 70
  • Program expense ratio: 60.9%; rating input score 61
  • Fundraising efficiency: $2.68 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 8; 8th 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th 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: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • 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: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 16.9%; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 19.58; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 8% per year; rating input score 100; 56th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -25.9% per year; rating input score 0; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 15.4% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 70.1% of revenue deployed · 60.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 19 of 19 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $431K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 21 people listed
  • Consistency: 24 of 24 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2018 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • 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 8/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.