The Philly Service Award

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
923304584
IRS 990 coverage
2022–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Bryn Mawr, PA, USA
Phone
6106653458
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Youth Development Programs

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$537,493
Expenses
$365,952
Assets
$312,789
Liabilities
$44,189

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

Leadership & pay

12 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • SHELLY LOTMAN FISHER (PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • ROBERT ZURITSKY (CHAIRMAN OF)
  • SHELLY LOTMAN FISHER (PRESIDENT)
  • SHERRY LEMONICK (OFFICER)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

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

Overview

Mission

The organization engages and inspires philadelphia's youth by funding high schools with grants for student-led community service projects. By taking a hands-on approach to their communities' challenges, students are changing the city from the inside out while carving their own path to civic leadership. Also, the organization celebrates their achievements with an awards ceremony, provides additional funding to enhance schools and support educators with classroom essentials.

What it reported doing in 2024

During the fiscal year, the organization funded community service grants for projects conceived and executed by student groups at philadelphia high schools. Faculty advisors of the projects were also awarded wish list funds to support classroom supplies. In addition, the organization hosted its annual impact awards ceremony, recognizing all participants and distributed prizes totaling 179,000 to support school enhancement, student enrichment, and lasting community impact.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 97% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 77% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 71
  • Transparency & Controls: 80
  • Accountability: 88
  • Sustainability: 65
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 60.9%; rating input score 61
  • Program expense ratio: 88.2%; rating input score 88
  • Fundraising efficiency: $39.35 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 92.9%; rating input score 93; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 60.2%; rating input score 60; 30th 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: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • 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: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 31.9%; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.85; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.14; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 68.2% per year; rating input score 100; 97th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 66.7% per year; rating input score 100; 98th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 72.4% per year; rating input score 100; 98th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 60.9% of revenue deployed · 88.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 10 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $323K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 12 people listed
  • Consistency: 22 of 23 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 3 filing years from 2022 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 10 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 10 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.

  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 7 not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 38/100.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Domestic grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 37/100.