We Are Family Foundation

What it reported doing in 2024

Youth to the front fund: as a leader in the youth space, we are family foundation (waff) created the youth to the front fund (yttff) in 2020 to fund and support bipoc (black, indigenous, people of color) and bipoc-ally youth activists, youth-led organizations, projects, innovations, and creative solutions that are at the forefront of fighting systemic racism, inequity, and injustice in the united states and around the world. We call them "frontliners." since its inception, yttff has funded the transformative work of frontliners under the age of 30 from 51 countries across six continents and 21 u.s. States, spanning sectors including education reform, disability justice, technology, public advocacy, environmental justice, health, refugee support, and lgbtq+ rights. To date, 110 projects have received funding and support, advancing work in areas such as indigenous knowledge protection, climate restoration, holistic healing, food justice, policy reform, and anti-racism in schools. U.s.-based projects represent communities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Washington, d.c. Yttff cultivates a space where young bipoc and bipoc-ally thinkers, creatives, and activists can engage and share their perspectives, rooted in necessity, passion, and creativity. Their approaches emphasize restoration, recreation, and reclaiming, drawing on indigenous knowledge, intergenerational organizing, and collective mobilization. Frontliners report that waff's support has increased recognition of their work and opened doors to further funding and partnerships. In 2023, waff launched a targeted call for "the creatives"-a new yttff track for youth using art and creative expression to fight systemic injustice. The 2024 class includes frontliners from 19 countries across five continents who are under-30 artivists, collectives, cultural storytellers, creative organizers, heritage keepers, holistic health practitioners, and community leaders reshaping cultural narratives and using creativity to confront injustice. Over two "the creatives" cohorts, yttff has supported 45 creative-led projects in 15 countries on six continents. Yttff supports "the creatives" by: 1. Providing funding and resources for exhibitions, bold movements, and program initiatives that confront systemic inequalities. 2. Cultivating a community of creative organizers and cultural storytellers, fostering solidarity and exchange. 3. Supporting artists and collectives through cross-networking and collaborations with critical thought and social justice partners. Through this evolving program, yttff continues to champion the power of creativity and activism as a force for structural change, cultural preservation, and narrative transformation.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 76%; rating input score 76
• Program expense ratio: 78.7%; rating input score 79
• Fundraising efficiency: $11.81 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 25
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Fail
  • Conducts field audits: Fail
  • May suspend future funding: Fail
  • Requires financial reports: Pass
  • Conducts site visits: Fail
  • Requires grant agreements: Fail
  • May require repayment: Fail
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 94.1%; rating input score 94; 24th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 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: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 4.5%; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.35; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.09; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 31.8%; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 5.4% per year; rating input score 100; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 7.4% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 13.1% per year; rating input score 100; 69th percentile among comparable filings