The Frederick B Abramson Memorial Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
521800184
IRS 990 coverage
2017–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Washington, DC, USA
Phone
2024705425
Rating
79
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$430,826
Expenses
$390,063
Assets
$1,043,009
Liabilities
$419,012

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

Leadership & pay

22 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • DIONA HOWARD-NICOLAS (Vice President)
  • PAMELA TALKIN (President)

Highest reported compensation

  • BARRIE MOORMAN (Executive Dir.): $102,250 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

The abramson scholarship foundation provides critical financial assistance and comprehensive mentoring to promising dc public high school graduates attending four-year colleges. Our program employs a two-fold approach to accomplish the mission. First, we provide timely financial assistance to students who might not be able to attend college without our help. Second, and equally important, we provide these students with personal and professional guidance through individual mentors and programs in order to foster their academic success, emotional growth and professional development. This approach enables the foundation to support our scholars through all four years of college and beyond.

What it reported doing in 2024

The mentoring program: in addition to receiving financial support, every abramson scholar is paired with a mentor. Most abramson scholars are the first in their families to attend college. Having a trusting relationship from a mentor, who can offer college and career advice, makes a significant difference in their lives. 100% of scholars agree that, through asf, they have a trusted adult who can help them navigate academic, professional and social/emotional challenges that they may face. In addition to individual mentors, abramson scholars have access to an advisor network made up of individuals who can provide college and career guidance. Scholars also benefit from a wide range of programs design to help them meet their college and career goals. 100% of scholars agree that their abramson mentor and programming have helped them achieve their academic goals in college and positively influenced their academic performance. Additionally, 100% of scholars agree that their abramson mentor and programming have helped them feel more prepared to achieve career success.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 96% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 60% of its reported program spending out as grants.

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: 63
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 50
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 65.1%; rating input score 65
  • Program expense ratio: 70.5%; rating input score 70
  • Fundraising efficiency: $7.71 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 80th 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: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • 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: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 9.5%; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.67; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.4; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 26.2%; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 7.2% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 7.5% per year; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 6.8% per year; rating input score 100; 55th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 65.1% of revenue deployed · 70.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 21 of 21 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $275K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $102K · 22 people listed
  • Consistency: 23 of 23 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 8 filing years from 2017 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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 — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 32/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 8 not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 59/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 13/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 14/100.