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1156 WEST BALTIMORE PIKE BOX 394
Kennett Square PA 19348-2274
Kennett Square PA | IRS ruling year: 2015 | EIN: 35-2518819
FAMILY PROMISE OF SOUTHERN CHESTER COUNTY (FPSCC) WAS CREATED TO ADDRESS THE GROWING PROBLEM OF HOMELESSNESS IN FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITIES DEFINED BY ... (More)
FAMILY PROMISE OF SOUTHERN CHESTER COUNTY (FPSCC) WAS CREATED TO ADDRESS THE GROWING PROBLEM OF HOMELESSNESS IN FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITIES DEFINED BY THE FOUR SOUTHERN CHESTER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS KENNETT, AVON GROVE, OXFORD AND UNIONVILLE-CHADDS FORD. (Less)
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This charity's score is 100%, earning it a Four-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: 32% Accountability & Finance, 50% Impact & Results, 7% Leadership & Adaptability, 10% 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.
Rating histories are available for a growing number of rated organizations. Check back later to see if this organization has a rating history!
The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for Family Promise of Southern Chester County is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations.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.
Family Promise of Southern Chester County has earned a 100% 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.
Learn more
Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Not ApplicableBoard Composition - 12/12 - 25/25 ptsBoard Composition - 12/12 - 25/25 pts
Charity Navigator looks for at least 3 board members, with more than 50% of those members identified as independent (not salaried).
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.
Source: IRS Form 990
Independent Audit or Financial Review - Has Audit/Review - 20/20 ptsIndependent Audit or Financial Review - Has Audit/Review - 20/20 pts
An Audit, Review, or Compilation provides important information about financial accountability and accuracy. Organizations are scored based on their Total Revenue Amount:
| Total Revenue Amount | Expectation to Receive Credit |
|---|---|
| $1 million or higher | Expected to complete an audit |
| $500,000 - $1 million | Expected to complete an audit, review, or compilation |
| Less than $500,000 | No expectation (removed from scoring methodology) |
Source: IRS Form 990
Conflict of Interest Policy - Listed - 3/3 ptsConflict of Interest Policy - Listed - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a conflict of interest policy on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This 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, director and/or key employee of the organization.
Source: IRS Form 990
Board Meeting Minutes - Documented - 3/3 ptsBoard Meeting Minutes - Documented - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has this process in place as an accountability and transparency measure.
An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference.
Source: IRS Form 990
Document Retention and Destruction - Listed - 3/3 ptsDocument Retention and Destruction - Listed - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a document retention and destruction policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy establishes guidelines for the handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promote data integrity.
Source: IRS Form 990
Whistleblower Policy - Listed - 3/3 ptsWhistleblower Policy - Listed - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a whistleblower policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report financial or other types of mismanagement.
Source: IRS Form 990
Website - Listed - 3/3 ptsWebsite - Listed - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks for a website on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency metric.
Nonprofits act in the public trust and reporting publicly on activities is an important component.
Source: IRS Form 990
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 9.55% - 15/15 ptsLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 9.55% - 15/15 pts
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990). This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and/or long-term sustainability.
| Liabilities to Assets Ratio | Amount of Credit Received |
|---|---|
| Less than 50% | Full Credit |
| 50% - 59.9% | Partial Credit |
| 60% or more | No Credit |
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Ratio - 77.49% - 25/25 ptsProgram Expense Ratio - 77.49% - 25/25 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.
| Program Expense Percentage | Amount of Credit Received |
|---|---|
| 70% or higher | Full Credit |
| 60% - 69.9% | Partial Credit |
| 50% - 59.9% | Zero Points for Program Expense Score |
| Below 50% | Zero Points for Both Program Expense AND Liabilities to Assets Scores |
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 up to five of this organization's highest compensated employees. 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
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:
Activity data not reported from the IRS
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 (Family Promise of Southern Chester County) or EIN (352518819) 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.
Family Promise of Southern Chester County reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Fundraising Capacity
Revenue
Staffing
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
We were unable to hold our 2 largest fundraising events that usually are held in person. Our donors and volunteers were generous especially with the uncertainty of the times. They came through with monetary and in-kind donations such as shelter, furniture, supplies, and time. We were able to avail of COVID-19 relief grants and community funding. It is uncertain how long these emergency relief funds will be available.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
Our original rotational program had to close due to the pandemic restrictions. As a result we had to find shelter for the families we were serving. Through the generosity of members of one of our host congregations, we were gifted shelter for 4 families for approximately 9 months. When this time came to an end, we no longer had shelter for the families. In response to the pandemic, the government has provided stimulus money and extended unemployment benefits to ease the crisis. In addition, they have recently increased benefits to provide rental assistance in anticipation of the stimulus, unemployment, and moratorium on evictions lifting. Despite these efforts, we have seen a somewhat “hidden” population of people experiencing homelessness under the McKinney-Vento definition (https://nche.ed.gov/mckinney-vento-definition/). These are families who are “doubled-up” living with friends or families but have no home of their own. These are now the families we are serving.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
We are presently serving families who are “doubled-up” (living with friends or families) but have no home of their own. Many organizations serving the homeless receive funding originating from HUD, which defines homelessness (with some exceptions) as a person being “street homeless.” Once some of these families are diverted from street homelessness away from a shelter, some are in doubled-up situations, they therefore are no longer considered homeless under HUD, and, depending on the resources of the agency serving them, may no longer be able to be served to find their own housing. One hundred percent of these referrals are single mothers. We call this program “Every Child Deserves a Home: Post-Diversion” because being diverted from shelter is not enough. Additionally, FPSCC has in 2022 established the "Every Child Deserves A Home: Promise House". Family Promise rents apartments and places families upon an emergent need basis. Family are able to stay for up to ninety days.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
We plan to continue the Post-Diversion Program and the Promise House Program.
Family Promise of Southern Chester County has earned a 100% for the Impact & Results beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon estimates the actual impact a charity has on the lives of those it serves, and determines whether it is making good use of donor resources to achieve that impact.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot Applicable
Program
Every Child Deserves A Home: Post Diversion
Activities
The nonprofit provides people experiencing homelessness with a temporary place to stay.
Program Type
Emergency Shelter
Beneficiaries Served
Program Geography
Time Period of Data
1/1/21 to 12/31/21
Outcomes: Changes in the lives of those served by a nonprofit. They can be caused by the nonprofit.
Costs: The money spent by a nonprofit and its partners and beneficiaries.
Impact: Outcome caused by a nonprofit relative to its cost.
Cost-effectiveness: A judgment as to whether the cost was a good use of resources to cause the outcome.
Outcome Metric
A night of shelter for a person experiencing homelessness
Outcome Data Source
Ratings are based on data the nonprofit itself collects on its work. We use the most recent year with sufficient data. Typically, this data allows us to calculate direct changes in participants' lives, such as increased income.
Outcome data collected during the program. The nonprofit submitted data on nights of shelter provided.
Method for Attributing Outcomes
We don't know if the observed changes were caused by the nonprofit's program or something else happening at the same time (e.g., a participant got a raise). To determine causation, we take the outcomes we observe and subtract an estimate of the outcomes that would have happened even without the program (i.e., counterfactual outcomes).
We assume that the provision of shelter by one nonprofit does not diminish the provision of shelter by any other (neighboring) nonprofit. We also assume there is, in general, no slack capacity in the homeless shelter system. In the absence of a given shelter, beneficiaries would not be able to stay at another shelter because other shelters are assumed to have no beds to spare. We therefore set the counterfactual to zero.
Cost Data Source
After estimating the program's outcomes, we need to determine how much it cost to achieve those outcomes. All monetary costs are counted, whether they are borne by a nonprofit service deliverer or by the nonprofit’s public and private partners.
Program cost data reported by the nonprofit. Partner and beneficiary costs reported by the nonprofit or estimated by Charity Navigator.
Cost Calculation
$281,072 program costs + partner costs + $0 beneficiary costs = $281,072 total costs
We calculate impact, defined as the change in outcomes attributable to a program divided by the cost to achieve those outcomes.
Impact Calculation
$281,072 total costs / 7,000 nights of shelter provided = roughly $40 provides a night of shelter to a person experiencing homelessness.
Benchmark for Rating
Impact & Results scores of emergency shelters are based on the cost of providing a night of shelter relative to the Fair Market Rent in that county. Programs receive an Impact & Results score of 100 if they are less than 200% the Fair Market Rent and a score of 80 if they are less than 400%. If a nonprofit reports impact but doesn't meet the benchmark for cost-effectiveness, it earns a score of 65.
Determination
Highly cost-effective
Family Promise of Southern Chester County reported its largest program on its FY 2020 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
THE FPSCC PROVIDES HOUSING, WHOLESOME FOOD AND BASIC NECESSITIES FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. THE GOAL OF THE ORGANIZATION IS TO MOVE FAMILIES TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY, PROVIDING T ... (More)
THE FPSCC PROVIDES HOUSING, WHOLESOME FOOD AND BASIC NECESSITIES FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. THE GOAL OF THE ORGANIZATION IS TO MOVE FAMILIES TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY, PROVIDING THEM WITH A YEARLONG AFTERCARE PROGRAM FOLLOWING THE SHELTERING COMPONENT TO ENSURE CONTINUED SUCCESS. COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE, EDUCATION IN BUDGETING AND PARENTING, AS WELL AS FAMILY/INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING. ONCE FAMILIES ARE IN A FINANCIAL POSITION TO MOVE INTO AN APARTMENT, HELP IS PROVIDED TO FIND AND FURNISH THE NEW HOME WITH EVERYTHING NEEDED FROM FURNITURE TO DISHWARE TO LINENS. FPSCC STAYS IN TOUCH WITH OUR FAMILIES INDEFINITELY, SUPPLYING HOLIDAY GIFTS, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, AND OTHER LIFE NECESSITIES. HOMELESSNESS IS A VERY STRESSFUL AND TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE. WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE PLACED 78 FAMILIES WITH 164 CHILDREN AND 294 TOTAL PARTICIPANTS INTO PERMANENT HOUSING TO DATE. ALL FAMILIES PLACED IN PERMANENT HOUSING ARE STILL IN PERMANENT HOUSING AS OF DECEMBER 2020. (Less)
Family Promise of Southern Chester County 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
30% 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.
Families from lower social-economic backgrounds struggling to find affordable housing.
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Case management notes
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?
The people we 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?
Our families trust us and know that we will assist them towards financial stability and home ownership.
What challenges does your organization face in collecting feedback from the people you serve?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Briefly describe a recent change that your organization made in response to feedback from the people you serve.
Information about what we offer and do was not always clear, especially for those who did not speak English well. So we hired a Spanish speaking Family Support Specialist. Further, we created a private group on Facebook for our families so they can know what is happening.
Equity Practices - Data Available - 100/100 ptsEquity Practices - Data Available - 100/100 pts
70% of beacon score
This organization's score of 100 is a passing score. The organization reported that it is implementing 13 Equity Practices. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective equity policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
Equity Practices (7/7) | |
|---|---|
We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race. | |
We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and/or portfolios. | |
We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization/'s programs, portfolios, and the populations served. | |
We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support. | |
We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders. | |
We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured | |
We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization. | |
Equity Policies and Procedures (6/7) | |
|---|---|
We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity. | |
We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions. | |
We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization. | |
We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board. | |
We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability. | |
We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team. | |
We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization. | |
Family Promise of Southern Chester County 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.
Learn more
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
Family Promise of Southern Chester County helps families with children experiencing homelessness achieve sustainable housing and stability.
Vision - 10/10 ptsVision - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
Every Child Has A Home.
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: ALLEVIATE THE IMPACT OF THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON FAMILIES IN OUR PROGRAM.
Goal Type: Focus on core programs to achieve mission and scale back on programs not seen as core.
Goal Two: TARGET OUTREACH TO POPULATIONS WE ARE NOT REACHING TODAY.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Three: INCREASE RESOURCES OFFERED TO OUR FAMILIES.
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
Series of trainings as well as an Innovation Summit which provides a track for Board Members. within our succession planning the VP is assumed to take on the leadership role. The president of the board remains for a year to offer support for new president. regular in service trainings. From a leadership perspective, we provide our board with training, updates, and trends in the arena of homelessness and housing both locally and from our national office. We maintain a strategic plan which includes key informant information, we are forming a client advisory committee, and our Executive Director is in constant contact with other organizations throughout the community. These influence our implementation of response to the community. Operationally, our case manager is in continuous contact with the families within our programs., as well as counterparts from other service organizations.
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
Raising Awareness
Community Building
From a leadership perspective, we provide our board with training, updates, and trends in the arena of homelessness and housing both locally and from our national office. We maintain a strategic plan which includes key informant information, we are forming a client advisory committee, and our Executive Director is in constant contact with other organizations throughout the community. These influence our implementation of response to the community. Operationally, our case manager is in continuous contact with the families within our programs., as well as counterparts from other service organizations.
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.
As a result of COVID-19, FPSCC had to pivot multiple times. In 2015, FPSCC started with a rotational model by calling on local congregations to provide food and shelter offering the Family Promise Resource Center located in Kennett Square, PA as a home base for families in our program. We have been able to keep families from being separated in the social service system and get them back on their feet with lasting results. When COVID restrictions were issued, all our congregations closed their doors and the rotational system stopped. The families that we served needed a new place to stay. A volunteer offered to renovate 4 rooms in a building he owned. We were gifted 9 months of a "static shelter" for our families to day. In January 2021, we returned the 4 rooms to the owner. One family was ready to graduate, two entered a "doubled up" situation, and one we housed in a hotel for a short period of time. In February, we pivoted once again and began our "Post-Diversion" Program. Diversion is a term used when a person is diverted from entering the shelter system. We are receiving referrals for families who are "doubled-up" with family and friends because they cannot pay their rent or find affordable housing. Many are living in crowded and sometimes unsafe situations. One family was living in a basement without heat, another in an unfinished attic. Because these families do not meet the definition of homelessness according to HUD, they often do not receive assistance from government funded organizations; once a family has a roof over their head, they are no longer considered homeless. These families fall into a gap where they are no longer represented. Our Post Diversion program focuses on these families. Since February, we have been serving 12 families who are doubled-up. We anticipate even more families will fall within this category once the moratorium on evictions is lifted 2021. Family Promise of SCC is determined to be there for them.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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