The Foundation for Early Learning

What it reported doing in 2012

The foundation gives children across Washington state a strong start to life and learning. In collaboration with its community partners, the foundation supports parents and caregivers as they guide their children through critical developmental years. The foundation funds initiatives throughout Washington state that aid in actualizing its' vision that all children in Washington will be socially, emotionally, and intellectually prepared when they enter school.the stages of the foundation's grantmaking for coalition development include mobilizing individuals, generating momentum, building broad support including business, philanthropic and private support, and crafting and implementing an integrated system plan.the foundation fosters an inclusive, open process for developing early learning programs and focuses on supporting community coalitions as an effective way to build and sustain capacity for systemic improvement. The foundation's objective is to have an impact with all the children in a community.the foundation supports the community coalitions through providing the following types of support:1. Grants to coalition members to promote school readiness with $80,000 awarded in fiscal year 2013.2. During the fiscal year, over 21,163 professionals, child care providers, children and parents benefited from the initiatives the foundation funded.3. $26,598 was awarded to groups providing community outreach for early learning issues and resulted in 25 educational and parenting groups benefiting from these grants.4. During fiscal year 2013, the foundation was able to assist 31 coalition groups geographically covering all 39 counties of the state of Washington in promoting issues around early learning with the long term objective of impacting all children in every county.5. The foundation received a grant from a major donor to fund a specific initiative to foster and support early learning in the native american community in the state of Washington. The program also encourages community leadership in the early learning sector for this underserved community.6. The foundation created an outreach program identified as the uni. This is a mobile and portable unit that can be transported to various communities throughout the state to advocate and focus on specific themes. The first year is a stem (science, technology, engineering, math) focus inviting communities of parents and children to participate in hands on activities where they live, work and play.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: Limited
• Program expense ratio: Limited
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 60th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 78th 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: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -133.9%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.22; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.07; rating input score 41; 41st percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 40.1%; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: Limited
• Revenue growth: -64.8% per year; rating input score 0; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -17.2% per year; rating input score 0; 11th percentile among comparable filings