Southwest Key Programs

What it reported doing in 2024

For more than 20 years, southwest key programs has been an integral partner in the u.s. Response to the immigration crisis at our southern border, sheltering immigrant children under 18 years of age who arrive in this country without a parent or guardian and unifying them with their parents, relatives, or a sponsor. Southwest key's unaccompanied minor (um) shelters are part of a federal shelter system that was created as a result of the 1997 flores settlement agreement. Our um shelters are funded by the department of health and human services. Others were escaping poverty, searching for refuge after natural disasters, or seeking unification with family members already in the u.s. Within 24 hours of a child's arrival at a southwest key facility, our case managers begin working on the process of unification. First, we contact the child's family in his or her home country and then reach out to the child's contacts and prospective sponsors in the u.s. While potential sponsors are screened, southwest key provides children with care that allows them to thrive in a safe, home-like, and nurturing environment. Within 48 hours of entering our facilities, all children receive full medical examinations. They are also screened for infectious diseases and receive all cdc-recommended immunizations. Southwest key medical staff provide basic medical care 24 hours a day. Children who require examinations by specialists or hospital care are transported to the appropriate medical facilities. In addition to unification, medical and counseling services, children have access to legal services, religious services, acculturation services, phone calls, mail supplies, and postage. We also provide personal grooming and hygiene services, such as haircuts, laundry, and housekeeping. Youth can connect with sponsors or family members via phone and video calls to build and maintain relationships while in our care. Our programs are developed to provide children the necessary resources to thrive while in our care. Education is vitally important, so we provide six hours of classroom education five days a week. We also understand how important recreation, and physical activity is to all children, so they are given ample time to play and relax outside. Where possible, we provide opportunities for arts, crafts, music, entertainment, and special events. Southwest key's in-house cooks provide three nutritious meals and two snacks every day.during the latter part of fiscal year 2025, the organization's operations under this program were substantially affected by actions taken by the u.s. Department of health and human services, office of refugee resettlement (orr"), including the july 18, 2025 termination of substantially all cooperative agreements supporting the program. As a result, the organization transitioned from providing shelter services to carrying out an orderly wind-down of substantially all uac operations, including facility closures, workforce reductions, grant close-out activities, and other contractual and regulatory responsibilities. Accordingly, the reported program accomplishments and expenses reflect both services provided during the fiscal year and activities associated with the orderly wind-down of the program. The organization continues to pursue available administrative and legal remedies relating to the termination of these cooperative agreements and related grant matters.um children served 43,054um employees 9,491um programs 31

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 87.6%; rating input score 88
• Fundraising efficiency: $28,316.2 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 100; 100th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 93.3%; rating input score 93; 21st percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • 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: 87.6%; rating input score 88; 21st percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Scored; rating input score 0

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 80%; rating input score 80; 28th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -18%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.24; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.83; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 1.8%; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 13.6% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 12.9% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 10.6% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings