Mission: CITY ON A HILL IS ON A MISSION TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY IN MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.
City on A Hill Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization, with an IRS ruling year of 2001, and donations are tax-deductible.
Is this your nonprofit? Access the Nonprofit Portal to submit data and download your rating toolkit.
Important note on the timeliness of ratings
The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). As a result, the Finance & Accountability score for City on A Hill Inc. is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations.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.
Encompass Rating System by Charity Navigator
Overall Score
94
out of 100
This charity's score is a passing score.
This overall score is calculated from multiple beacon scores: 85% Finance & Accountability, 10% Leadership & Adaptability, and 5% Culture & Community
Learn about the Encompass Rating System: Overview | FAQ | Release Notes
Finance & Accountability
This score provides an assessment of a nonprofit's financial health (stability, efficiency and sustainability) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.
Finance & Accountability Score
93
out of 100
The score earned by City on A Hill Inc. is a passing score
This V6 of the Finance & Accountability Score provides a baseline measure of an organization's health including the indicators listed in the report below.
This score represents Form 990 data from 2019, the latest year electronically filed and published by the IRS.
Finance & Accountability Report
93
of 100 points
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Program Expense Ratio
82.30%
Higher effect on score
More data
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
Board Composition
8/11 Independent
Higher effect on score
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
Audited
Higher effect on score
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
Liabilities to Assets Ratio
51.27%
Lower effect on score
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
Website
Listed
Lower effect on score
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
Conflict of Interest Policy
Listed
Lower effect on score
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
Lower effect on score
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
Lower effect on score
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
Lower effect on score
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
Additional Information
Unscored
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Total Revenue and Expenses
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
Salary of Key Persons
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
JOHN DAVIS, PRESIDENT
$95,410
GAYLAND HENDRICKSON, DIRECTOR
$54,386
DIANE DE LA SANTOS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
$37,988
KEITH STANLEY, VICE PRESIDENT
$0
TEIRNEY CHRISTENSON, SECRETARY
$0
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2019
Business Master File Data
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 that normally receives no more than one-third of its support from gross investment income and unrelated business income and at the same time more than one-third of its support from contributions, fees, and gross receipts related to exempt purposes. 509(a)(2) (BMF foundation code: 16)
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)
Data Sources: IRS Forms 990
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 view this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available).
Pandemic Response
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. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
City on A Hill Inc. reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Fundraising Capacity
Revenue
Balance Sheet
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
We applied and received the PPP loan, which allowed us to keep staffing levels intact to meet programming demand during major pivots.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
We have a blended staffing protocol that allows staff flexibility to work remotely when the nature of their work allows for it or if it becomes necessary for safety considerations (e.g., symptoms or exposure to someone who is ill). Our facility remained mostly closed to the general public without appointments during the highs of the pandemic, yet our staff remained mostly on-site serving the needs of the community, as we're deemed an essential service organization.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
Early in the pandemic, we closed our offices to the general public, therefore no one except our staff can access our facility without an appointment or to attend safe, scheduled activities. Our Health Outreach and onsite youth programming onsite were halted for several months but came back online with various adjustments in late August 2020. We continued to monitor guidance from county and state officials to further inform adjustments to various programs to ensure the safety of staff and participants. Our nutritional services continued and have been adapted to ensure all meals provided are individually prepared and wrapped while keeping to social distance requirements if served onsite.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
All our modified activities could continue as they are planned for the next several months, or however long required. We will need to increase the staff support for the activity as a result of the extended impact of the pandemic, in order to support youth both on-site and virtually for an extended period. During the bulk of distance learning, we supported students from 11 different schools attending our on-site Remote Learning Center, plus students from 6 additional schools that our team is supporting through virtual educational achievement activities. Given distance learning will continue for most students for the remainder of the school year, we will need the staffing capacity to perform all activities in a hybrid setting successfully over an extended period. We are therefore recruiting to fill an additional Youth Center staff position that will allow us to continue to make necessary pivots in months ahead.
Previous: Finance & Accountability / Next: Leadership & Adaptability
Impact & Results
This score estimates the actual impact a nonprofit has on the lives of those it serves, and determines whether it is making good use of donor resources to achieve that impact.
Impact & Results Score
Not Currently Scored
City on A Hill Inc. cannot currently be evaluated by our Encompass Rating 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.
Do you work at City on A Hill Inc.? Join the waitlist for an updated Impact & Results score.
Additional Information
Unscored
This beta feature is currently viewable only on desktop or tablet screens. Check back later for updates.
Largest Programs
City on A Hill Inc. reported its three largest programs on its FY 2019 Form 990 as:
$261,169
Spent in most recent FY
19%
Percent of program expenses
Healthcare Services: City on a Hill, Inc. serves more than 1,000 low-income, medically underserved adults annually, including many who are homeless, elderly or disabled and provides health screenings, ... (More)
$623,844
Spent in most recent FY
46%
Percent of program expenses
Children, Youth and Family Programs: City on a Hill, Inc. serves low-income children, youth and families with a wide range of programs. Each year hundreds of youth are enrolled in the afterschool cent ... (More)
$173,790
Spent in most recent FY
12%
Percent of program expenses
Training Programs: City on a Hill, Inc. provides training programs focused on poverty and justice, including poverty simulations, racial residue training, urban plunge weekends, four to six-day short- ... (More)
Previous: Impact & Results / Next: Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
This score 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.
Leadership & Adaptability Score
100
out of 100
The score earned by City on A Hill Inc. is a passing score.
Encompass Rating V4 provides an evaluation of the organization's Leadership & Adaptability through the nonprofit organization submitting a survey response directly to Charity Navigator.
Leadership & Adaptability Report
100
of 100 points
Mission
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s mission
City on a Hill is a catalyst working to save children, reach parents, and transform families in our central city neighborhood by breaking the cycle of generational poverty. We seek to end poverty in all its forms by empowering people with the spiritual, social, educational, and economic resources they need to realize their full potential, making transformational change possible in our community.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Vision
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
City on a Hill’s vision is to see the Lord exalted and His Kingdom enlarged as we embrace families in our neighborhood, equip Christians in our city and engage churches across our nation to revitalize entire neighborhoods. Ultimately, we see neighborhood residents empowered as the core catalysts to end poverty in all its forms at the neighborhood level.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Strategic Goals
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Catalyzing discipleship-making movements in urban, central-city neighborhoods
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: Accelerating pathways to economic mobility for youth and families in impoverished, central-city neighborhoods
Goal Type: New program(s) based on observed changes in needs among our constituencies/communities served.
Goal Three: Equip and mobilize a broad and diverse coalition of change agents to implement bold solutions and scale what works in ending poverty in all of its forms
Goal Type: This goal reflects our commitment to further our advocacy work for our organization and or cause area.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Leadership Development
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
Describe an investment in leadership
We invest in the development of our Removing Racial Residue program to better equip our team and volunteers to lead change in ways that are cognizant and responsive to the needs of low-income communities and people of color. Further, we invest in sending staff to the Global Leaders Summit and making the content available afterward to our team so they can glean from leaders across the world on the most consequential leadership insights for 21st century needs. We also send a handful of team members every year to leadership journeys where they get to engage in coaching and group conversations about leading teams and creating inclusive cultures that drive impact.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Mobilizing for Mission
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
This organization mobilizes for mission in the following ways:
Strategic Partnerships
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Community Building
What are this organization’s external mobilizaton efforts?
We are part of the United Neighborhood Centers of Milwaukee collaborative where we share data, insights, and share strategies to better address the needs of youth, families, and neighborhoods in our city. This includes collective impact efforts and events that scale our reach, advocate for what works and share insights across our teams. City on a Hill annually runs webinars, sessions, and events to inform others on that state of poverty in Milwaukee, as well as emphasize research-based solutions to accelerate progress. We work with media experts and higher ed institutions like the Medical College of Wisconsin to raise awareness of factors important in poverty alleviation, like the social determinants of health. Our community-building efforts are informed by close collaboration with other neighborhood agencies like the Near Westside Partners and their community ambassador to ensure we are responsive to the most pertinent resident needs.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Story of Adaptability
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
We have a blended staffing protocol that allows staff flexibility to work remotely when the nature of their work allows for it or if it becomes necessary for safety considerations (e.g., symptoms or exposure to someone who is ill). While our facility remains closed to the general public without appointments, our staff are mostly on-site serving the needs of the community, as we're deemed an essential service organization. We still offer emergency services (food & hygiene needs) for families and members of the community throughout the week following social distance standards. We've noticed an increase in demand for emergency services in the past months and have needed to provide additional emergency services and referrals to our guests. Our clinic is open and are serving guests, mostly assisting with medication refills, as well as telemedicine visits. Our monthly health outreaches resumed with various adjustments for safety. Our youth program staff are still serving youth, with methods modified to include virtual and outdoor activities due to COVID-19. All off-site deliveries and on-site programming follow CDC guidelines and social distancing practices.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Previous: Leadership & Adaptability
Culture & Community
This score provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves. Learn more about how and why we rate Culture & Community.
Culture & Community Score
100
out of 100
City on A Hill Inc. has earned a passing score. The organization provided data about how it listens to constituents (Constituent Feedback) (see report below).
The Culture & Community Beacon is comprised of the following metrics:
Constituent Feedback: 100/100 (100% of beacon score)
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion: Not Scored
Culture & Community Report
100
of 100 points
This beta feature is currently viewable only on desktop or tablet screens. Check back later for updates.
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
This organization has not provided information regarding the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices it is presently implementing. As such, the organization has not earned a score on this metric. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective DEI policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
Methodology
We are utilizing data collected by Candid to document and assess the DEI practices implemented by the organization. Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to fill out the Equity Strategies section of their Candid profiles to receive a rating.
Learn more about the methodology.
Constituent Feedback
Constituent Feedback and Listening Practice data are not available for this organization. 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.
Methodology
We've partnered with Candid to survey organizations about their feedback practices. Nonprofit organizations can fill out the How We Listen section of their Candid profile to receive a rating.
Learn more about the methodology.
Analysis and Research
Like the overall Encompass Rating System, the Culture & Community Beacon is designed to evolve as metrics are developed and ready for integration. Below you can find more information about the metrics we currently evaluate in this beacon and their relevance to nonprofit performance.
