The Network for Better Futures Dba Better Futures Minnesota

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
450550557
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Minneapolis, MN, USA
Phone
6124556133
Rating
74
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Rehabilitation Services for Offenders

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$4,050,926
Expenses
$3,886,669
Assets
$1,441,929
Liabilities
$1,224,492

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

Leadership & pay

6 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • PJ HUBBARD (PRESIDENT & CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • PJ HUBBARD (PRESIDENT & CEO): $167,271 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Better futures fuels a man's desire to turn his life around and walk a new path toward better health and success. It also aims to change the costly practices that produce poor results and perpetuate cycles of dependency.

What it reported doing in 2024

Our integrated care team (ict) understands reintegration is essential for participant success. We strive to build healthy communities by walking alongside participants to help improve health and wellness, emotional intelligence, and community/family reunification. Our mentorship and coaching model is centered around a participant's individualize prosperity plan. Since its founding in 2007, better futures mn (bfm) has served over 1,300 men of diverse backgrounds with unique challenges and needs. The population we serve is often overlooked and discriminated against due to the stigma of having a criminal record. We embrace these men and help them find a better path forward. Addressing systemic poverty and structural racism and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion is woven into every aspect of our organizationby providing access to training, on the job training and employment, physical and behavioral health care, and a vibrant, supportive community for at-risk black men, bfm hopes to produce beneficial long-term outcomes not only for the men, but for their families and communities as well. The social enterprise division of bfm leads all trainings, certification, on-the job-training and employment for the men we serve. Bfm is very intentional about celebrating growth as men achieve goals, complete certifications, and trainings, and demonstrate consistency and dedication at work. The men also engage in community meetings twice a week, where they bond with other men, discuss issues they might be facing and learn from guest speakers who help facilitate growth, healing, and support.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and most voting board members are independent. Few specific pay-setting methods are documented in the filing; unanswered boxes are not proof of absence and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 72
  • Transparency & Controls: 65
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 34
  • Growth: 80

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 73.7%; rating input score 74
  • Program expense ratio: 76.9%; rating input score 77
  • Fundraising efficiency: $12.83 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • 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 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 4.1%; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.37; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.85; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 4.3%; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 2.2% per year; rating input score 100; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 3.7% per year; rating input score 100; 32nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -5.1% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 73.7% of revenue deployed · 76.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 5 of 5 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $3M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $167K · 6 people listed · 0 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $149K reported
  • Consistency: 31 of 31 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 11 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • 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 — Transparency & Controls: Pay-setting controls scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 46/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 12/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 48/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 9/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 59/100.