Mission: YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR BOYS AND YOUNG MEN LIVING IN LOW-INCOME AND PUBLIC HOUSING.
Life Pieces to Masterpieces is a 501(c)(3) organization, with an IRS ruling year of 2003, and donations are tax-deductible.
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Encompass Rating System by Charity Navigator
Overall Score
98
out of 100
This charity's score is a passing score.
This overall score is calculated from multiple beacon scores: 80% Finance & Accountability, 10% Leadership & Adaptability, and 10% 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
97
out of 100
The score earned by Life Pieces to Masterpieces 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 2021, the latest year electronically filed and published by the IRS.
Finance & Accountability Report
97
of 100 points
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Program Expense Ratio
71.09%
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
11/11 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
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
20.11%
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
Missing
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
No Data Available
Key Persons data is currently unavailable for this organization. This data is only available if this charity has at least one year of electronically-filed Form 990 data filed within the last six years.
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).
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
Life Pieces to Masterpieces 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 Life Pieces to Masterpieces? Join the waitlist for an updated Impact & Results score.
Additional Information
Unscored
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Largest Programs
Life Pieces to Masterpieces reported its three largest programs on its FY 2021 Form 990 as:
$748,197
Spent in most recent FY
62%
Percent of program expenses
LPTM'S ARTS AND EDUCATION MENTORING PROGRAM ENGAGES ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL-AGED YOUTH IN AN ARTS-BASED PROCESS THAT GUIDES THEM TO CHANNEL THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCES THROUGH ACRYLIC AND FABRIC STITC ... (More)
$94,080
Spent in most recent FY
7%
Percent of program expenses
OUR SUMMER PROGRAM, CONNECTING COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE, ENGAGES BOYS AND YOUNG MEN AGES 3-14 DAILY FROM JUNE THROUGH EARLY AUGUST. THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON THE STUDY OF A NEW FOREIGN COUNTRY EACH S ... (More)
$171,905
Spent in most recent FY
14%
Percent of program expenses
THE SATURDAY ACADEMY (SA) PROVIDES OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AGES 14-18, WITH ACADEMIC SUPPORT, COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS TRAINING, BLACK MALE DEVELOPMENT, LEADERSHIP KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, FINANCIAL ... (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 Life Pieces to Masterpieces 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
Life Pieces To Masterpieces develops character and leadership, unlocks potential, and prepares Black boys and young men to transform their lives and communities through the power of creative expression.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Vision
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
LPTM youth succeed in their own lives, set positive examples for their peers and communities, and help awaken the world to our shared humanity.
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: Increase the number of youth served in our OST programs by 10% annually over the next five years.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: Solidify LPTM’s “Color Me Community” in-school program as a model for shifting a school’s culture of environment towards a more holistic, relationship-driven social-emotional approach.
Goal Type: New program(s) based on observed changes in needs among our constituencies/communities served.
Goal Three: Secure the financial future of LPTM, including building adequate operating reserves and establishing a new facility fund.
Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Leadership Development
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
Describe an investment in leadership
LPTM develops leaders through Color Me Community (CMC) workshops, using the same Human Development System framework that assists LPTM youth in their own self-development. The result of LPTM’s 25 years of experience in human development, CMC provides a nurturing and nonjudgmental environment for people of all races and identities to safely grapple with issues that deeply divide and separate us from one another. 15 LPTM staff members and 40 volunteers participated in three CMC’s this year, guiding them through the internal work necessary to participate in the positive development of youth. LPTM sent three members of the leadership team to the Beyond School Hours conference, contributing to their growth as educators and leaders. Two LPTM leaders participated in the National Convening of the Justice Arts Coalition, experiencing three days of workshops on creative expression and storytelling. They also facilitated a Color Me Community workshop for more than 50 attendees at the Convening.
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
Policy Advocacy
What are this organization’s external mobilizaton efforts?
LPTM builds strategic partnerships with local government and nonprofit organizations for OST programmatic support, collective impact and advocacy, thought leadership, and direct services for our families. Our Color Me Community workshop is regularly a part of numerous local and national conferences, recently including the Justice Arts Coalition, the National Association of the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, and the National Mentoring Summit. LPTM is a founding member of the DC Arts Education Alliance collectively supporting youth across the District, and regularly supports the DC OST Coalition and the national Afterschool Alliance in advocacy work - led by LPTM youth alongside LPTM leadership. LPTM builds a movement in support of our mission through social media, art exhibitions, youth performances, and videography. LPTM is currently producing a provocative documentary showcasing the brilliance and creativity inherent in Black boys and young men.
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.
Through deep connections with our young men and their families, the resiliency and dedication of our staff and board, strong community partnerships, and COVID-19 emergency funding from DC’s philanthropic community, LPTM was able to maintain full programming and staffing from the onset of the pandemic to the present. Using the same problem-solving practices we teach our apprentices (Connect – Create – Contribute – Celebrate), we connected immediately with our entire universe of youth, families, community partners, staff, board, investors, and volunteers to come together to develop responses to COVID-19’s countless challenges. While the vast majority of youth-serving and arts organizations were closing their doors at the start of the pandemic, Life Pieces remained open – successfully adapting and expanding our services to meet the needs of our community. From the day DC public schools shut down on March 13th, LPTM immediately responded to restructure and transform our programming to a virtual space and then to rapidly develop a combination of virtual and in-person platforms. LPTM was unique among out-of-school academic and arts programming in sustaining a level of in-person learning for all but a few weeks through the use of tents and outdoor venues while also pivoting in response to family feedback to meet urgent needs for groceries, personal protective equipment and transportation. This minimized both academic and social learning loss for most of our Apprentices. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced Life Pieces to use our programming creativity and resources to the fullest. Despite the challenges it posed, we have maintained intentional connection and engagement with our families and apprentices. All of our programs are active and have been adapted to either virtual, hybrid, or outdoor settings. We are now in a position to pivot nimbly from virtual to in-person, to hybrid learning depending on the needs and safety of our apprentices.
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
Life Pieces to Masterpieces has earned a passing score. The organization provided data about how it listens to constituents (Constituent Feedback) and its Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) practices (see report below).
The Culture & Community Beacon is comprised of the following metrics:
Constituent Feedback: 100/100 (30% of beacon score)
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion: 100/100 (70% of beacon score)
Culture & Community Report
100
of 100 points
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Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
100/100 points
70% of beacon score
This organization's score of 100 is a passing score. The organization reported that it is implementing 12 diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective DEI policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
View this organization's DEI Strategies
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
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.
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.
