Mission: EDUCATE STUDENTS TO EXPLORE HOW FOOD CHOICES IMPACT OUR HEALTH, THE ENVIRONMENT AND ANIMALS.
Educated Choices Program is a 501(c)(3) organization, with an IRS ruling year of 2015, and donations are tax-deductible.
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Encompass Rating System by Charity Navigator
Overall Score
100
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
100
out of 100
The score earned by Educated Choices Program 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 2020, the latest year electronically filed and published by the IRS.
Finance & Accountability Report
100
of 100 points
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Program Expense Ratio
90.02%
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
5/6 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
Has Audit/Review
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
0.72%
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
This beta feature is currently viewable only on desktop or tablet screens. Check back later for updates.
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
ANN ROBIN, CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER
$75,802
MARIA LORENA MUCKE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
$74,966
ASHLEY LAY, FIELD OPERATIONS OFFICER
$55,465
PATRICIA PRIEST PHD, CHAIR
$0
MATTHEW ECKMANN, TREASURER
$0
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2020
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 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)
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.
Educated Choices Program reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Staffing
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
While the pandemic did not directly affect our fundraising efforts, it did necessitate the re-allocation of funds towards the development of new delivery methods and outreach efforts in order to continue our work in the rapidly changing landscape.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
Due to pandemic related school closures and the need to continue to reach students with our important message, our leadership team worked diligently and swiftly to create a virtual experience consisting of professionally narrated versions of our presentations, along with lesson plans offering activities and quizzes for teachers to utilize in their distance learning classrooms. The information shared in the virtual presentations is identical to our in-person versions but with adaptations made to the interactive components. At a time when teachers were challenged with creating online content to engage their students, our new offerings were both appreciated and well received.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
Utilizing our digital programs, we were able to reach over 400,000 students in the US and Canada alone during COVID shut downs. Feedback was incredibly positive and impact rates remained relatively unchanged.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
Going forward, we will offer these new online presentations to areas of the country in which we do not yet have staff educators, which will multiply our efforts and increase our outreach into the future. We are also currently building our global version of the digital presentations to allow for international expansion in the upcoming school years.
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
Educated Choices Program 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 Educated Choices Program? 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
Educated Choices Program reported its largest program on its FY 2020 Form 990 as:
$1,138,221
Spent in most recent FY
100%
Percent of program expenses
THE EDUCATED CHOICES PROGRAM IS DEDICATED TO INSPIRING THIS GENERATION TO REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING INFORMED AND TO UNDERSTAND THE POWER AND INFLUENCE THEY WIELD TO MAKE THE W ... (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 Educated Choices Program 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
Our mission is to provide science-based education about the impact of food choices, empowering current and future consumers and leaders to help create a healthier, more sustainable food system for all.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Vision
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
Our vision is one in which all societies and community members are equipped with the knowledge of how their individual food choices impact health and environmental issues worldwide, leading to improved personal and planetary health.
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: To expand into additional European countries and 5 countries in Latin America within the year with additional international growth planned for the following years.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: To expand each year into new areas of North America that were previously untouched since we can do so with digital presentations while keeping our cost per student very low.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Three: We have partnered with multiple leading health and environmental organizations to expand our digital educational offerings and our reach.
Goal Type: New program(s) based on observed changes in needs among our constituencies/communities served.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Leadership Development
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
Describe an investment in leadership
We recently created a committee called the ARDI (Anti-Racist, Diversity, and Inclusion) to ensure that we maintain an active role in achieving, and strengthening, a just and equitable culture that is anti-racist, diverse, and inclusive. We recognize that this work is essential to supporting all members of our community and that it may only be accomplished by deconstructing the intersecting marginalization of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and disability through critical and ongoing review of current and future standards, policies, and practices within our organization. This committee will organize ongoing training opportunities for our leadership team and staff. By reaffirming our just and equitable culture through the work of the ARDI Committee, ECP will be better situated to both support our current personnel, and to forge a more diverse and inclusive workplace, ensuring adequate representation for our team members and those we serve.
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
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
What are this organization’s external mobilizaton efforts?
Partnerships with like-minded organizations have brought our expanded college program as well as multiple international expansion projects into reality. We value the importance of joining forces to make bigger impacts. Our founder has been featured as a speaker at the Reducetarian Summit as well as other mission related conferences and has been a guest on multiple podcasts to get the word out about our services and resulting impact. We utilize social channels such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to share important organizational updates and to bring awareness to our work.
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.
An online component of our learning program was launched as part of our COVID response. It was imperative that we continued to reach as many students as possible during each school year, even when our educators could not safely be in the classrooms. Our leadership team worked diligently and swiftly during those unprecedented times to create a virtual experience consisting of professionally narrated versions of our presentations, along with lesson plans offering activities and quizzes for teachers to utilize in their distance learning classrooms. The information shared in the virtual presentations is identical to our in-person versions but with adaptations made to the interactive components. At a time when teachers were challenged with creating online content to engage their students, our new offerings were both appreciated and well-received. Utilizing our digital programs, we were able to reach over 400,000 students in the US and Canada alone during COVID shutdowns. Over the past two years, we have learned that not only does our digital education format allow us to adapt to the ever-changing academic world consisting of home-schooling, in-class instruction and hybrid models; it also removes all geographic borders from our work that were previously in place due to lack of personnel and cost of travel to present in remote areas. On top of this, we have found that we can effectively reach more people in more areas, resulting in more positive dietary changes worldwide for a much lower cost per student! This has paved the way for our global future as an organization.
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
Educated Choices Program 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
100/100 points
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.
View this organization's Constituent Feedback Practices
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.
