The Jefferson Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
840970315
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Golden, CO, USA
Phone
3039822210
Rating
82
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Fund Raising and/or Fund Distribution

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$573,345
Expenses
$915,938
Assets
$2,293,279
Liabilities
$198,621

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

Leadership & pay

16 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • COURTNEY JENSEN (EXECUTIVE DI): $121,044 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Jeffco schools foundation vision is "every jeffco student thrives- and mission is "secure resources and engage in partnerships to ensure jeffo students thrive through equitable, excellent, and engaging educational experiences."

What it reported doing in 2024

Jeffco schools foundation defines its support via direct financial and programmatic support. Specific program descriptions can be accessed on our website, www.jeffcoschoolsfoundation.org. Further, we define the level of our support for the purposes of this strategic plan as follows. . Strategic priorities for jeffco schools foundation: . Equity: identify opportunities to meet needs - expand effective community and school partnerships - invest in equitable student supports - diversify and target supports to meet individual student and school needs . Excellence: shine a spotlight on success and invest in excellence - define key elements needed for students to "thrive" - identify, measure, and celebrate success - seed promising innovations and expand successful models . Engagement: convene, collaborate, and move to action - invest in strategic partnerships - remain nimble and responsive - act on community feedback to inform investment and action . Donations from individuals, organizations, and businesses support programs and projects that support schools readiness and academic growth, with a strong focus in literacy, ready, writing, and comprehension.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 70% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 68% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 78
  • Transparency & Controls: 85
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 34
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 64.6%; rating input score 65
  • Fundraising efficiency: $2.64 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 94.1%; rating input score 94; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 78%; rating input score 78; 34th 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: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • 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: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -59.8%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.5; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.09; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 3.3%; rating input score 57; 57th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 3.5% per year; rating input score 100; 34th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 2.6% per year; rating input score 100; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8.4% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 64.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 15 of 15 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $592K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $121K · 16 people listed
  • Consistency: 25 of 26 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 7 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 3 filed related-organization links
  • 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.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 8/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 2/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Domestic grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 44/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 57/100.