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485 HILLSDALE DRIVE
Charlottesville VA 22901-5734
Charlottesville VA | IRS ruling year: 2014 | EIN: 54-1832314
The mission of the Ron Brown Scholar Program is to accelerate the progress of African Americans into the mainstream of leadership in business, education, government, ... (More)
The mission of the Ron Brown Scholar Program is to accelerate the progress of African Americans into the mainstream of leadership in business, education, government, and a wide spectrum of professions while instilling a strong dedication to leadership and public service. (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: 90% Accountability & Finance, 10% Leadership & Adaptability. 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 As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for Ron Brown Scholar Fund is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations.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.
Ron Brown Scholar Fund 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 2019, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us.
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Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Not ApplicableBoard Composition - 20/21 - 25/25 ptsBoard Composition - 20/21 - 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 - Audited - 20/20 ptsIndependent Audit or Financial Review - Audited - 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 - 3.45% - 15/15 ptsLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 3.45% - 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 - 70.39% - 25/25 ptsProgram Expense Ratio - 70.39% - 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 2019
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:
Scholarships (other) (BMF activity code: 040)
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 (Ron Brown Scholar Fund) or EIN (541832314) 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.
Ron Brown Scholar Fund reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Fundraising Capacity
Staffing
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
Support Services for Undergraduate Scholars: • With the sudden shuttering of colleges and universities many of our Scholars found themselves facing housing and food insecurity. An Emergency Fund was created for undergraduates who could not return home to assist with current needs for cost of housing, medication, food and utilities Fundraising: • Loss of fundraising opportunities and sponsorship revenue from cancellation of primary in-person fundraising event and leadership conferences • Loss of non-refundable pre-purchased items for fundraising event • Increased electronic solicitation in absence of in-person events Selection Process: • Loss of non-refundable flights for 24 finalists flying from out of state to Washington, DC for their Selection Weekend of events Communications: • Scaled down on printed communications and mass mailings as part of cost-cutting measures Operations: • Costs of scaling up technology and updates for virtual meetings and events
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
The pandemic’s effect on our program offerings has been twofold: on the one hand, it created new needs we have had to address with new services; on the other hand, it forced us to rethink how we deliver our programming. We confronted the most pressing set of new demands in Spring 2020. As colleges across the country responded to the rapid spread of COVID-19, many of our college-age Scholars found themselves with no way to provide for their own basic necessities. The closure of dorms and dining halls meant that our Scholars suddenly faced food and housing insecurity. The Ron Brown Scholar Program sprang immediately into action: our alumni contributed generously to a COVID-19 emergency fund, which we used to supply the wants of students in need. In response to the psychological toll, which took longer to unfold, we created a Self-Care zoom series, helped students find psychological support and counseling, and did our best to make the mental health of our Scholars and Alumni a priority.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
While we have had remote staff and interns in the past, most of the employees of the Ron Brown Scholar Program work out of our office in Charlottesville, VA. COVID-19 forced us to shift to a work-from-home model that has actually proved quite effective. We formalized our biweekly staff meetings, have come to rely more heavily on phone and Zoom conversations than impromptu chats in the hallway. Each year, our Selection Committee reviews thousands of applications from students around the country. Where in the past we have typically interviewed each of the finalists in person, this too shifted to a virtual event. And although we doubled the number of scholarships we offered this year, the lack of travel meant we were able to involve more of our supporters in this process, and complete it in the same amount of time it would normally have taken.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
Our internal polling suggests, in spite of the impossibility of meeting in person, our Scholars and alumni feel more connected to our program than ever before. This is thanks in large part to the effort we’ve put into outreach and virtual programming. We designed these programs as replacements for our usual gatherings, but going forward we will retain them as supplements to our face-to-face programs. The redoubled focus on mental health and explicit engagement with social justice will remain as well. Finally, our successful transition to WFH has shown us that we can, if necessary, accommodate remote work—both occasionally on the part of those of us who live here in Charlottesville and more permanently for interns and employees who live elsewhere.
Not Currently Scored
Ron Brown Scholar Fund 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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Ron Brown Scholar Fund reported its largest program on its FY 2019 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
Scholarship Grants
Ron Brown Scholar Fund cannot currently be evaluated by our Culture & Community methodology because we have not received data from the charity regarding its Constituent Feedback or Equity Practices strategies.
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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Ron Brown Scholar Fund 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
Cultivating tomorrow’s leaders today. The Ron Brown Scholar Program is committed to advancing higher education by improving the lives of intellectually gifted, community and public service-minded African Americans, by accelerating their progress into impactful leadership roles and opportunities.
Vision - 10/10 ptsVision - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
The vision of the Ron Brown Scholar Program is to cultivate the next generation of transformational leaders who positively impact their communities and blaze new paths in their chosen careers and professions.
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: Create new partnerships with outside organizations which build the professional expertise of our scholars and alumni.
Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).
Goal Two: Scale up to reach more high school students within our Guided Pathway Support Program to provide a more clearly defined pathway to college.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Three: Expand services offered to our constituencies both at the undergraduate level and graduate level to better prepare them for career and beyond.
Goal Type: New program(s) based on observed changes in needs among our constituencies/communities served.
Leadership Development - 15/15 ptsLeadership Development - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
Our staff are encouraged to attend training workshops and to collaborate with peers outside of our organizations to gain better insight into best practices and to develop new ideas and strategies.
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
The Ron Brown Scholar Program has partnered with several organizations brought about by Board relationships and organizational memberships. Staff continue to present at national leadership conferences, mission specific events and staff/board are often invited to be strategic partners or sit on Boards with different 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.
Our internal polling suggests, in spite of the impossibility of meeting in person, our Scholars and alumni feel more connected to our program than ever before. This is thanks in large part to the effort we’ve put into outreach and virtual programming. We designed these programs as replacements for our usual gatherings, but going forward we will retain them as supplements to our face-to-face programs. The redoubled focus on mental health and explicit engagement with social justice will remain as well. Finally, our successful transition to WFH has shown us that we can, if necessary, accommodate remote work—both occasionally on the part of those of us who live here in Charlottesville and more permanently for interns and employees who live elsewhere.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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