Scranton Area Foundation Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Fund administrationcelebrating its 70th anniversary in 2024, the scranton area community foundation (sacf) significantly expanded its impact, distributing over $5 million in grants to hundreds of nonprofit and charitable organizations and $776,660 in scholarships to 207 area students across northeastern Pennsylvania. The foundation added 54 new funds in 2024, including 30 non-endowed funds and 24 endowed funds, bringing the total number of funds to 370. This growth represents strong community confidence in sacf's stewardship and expanding philanthropic engagement across the region.the scranton area community foundation also served as administrator for two private foundations, the northeastern Pennsylvania health care foundation and the robert h. Spitz foundation, overseeing operations, grantmaking, and compliance.community initiatives the scranton area community foundation leads several collaborative initiatives that address systemic challenges across northeastern Pennsylvania. These programs bring together diverse stakeholders-nonprofits, educational institutions, government agencies, employers, and community members-to create lasting solutions in workforce development, transportation access, women's empowerment, animal welfare, and nonprofit capacity building. Working together, these initiatives build stronger communities and create more opportunities throughout the region.nepa thrivesnepa thrives, an equity-driven workforce initiative, advanced collaborative strategies to address regional workforce challenges across northeastern Pennsylvania. The initiative deepened partnerships to support data-driven asset mapping, identifying critical transportation, childcare, housing, and broadband access gaps that impact workforce participation. As a host site for the nepa workforce leadership academy, in partnership with the aspen institute, nepa thrives began implementing key recommendations developed by the 2023 fellows, translating cross-sector insights into actionable strategies. Through these efforts, nepa thrives is working to create systems-level change and promote inclusive economic mobility across the region.nepa movesnepa moves, a transportation equity initiative, advanced efforts to improve mobility across northeastern Pennsylvania. The initiative hosted regional forums uniting employers, transit agencies, and community partners to address transit challenges. It launched the nepa transportation barriers survey to gather critical input from residents and employers about mobility challenges and possible solutions. Nepa moves also worked with workforce and education partners to better align transit access with training programs and job hubs, while exploring microtransit, vanpooling, and last-mile solutions with regional stakeholders. These collaborative efforts are helping to build a more inclusive, reliable transportation system that connects people to opportunity across the region.women in philanthropy (wip)in 2024, sacf's women in philanthropy initiative awarded $35,000 in strategic grants to advance education, economic mobility, and health outcomes for women and girls across northeastern Pennsylvania. The initiative expanded its financial empowerment efforts-offering matched savings opportunities and educational workshops-while also advancing a pilot program to improve access to restorative dental care. Wip continued to invest in local women-owned businesses through its micro-loan program and sustained its commitment to steam education for students. With more than 125 active supporters and over $1.6 million raised since its inception, women in philanthropy remains committed to catalyzing transformative change for women, girls, and their families in northeastern Pennsylvania. Nepa animal welfare collaborativethe nepa animal welfare collaborative, a regional initiative convened by the scranton area community foundation, continued strengthening partnerships and promoting humane treatment of animals across northeastern pennsyl

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 80.1%; rating input score 80
• Program expense ratio: 89.3%; rating input score 89
• Fundraising efficiency: $22.93 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • 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: 79.7%; rating input score 80; 16th 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; 66th 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: 27.1%; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 7.37; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.1; rating input score 73; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 3.7%; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 21.4% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 14.7% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 7.9% per year; rating input score 100; 54th percentile among comparable filings