Wisconsin Early Childhood Association

What it reported doing in 2024

Other direct services - provides a variety of other direct service projects including a farm to early childhood education project in milwaukee geared at supporting sound nutrition at participating programs and other onsite coaching/mentoring services for child care programs.policy and advocacy - provides support for grass roots advocacy cohort, development of an infant/toddler policy platform for the state working with a state collaborative team and advocating for this policy agenda, and efforts to gain workforce feedback to our national association's professional framework called power to the profession. Conference and training - provides continuing education classes and customized trainings and workshops for the early childhood workforce throughout Wisconsin. Early head start (ehs) weca received notice of award to provide ehs services to 144 children (0-3) enrolled in 8 partner ehs/child care programs in key zip codes in milwaukee effective 8/1/25. Weca is the ohs grantee and contracts with these 8 programs. The mission of ehs is to promote the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of infants, toddlers, and pregnant women from low-income families. It supports families by providing comprehensive, high-quality, and safe services that enhance school readiness and empower parents in their roles as primary caregivers and teachers. The weca ehs model is a child care partnership model. Weca serves as the fiscal agent, contracts services with child care partners, ensures every ehs partner is enrolled in weca weessn services and, refers programs to all appropriate weca services not including the weca food program. The pre-licensing program provides free, personalized support for individuals looking to open-licensed family or group childcare programs in Wisconsin's northern and south east dcf licensing regions, covering 19 counties. Technical consultants assist with licensing regulations, space requirements and building codes, policy, and staffing, offering in-person visits, business resources, and support groups to ensure success in opening regulated childcare. There are 544 total individuals currently in the pre licensing process. 14 in the northern region and 530 in the south east region with services available in english and spanish and hmong.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 77%; rating input score 77
• Program expense ratio: 94.9%; rating input score 95
• Fundraising efficiency: $326.92 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 93; 93rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd 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: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Missing
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 99.9%; rating input score 100; 38th 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; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • 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: Fail
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 19%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.67; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.17; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 1.4%; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 8% per year; rating input score 100; 61st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 6.6% per year; rating input score 100; 56th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 3.1% per year; rating input score 100; 23rd percentile among comparable filings