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New York NY | IRS ruling year: 1973 | EIN: 13-2725416
In 31 cities across six countries, Covenant House builds bridges to hope for young people facing homelessness and survivors of human trafficking, meeting their immed ... (More)
In 31 cities across six countries, Covenant House builds bridges to hope for young people facing homelessness and survivors of human trafficking, meeting their immediate needs for food, clothing, protection, and medical care, and supporting them to advance their goals of education and employment. Covenant House encompasses a robust network of "houses," with best-in-class services and a shared commitment to unconditional love, absolute respect, and relentless support for each young person who walks through our doors. Founded as a drop-in center in New York City in 1972, Covenant House now serves tens of thousands of children and youth every year in our residential, outreach, and drop-in programs. Our dedicated staff across the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Canada employ a strengths-based, trauma-informed practice model that helps young people discover and develop their resilience to overcome adversity now and into the future. (Less)
Good
This charity's score is 86%, earning it a Three-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.
This overall score is calculated from multiple beacon scores: 85% Accountability & Finance, 10% Leadership & Adaptability, 5% Culture & Community. Learn more about our criteria and methodology.
We recognize that not all metrics and beacons equally predict a charity’s success. The percentage each beacon contributes to the organization’s overall rating depends on the number of beacons an organization has earned.
Use the tool below to select different beacons to see how the weighting shifts when only one, two, or three beacons are earned.
| Date Published | Form 990 FYE | Overall Score | Overall Rating |
| Rating Version: 2.1 | |||
| 5/1/2022 | 2020 | 83.91 | |
| 2/1/2021 | 2019 | 82.51 | |
| 10/1/2019 | 2018 | 84.31 | |
| 2/1/2019 | 2017 | 83.63 | |
| 12/1/2017 | 2016 | 81.14 | |
| 10/1/2016 | 2015 | 82.07 | |
| 6/1/2016 | 2014 | 79.43 |  |
| Rating Version: 2.0 | |||
| 2/1/2016 | 2014 | 81.76 | |
| 11/1/2015 | 2014 | 79.29 | |
This organization received multiple star ratings within this fiscal year, due to an update to its Accountability and Transparency data and/or the receipt of an amended Form 990. | |||
| 12/1/2014 | 2013 | 83.33 | |
| 9/1/2013 | 2012 | 83.38 | |
| 9/1/2012 | 2011 | 85.88 | |
| 9/20/2011 | 2010 | 85.81 | |
| Rating Version: 1.0 | |||
| 8/1/2010 | 2009 | 81.65 | |
| 11/1/2009 | 2008 | 61.57 |  |
| 4/1/2009 | 2007 | 63.11 | |
| 8/1/2007 | 2006 | 65.78 | |
| 11/1/2006 | 2005 | 57.30 | |
| 8/1/2005 | 2004 | 54.60 |  |
| 6/1/2004 | 2003 | 63.03 | |
| 8/1/2003 | 2002 | 73.27 | |
| 10/15/2002 | 2001 | 63.94 | |
The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for Covenant House is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations. Please check with the charity directly for any questions you may have.
Covenant House has earned a 84% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.
This Accountability & Finance score represents IRS Form 990 data up until FY 2020, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us.
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Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Not Applicable
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has these governance practices in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990
| Independent Voting Board Members ... (More) The presence of an independent governing body is strongly recommended by many industry professionals to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters. Our analysts check the Form 990 to determine if the independent Board members are a voting majority and also at least five in number. (Less) | |
| No Material Diversion of Assets ... (More) A diversion of assets – any unauthorized conversion or use of the organization's assets other than for the organization's authorized purposes, including but not limited to embezzlement or theft – can seriously call into question a charity's financial integrity. We check the charity's last two Forms 990 to see if the charity has reported any diversion of assets. If the charity does report a diversion, then we check to see if it complied with the Form 990 instructions by describing what happened and its corrective action. This metric will be assigned to one of the following categories:
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| Audited Financials Prepared by Independent Accountant ... (More) Audited financial statements provide important information about financial accountability and accuracy. They should be prepared by an independent accountant with oversight from an audit committee. (It is not necessary that the audit committee be a separate committee. Often at smaller charities, it falls within the responsibilities of the finance committee or the executive committee.) The committee provides an important oversight layer between the management of the organization, which is responsible for the financial information reported, and the independent accountant, who reviews the financials and issues an opinion based on its findings. We check the charity's Form 990 reporting to see if it meets this criteria.
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| Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From Related Parties ... (More) Making loans to related parties such as key officers, staff, or Board members, is not standard practice in the sector as it may divert the charity's funds away from its charitable mission and can lead to real and perceived conflict-of-interest problems. This practice is discouraged by sector trade groups which point to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act when they call for charities to refrain from making loans to directors and executives. And the IRS is concerned enough with the practice that it requires charities to disclose on their Form 990 any loans to or from current and former officers, directors, trustees, key employees, and other "disqualified persons." Furthermore, some state laws go so far as to prohibit loans to board members and officers. And although employees and trustees are permitted to make loans to charities, this practice can also result in real and/or perceived conflict of interest problems for the charity. Furthermore, it is problematic because it is an indicator that the organization is not financially secure. (Less) | |
| Documents Board Meeting Minutes ... (More) An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference. Charities are not required to make their Board meeting minutes available to the public. As such, we are not able to review and critique their minutes. For this performance metric, we are checking to see if the charity reports on its Form 990 that it does keep those minutes. In the future, we will also track and rate whether or not a charity keeps minutes for its committee meetings. (Less) | |
| Distributes 990 to Board Before Filing ... (More) Providing copies of the Form to the governing body in advance of filing is considered a best practice, as it allows for thorough review by the individuals charged with overseeing the organization. The Form 990 asks the charity to disclose whether or not it has followed this best practice. If the charity has not distributed its Form 990 to the board before filing, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
| Does not Compensate Board Members ... (More) The IRS requires that any compensation paid to members of the charity's governing body be listed on the Form 990. Furthermore, all members of the governing body need to be listed whether or not they are compensated. It is not unusual for some members of the board to have compensation listed. The executive director of the organization frequently has a seat on the board, for instance, and is compensated for being a full time staff member. However, it is rare for a charity to compensate individuals only for serving on its Board of Directors. Although this sort of board compensation is not illegal, it is not considered a best practice. (Less) | |
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization has these policies in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
| Conflict of Interest ... (More) Such a policy protects the organization, and by extension those it serves, when it is considering entering into a transaction that may benefit the private interest of an officer or director of the organization. Charities are not required to share their conflict of interest policies with the public. Although we can not evaluate the substance of its policy, we can tell you if the charity has one in place based on the information it reports on its Form 990. If the charity does not have a Conflict of Interest policy, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
| Whistleblower ... (More) This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report any financial mismanagement. Here we are reporting on the existence of a policy as reported by the charity on its Form 990. (Less) | |
| Records Retention and Destruction ... (More) Such a policy establishes guidelines for handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promotes data integrity. Here we are reporting on the existence of a policy as reported by the charity on its Form 990. If the charity does not have a Records Retention and Destruction Policy, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
| CEO Compensation Process ... (More) This process indicates that the organization has a documented policy that it follows year after year. The policy should indicate that an objective and independent review process of the CEO's compensation has been conducted which includes benchmarking against comparable organizations. We check to be sure that the charity has reported on its Form 990 its process for determining its CEO pay. (Less) | |
| Donor Privacy ... (More) Donors can be reluctant to contribute to a charity when their name, address, or other basic information may become part of donor lists that are exchanged or sold, resulting in an influx of charitable solicitations from other organizations. Our analysts check the charity's website to see if the organization has a donor privacy policy in place and what it does and does not cover. Privacy policies are assigned to one of the following categories:
The privacy policy must be specific to donor information. A general website policy which references "visitor" or "user" personal information will not suffice. A policy that refers to donor information collected on the website is also not sufficient as the policy must be comprehensive and applicable to both online and offline donors. The existence of a privacy policy of any type does not prohibit the charity itself from contacting the donor for informational, educational, or solicitation purposes. (Less) | Partial |
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization makes this information easily accessible.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
| CEO Salary Listed on 990 ... (More) Charities are required to list their CEO's name and compensation on the Form 990. Our analysts check to be sure that the charities complied with the Form 990 instructions and included this information in their filing. (Less) | |
| Board of Directors Listed on Website ... (More) Our analysts check to see if the charity lists Board members on its website. Publishing this information enables donors and other stakeholders to ascertain the make up of the charity's governing body. This enables stakeholders to report concerns to the Board. Charity Navigator does not cross-check the Board members listed on the website with that reported on the Form 990, because the latter often isn't available until more than a year after the charity's fiscal year ends. In that time, the charity's Board members may have changed, and the charity typically reflects those more recent changes on the website. (Less) | |
| Key Staff Listed on Website ... (More) It is important for donors and other stakeholders to know who runs the organization day-to-day. Charity Navigator does not cross-check the leadership listed on the website with that reported on the Form 990 because the latter often isn't available until more than a year after the charity's fiscal year ends. In that time, the charity's leadership may have changed and the charity typically reflects those more recent changes on the website. In other words, since the Form 990 isn't especially timely, it can not be used to verify the leadership information published on the charity's site. (Less) | |
| Audited Financial Statements Listed on Website ... (More) We check the charity's website to see if it has published its audited financial statements for the fiscal year represented by the most recently filed IRS Form 990. It is important for donors to have easy access to this financial report to help determine if the organization is managing its financial resources well. We currently rate charities on whether or not they publish their audit on their website. (Less) | |
| Form 990 Available on Website ... (More) We check the charity's website to see if it has published its most recently filed IRS Form 990 (a direct link to the charity's 990 on an external site is sufficient). It is important for donors to have easy access to this financial report to help determine if the organization is managing its financial resources well. (Less) | |
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 54.60% - 2.5/10 ptsLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 54.60% - 2.5/10 pts
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990).
Part of our goal in rating the financial performance of charities is to help donors assess the financial capacity and sustainability of a charity. As do organizations in other sectors, charities must be mindful of their management of total liabilites in relation to their total assets. This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and or long term sustainability. Dividing a charity's total liabilities by its total assets yields this percentage.
Source: IRS Form 990
Working Capital Ratio - 0.69 years - 7.5/10 ptsWorking Capital Ratio - 0.69 years - 7.5/10 pts
Determines how long a charity could sustain its level of spending using its net available assets, or working capital, as reported on its most recently filed Form 990. We include in a charity's working capital unrestricted and temporarily restricted net assets, and exclude permanently restricted net assets. Dividing these net available assets in the most recent year by a charity's average total expenses, yields the working capital ratio. We calculate the charity's average total expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Fundraising Efficiency - $0.13 - 7.5/10 ptsFundraising Efficiency - $0.13 - 7.5/10 pts
The amount spent to raise $1 in charitable contributions. To calculate a charity's fundraising efficiency, we divide its average fundraising expenses by the average total contributions it receives. We calculate the charity's average expenses and average contributions over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Administrative Expense Ratio - 8.50% - 10/10 ptsAdministrative Expense Ratio - 8.50% - 10/10 pts
As reported by charities on their IRS Form 990, this measure reflects what percent of its total budget a charity spends on overhead, administrative staff and associated costs, and organizational meetings. Dividing a charity's average administrative expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Fundraising Expense Ratio - 13.00% - 7.5/10 ptsFundraising Expense Ratio - 13.00% - 7.5/10 pts
This measure reflects what a charity spends to raise money. Fundraising expenses can include campaign printing, publicity, mailing, and staffing and costs incurred in soliciting donations, memberships, and grants. Dividing a charity's average fundraising expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Ratio - 78.40% - 8.11/10 ptsProgram Expense Ratio - 78.40% - 8.11/10 pts
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s).
This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver. Dividing a charity's average program expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Growth - 2.34% - 4.34/10 ptsProgram Expense Growth - 2.34% - 4.34/10 pts
Organizations that demonstrate consistent annual growth in program expenses are able to outpace inflation and thus sustain their programs year to year. These organizations also supply givers with greater confidence by maintaining broad public support for their programs. We compute the average annual growth of program expenses using the following formula: [(Yn/Y0)(1/n)]-1, where Y0 is a charity's program expenses in the first year of the interval analyzed, Yn is the charity's program expenses in the most recent year, and n is the interval of years passed between Y0 and Yn.
Source: IRS Form 990
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
Presented here are this organizations key compensated staff members as identified by our analysts. This compensation data includes salary, cash bonuses and expense accounts and is displayed exactly how it is reported to the IRS. The amounts do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. In some cases, these amounts may include compensation from related organizations. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting
Kevin Ryan, President & CEO
$184,691 (0.24% of Total Expenses)
Jill Vorndran, Chief Development Officer
$295,793 (0.38% of Total Expenses)
Deirdre Cronin, Secretary, COO
$260,952 (0.33% of Total Expenses)
Diane Milan-Scott, Program Operations, EVP
$241,440 (0.31% of Total Expenses)
Pamela Kournetas, Treasurer, CFO
$240,126 (0.31% of Total Expenses)
Current CEO and Board Chair can be found in the Leadership & Adaptability report below.
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2020
Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website
Activities:
Other youth organization or activities (BMF activity code: 349)
Other housing activities (BMF activity code: 399)
Foundation Status:
Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (BMF foundation code: 15)
Affiliation:
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). (BMF affiliation code: 3)
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available). Simply enter the organization's name (Covenant House) or EIN (132725416) in the 'Search Term' field.
This organization was impacted by COVID-19 in a way that effected their financial health in 2020. This normally would have reduced their star rating. Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, we give charities such as this one the opportunity to share the story of COVID's impact on them, and doing this pauses our revision of their rating. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
Covenant House reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Revenue
Staffing
Administrative Capacity
Grants Sent
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
The financial impact of COVID-19 cannot be overstated. We saw increased costs in the areas of food, staffing, cleaning supplies, medical supplies and costs associated with retrofitting quarantine rooms. Compounding the increase in COVID-19-related costs are enormous revenue losses: we cancelled 21 in-person events, which led to decreases in revenue. The impact to our individual giving program, which amounts to 76% of our revenue is still unknown as we assess the lost revenue from our national, in-person major giving program and the court and law office slowdowns on our planned giving program.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
Covenant House sites needed to adapt programming in many ways in order to ensure the safety of youth and staff. Our sites needed to alter the physical layout of programming in order to ensure safe physical distancing. At the same time, our sites needed to accommodate youth who were required to shelter in place and/or quarantine. This led to an increased need for meal provision among other on-site supportive services. In addition, due to widespread job loss at the outset of the pandemic, our sites helped youth navigate a changing and challenging job market. Our sites also supported youth who were enrolled in school and who needed to shift to virtual learning. In addition, we needed to increase our focus on the physical and mental health needs of the youth we serve. Additionally, our outreach work became more inclusive of intermediaries from the community to reach youth; many of our sites have made technology advancements for accessibility beyond traditional street outreach.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
Covenant House sites adapted largely through changes in intake and health screening protocols, as well as changes in the physical layout of our residential spaces. These changes included some reduction of beds per room in order to accommodate for greater physical distancing, and we also converted office spaces and other communal spaces to allow for isolation and quarantine needs. We also adapted operations to keep youth occupied and engaged in programming while we were sheltering in place. At a higher level, our sites deepened their focus on emergency response management, instituting new agencywide working groups to ensure ongoing communication and collaboration related to changes in protocol, opportunities for resources, issues related to testing and vaccination, and more.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
Our timeline for investing in new technology and creating virtual workspaces was advanced due to COVID-19 and now serves as inspiration for longer-term changes in how our education departments will identify online opportunities for our youth seeking credits and accreditations within the walls of Covenant House. During the pandemic, our program teams created virtual volunteer opportunities for workforce development and virtual celebrations during key moments. While our organization is excited to return to live programming with our community, we have established that we’ll continue to host virtual events and activities for community engagement. Across all sites, our teams have a greater awareness of health and hygiene protocols for congregate settings that remain in place after the pandemic.
Not Currently Scored
Covenant House cannot currently be evaluated by our Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
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Covenant House reported its three largest programs on its FY 2020 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
Immediate Housing
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
Education and Employment
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
Transitional Living
Covenant House has earned a 100% for the Culture & Community beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 ptsConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 pts
100% of beacon score
This organization reported that it is collecting feedback from the constituents and/or communities it serves. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations that engage in inclusive practices, such as collecting feedback from the people and communities they serve, may be more effective.
Who are the people you serve with your mission? Describe briefly.
Covenant House serves young people facing homelessness and survivors of trafficking in over 30 cities in the U.S., Latin America, and Canada. Our youth are 16 to 22 years old in the U.S. and Canada, and 12 to 18 in Latin America. Their lived experiences include foster care, criminal justice history, mental health challenges, pregnancy, sexual abuse, and community violence. Nearly one in four identify as LGBTQ+, more than half are Black or African American, and 18% are Latino/a in the U.S. and Canada. In Latin America, 28% are from ethnic minorities. Half our youth identify as male, 47% as female, and 2% as transgender. All our young people have talent, courage, and dreams, and the least interesting thing about them is homelessness.
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Paper surveys, Case management notes, Community meetings or town halls, Constituent (client or resident, etc.) advisory committees
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
With whom does your organization share the feedback you got from the people you serve?
Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners
How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship with them or shifted power - over decisions, resources, rules or in other ways - to them?
Over the past year, our youth called on us to amplify their voices and revisit the ways in which we share their stories. With their input, we rewrote our youth engagement principles on the basis of ethical storytelling and trained our development staff across our federation in their use. Ethical storytelling recognizes the youth as protagonists and owners of their own story, with control over how and for how long their testimonies and experiences may be shared. While this can be challenging for various reasons, we recognize the singular value of heeding the voices of our youth. In this same period, we have been expanding and refreshing our facilities, and it is the input of our youth that has had the greatest impact in the design or redesign of spaces meant for them and their journeys.
What challenges does your organization face in collecting feedback from the people you serve?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Briefly describe a recent change that your organization made in response to feedback from the people you serve.
While the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc across the countries where Covenant House serves, the racial reckoning in the U.S. also had deep implications for our work. Nearly 90% of our youth are young people of color, and 58% are Black or African American. In listening sessions across our houses, we learned how deeply disturbed they were by the events we all witnessed. Covenant House felt obliged to do a deep dive into equity, inclusion, and diversity in our own spaces. We hired experts to evaluate our environment, hiring and promotion practices, and management of implicit and explicit bias. We created a DEI department with a C-suite-level leader. And we are in the process of building a strategic DEI plan, with goals and targets, to guide our implementation of DEI principles at every level.
Equity Practices - No Data Available - UnscoredEquity Practices - No Data Available - Unscored
This organization has not provided information regarding the Equity Practices it is presently implementing. As such, the organization has not earned a score on this metric. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective equity policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
Covenant House has earned a 100% for the Leadership & Adaptability beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
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Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableMission - 10/10 ptsMission - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission
In 31 cities across six countries, Covenant House builds bridges to hope for young people facing homelessness and survivors of human trafficking, meeting their immediate needs for food, clothing, protection, and medical care, and supporting them to advance their goals of education and employment. Covenant House encompasses a robust network of "houses," with best-in-class services and a shared commitment to unconditional love, absolute respect, and relentless support for each young person who walks through our doors. Founded as a drop-in center in New York City in 1972, Covenant House now serves tens of thousands of children and youth every year in our residential, outreach, and drop-in programs. Our dedicated staff across the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Canada employ a strengths-based, trauma-informed practice model that helps young people discover and develop their resilience to overcome adversity now and into the future.
Vision - 10/10 ptsVision - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
Covenant House envisions and works toward a world where every young person has a safe place to sleep and the love, respect, and support they deserve, and need, to thrive. For 50 years we have opened our doors to young people facing homelessness and survivors of human trafficking. That’s half a century of believing in youth and nurturing their promise, talent, and courage. Half a century of programs, services, and relentless support; of being love in their world. But there is still so much to do. Our young people are calling us to be bolder, to amplify their voices and grow this movement to end youth homelessness. So we are reaffirming our covenant with them, advancing our expansion efforts, deepening our programs, and modeling a community of relentless support to build a present and future of safety, healing, housing, and opportunity for young people facing homelessness.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Goals - 20/20 ptsGoals - 20/20 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Improve the quality of core programs and improve our impact
Goal Type: Focus on core programs to achieve mission and scale back on programs not seen as core.
Goal Two: Enhance our capacity and standing as a data-driven learning organization
Goal Type: Focus on core programs to achieve mission and scale back on programs not seen as core.
Goal Three: Grow our housing continuum to meet the needs of even more young people experiencing homelessness
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Leadership Development - 15/15 ptsLeadership Development - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
In 2020, Covenant House International piloted a new Career Ladders Initiative to provide leadership training and professional development and advancement opportunities for our staff. The initiative kicked off with a Leadership Mentoring Pilot, which matched individuals at different levels of experiences and career tenure with mentors within the organization. Mentors and mentees met over a six-month period to focus on professional growth and career goals. This work also included a career mapping exercise.
Mobilizing for Mission - 15/15 ptsMobilizing for Mission - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
Strategic Partnerships
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Policy Advocacy
Covenant House works strategically to build relationships to fight youth homelessness and trafficking. For example, we partner with True Colors United to advance our practice and policy related to LGBTQ+ young people and with the National Network for Youth (NN4Y) to address the needs of youth experiencing homelessness and/or survivors of trafficking. We engage in legislative, policy and appropriations advocacy at the federal in key areas including education and workforce development, youth homelessness and affordable housing, and anti-trafficking efforts and survivor supports, which reduce barriers which impact our youth, support evidence-based practices in the field, and provide much needed resources to our sites across the U.S. We also raise awareness through our Sleep Out movement in which leaders of the sports, entertainment, and business industries join with citizens around the world to sleep on the street in solidarity for one night with youth experiencing homelessness.
Adaptability Story - 30/30 ptsAdaptability Story - 30/30 pts
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
Beginning with what was revealed during the pandemic about socio-economic disparities, followed by a racial reckoning across our world, and now a collective recovery that is exposing new weaknesses in our systems, Covenant House has established a new set of imperatives that obligates our federation to do a deep dive into equity, inclusion, and diversity in our own spaces. While the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc across the countries where Covenant House serves, the racial reckoning in the U.S. also had deep implications for our work. Nearly 90% of our youth are young people of color, and 58% are Black or African American. In listening sessions across our houses, we learned how deeply disturbed they were by the events we all witnessed. Covenant House felt obliged to do a deep dive into equity, inclusion, and diversity in our own spaces. We hired experts to evaluate our environment, hiring and promotion practices, and management of implicit and explicit bias. We created a DEI department with a C-suite-level leader. And we are in the process of building a strategic DEI plan, with goals and targets, to guide our implementation of DEI principles at every level. Over the past year, our youth called on us to amplify their voices and revisit the ways in which we share their stories. With their input, we rewrote our youth engagement principles on the basis of ethical storytelling and trained our development staff across our federation in their use. Ethical storytelling recognizes the youth as protagonists and owners of their own story, with control over how and for how long their testimonies and experiences may be shared. While this can be challenging for various reasons, we recognize the singular value of heeding the voices of our youth. In this same period, we have been expanding and refreshing our facilities, and it is the input of our youth that has had the greatest impact in the design or redesign of spaces meant for them and their journeys.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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