Start Program Inc
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 471606513
- IRS 990-EZ coverage
- 2019–2025
- Forms available
- Form 990-EZ 2025, Form 990-N 2017
- Location
- Miami, FL, USA
- Phone
- 7863162991
- Rating
- 88
- Verdict
- STRONG
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Youth Development Programs
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $97,469
- Expenses
- $104,989
- Assets
- $28,495
- Liabilities
- $0
Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
5 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- Phyllis Bellinger (Executive Director)
- Jerry Junious (President)
- William Bellinger (Vice President)
People named in this filing
- Phyllis Bellinger (Executive Director)
- Jerry Junious (President)
- William Bellinger (Vice President)
Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.
Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
Striving to Attain Remarkable Teens (START) Is a Non-Profit After-School Program that provides community-driven, experienced-based learning opportunities to middle/high school students up to 19 years old with a connection to Miami, Florida's West Coconut Grove Community who have financial and domestic hardships to develop character and academic skills necessary for lifelong success.
What it reported doing in 2025
In 2025, the START Program provided educational, cultural, and enrichment activities to support marginalized youth. Program participants attended multiple excursions designed to increase exposure to academic, cultural, and community environments not typically accessible due to financial or family barriers. START hosted a Community Self Care Weekend prior to the 2025-2026 school year, offering free services and resources to students and families. Services included on site eye examinations provided by Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, BMI screenings from the University of Miami BioMed Supply Chain, a youth fitness session, spinal alignment checks and backpack safety demonstrations, and STEM activities facilitated by community partners. School supplies and meals were distributed at no cost. The organization delivered Fiscal and Financial Literacy Workshops through participation in Miami Dade County Public Schools' Summer Youth Internship Program, providing high school students with a six week paid internship and assisting interns with opening bank accounts at EdFed Educational Credit Union. Throughout the year, START operated a Free Hot Meal Program, providing hot meals to approximately 20-25 student participants, many of whom qualify for free or reduced price lunch. START also offered Health and Fitness Sessions, including a "Get Fit" workshop, to promote wellness and physical activity. The organization conducted a six week Summer S.T.E.A.M. Camp funded by The Children's Trust Program Enhancement Funds. Weekly themes included Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics, with a final week integrating multiple disciplines. The camp provided hands on learning experiences to strengthen academic readiness and engagement.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 98% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
- Distribution model
- Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
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 total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 83
- Transparency & Controls: 100
- Sustainability: 35
- Growth: 100
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 84.9%; rating input score 85
- Program expense ratio: 78.8%; rating input score 79
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
Sustainability
- Operating margin: -7.7%; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.27; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 4% per year; rating input score 100; 58th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 7.3% per year; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 12.8% per year; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 84.9% of revenue deployed · 78.8% of spending went to programs
- Governance: Filed governance answers
- Accomplishments: 1 filed program accomplishment · $83K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 5 people listed
- Consistency: 9 of 9 current checks pass
- Schedules: 3 filed schedules
- Filing history: 5 filing years from 2019 to 2025
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- 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.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 31/100.
- High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 22/100.
- Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 56/100.