Your donation attempt encountered a problem. Please refresh the page to try again.
You're faster than our page! Give the page a little longer to finish loading and try your donation again.
Broomfield CO | IRS ruling year: 1995 | EIN: 68-0230597
Organization Mission
In partnership with Nicaraguan communities, El Porvenir implements sustainable clean water solutions that better lives (mission). We do not initiate projects; staff ... (More)
In partnership with Nicaraguan communities, El Porvenir implements sustainable clean water solutions that better lives (mission). We do not initiate projects; staff members respond to requests for assistance from rural communities. Residents elect their own project committee, provide all labor on a volunteer basis, and take responsibility for the long-term maintenance of all projects. We encourage communities to include women among the committee members. We provide technical expertise and training, lend tools, and fund the materials needed to complete the projects. Community health education staff visits the projects periodically after their completion to ensure project maintenance (Less)
Great
This charity's score is 92%, 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, weighted as follows: 80% Accountability & Finance, 10% 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.
| Date Published | Form 990 FYE | Overall Score | Overall Rating |
| Rating Version: 2.1 | |||
| 4/1/2021 | 2019 | 95.77 | |
| 9/1/2020 | 2018 | 92.45 | |
| 8/1/2020 | 2018 | 87.95 |  |
This organization received multiple star ratings within this fiscal year, due to an update to its Accountability and Transparency data and/or the receipt of an amended Form 990. | |||
Score
Most Recent Fiscal Year:
FY 2021
This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.
Learn more
Full Credit
Partial Credit
No CreditMajority Independent Board Members - 100% independent members10 out of 10 points Majority Independent Board Members - 100% independent members10 out of 10 points
Industry professionals strongly recommend an independent governing body to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters. We check to see if at least 50% of board members are indentified as independent on their tax form.
Source: IRS Form 990
Independent Board Size - 14 independent members10 out of 10 points Independent Board Size - 14 independent members10 out of 10 points
Industry professionals strongly recommend an independent governing body to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters. For most organizations, we check to see if the organization has at least three board members. For large, donor-funded organizations, we check to see if the organization has at least five independent board members
Source: IRS Form 990
Independent Audit or Financial Review - Yes20 out of 20 points Independent Audit or Financial Review - Yes20 out of 20 points
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 |
| $2 million or higher and 40% or higher donor support | Expected to complete an audit and have an audit oversight committee |
| $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
Material Diversion of Assets - None20 out of 20 points Material Diversion of Assets - None20 out of 20 points
A diversion of assets — any unauthorized conversion or use of the organization's assets other than for the organization's authorized purposes, including but not limited to embezzlement or theft — also can seriously call into question a charity's financial integrity. We review the charity's most recent IRS Form 990 to see if the charity has reported any diversion of assets.
Source: IRS Form 990
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditWebsite Listed on Tax Form - Listed5 out of 5 points Website Listed on Tax Form - Listed5 out of 5 points
Charity Navigator looks for a website on the IRS 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 - Listed5 out of 5 points Conflict of Interest Policy - Listed5 out of 5 points
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a conflict of interest policy on the IRS 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
Whistleblower Policy - Listed5 out of 5 points Whistleblower Policy - Listed5 out of 5 points
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a whistleblower policy per the IRS 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
Document Retention and Destruction - Listed5 out of 5 points Document Retention and Destruction - Listed5 out of 5 points
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a document retention and destruction policy per the IRS 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
Documents Board Meeting Minutes - Yes5 out of 5 points Documents Board Meeting Minutes - Yes5 out of 5 points
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the IRS 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
Tax Form Distributed to Board Before Filing - Listed5 out of 5 points Tax Form Distributed to Board Before Filing - Listed5 out of 5 points
Providing copies of the IRS Form 990 to the governing body prior to filing is considered a best practice, as it allows for thorough review by the individuals charged with overseeing the organization. The Form 990 asks the charity to disclose whether or not it has followed this best practice.
Loans to/from Officers - Listed5 out of 5 points Loans to/from Officers - Listed5 out of 5 points
Making loans to related parties, such as key officers, staff, or Board members, is not standard practice in the sector as it diverts the charity's funds away from its charitable mission and can lead to real and perceived conflict-of-interest problems.
The IRS requires charities to disclose on their Form 990 any loans to or from current and former officers, directors, trustees, key employees, and other "disqualified persons." Some state laws go so far as to prohibit loans to board members and officers.
Although employees and trustees are permitted to make loans to charities, this practice can also result in real and/or perceived conflict of interest problems for the charity. Furthermore, it is problematic because it indicates that the organization is not financially secure. Our analysts check to see if any loans have been made.
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditTax Form Posted on Nonprofit's Website - Listed5 out of 5 points Tax Form Posted on Nonprofit's Website - Listed5 out of 5 points
For almost all charities, we check the charity's IRS Form 990 to see if it discloses that the Form 990 is available on the charity's website. As with the audited financial statement, donors need easy access to this financial report to help determine if the organization is managing its financial resources well.
Source: IRS Form 990
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditLiabilities to Assets: Ratio - 33.63%23 out of 25 points Liabilities to Assets: Ratio - 33.63%23 out of 25 points
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent IRS Form 990). This ratio is an indicator of an organization's solvency and/or long-term sustainability.
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense: Ratio - 82.05%25 out of 25 points Program Expense: Ratio - 82.05%25 out of 25 points
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three IRS Forms 990). This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver.
Source: IRS Form 990
Fundraising Efficiency: Ratio - $0.0825 out of 25 points Fundraising Efficiency: Ratio - $0.0825 out of 25 points
The amount spent to raise $1 in charitable contributions. To calculate a charity's fundraising efficiency, we divide its average fundraising expenses by the average total contributions it receives. We calculate the charity's average expenses and average contributions over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Working Capital: Ratio - 0.25 years10 out of 25 points Working Capital: Ratio - 0.25 years10 out of 25 points
Determines how long a charity could sustain its level of spending using its net available assets, or working capital, as reported on its most recently filed IRS Form 990. Dividing these net available assets in the most recent year by a charity's average total expenses, yields the working capital ratio. We calculate the charity's average total expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
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.
No Data Available
Salary data is coming soon.
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
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 (El Porvenir) or EIN (680230597) in the 'Search Term' field.
Not Currently Scored
El Porvenir 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.
Score
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditConstituent Feedback - Data Available100/100 points Constituent Feedback - Data Available100/100 points
30% of beacon score
This organization reported that it is collecting feedback from the constituents and/or communities it serves. The methodology leveraged for Constituent Feedback is based on The Core Principles of Constituent Feedback, which describes listening and responding well to feedback. Charity Navigator participates in a consortium with other feedback experts and leading nonprofit infrastructure platforms to drive Constituent Feedback's advancement, promotion, and data collection.
Who are the people you serve with your mission? Describe briefly.
We serve the rural poor of Nicaragua in five regions: Camoapa, El Sauce, San Lorenzo, Terrabona, and Waslala. Communities range in size from 45-500 people. Most people are subsistence farmers, earning $45-100/month per household. Most have access to schooling through 6th grade; rural health posts exist, staffed by a nurse and a visiting doctor. 45% of rural Nicaraguans lack safe drinking water, and 49% lack access to safe sanitation. Community members have already determined their needs and reach out to El Porvenir to ask for support with clean water or safe sanitation projects. Community members must be willing to play an active role in project construction, contribute 5-15% of project materials, and participate in hygiene education and project maintenance training.
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
SMS text surveys, Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Paper surveys, Community meetings or town halls, Constituent (client or resident, etc.) advisory committees
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?
We carry out full community assessments with community members as they know what their needs are and what they want for solutions. Because of this approach, we build strong, respectful partnerships. We partner with people so that they have the skills and know-how to maintain their projects well into the future. One example of how important feedback is goes back to when we began: initially, we only built water projects. Our community partners kept telling us that they needed sanitation, too. We listened, and they were right. To keep water clean, safe sanitation is necessary--and it's a bigger need in rural areas than water. We've since added a watershed restoration program that includes improved farming techniques that came out of community feedback as well.
What challenges does your organization face in collecting feedback from the people you serve?
It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Briefly describe a recent change that your organization made in response to feedback from the people you serve.
Latrines built at schools with preschools now have smaller, easier to use preschool stalls. This helps the children feel safe when they use the latrine at school. We have developed a wheelchair accessible latrine for families who need that. Community partners are actively engaged in our strategic planning process assessing our programs, how we can better serve them, and more. Those conversations have led to how we account for community project contributions: broadening the definition to include all of the ways community members support projects including the cost of food and time for preparing lunches during project construction.
Equity Practices - Data Available91/100 points Equity Practices - Data Available91/100 points
70% of beacon score
This organization's score of 91 is a passing score. The organization reported that it is implementing 10 Equity Practices.
This assessment demonstrates the importance of implementing practices that contribute positively to an organization's overall culture, both internally and with respect to community engagement. Furthermore, equity centered frameworks and similar approaches have drawn much attention from donors, experts, and sector leaders who underscore its value to the nonprofit's overall health and capacity for mission success. Currently, the Equity Strategies Checklist assessment consists of practices and policies that promote racial equity in their operations and programs (per the Equity Strategies checklist administered by Candid). As we refine our DEI assessment, Charity Navigator partners with DEI consultants and field experts to broaden and deepen this work.
| Equity Practices (5/7) | |
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 (5/7) | |
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. | |
Score
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 CreditMission 10/10 points Mission 10/10 points
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission
Note: The organization did not respond to this question.
Vision 10/10 points Vision 10/10 points
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
Transforming lives through clean water.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Goals 20/20 points Goals 20/20 points
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Empower rural Nicaraguan communities to achieve better health and education through lasting clean water and sanitation infrastructure
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: Empower rural Nicaraguan communities to achieve better health and education through environmental and hygiene education
Goal Type: Focus on core programs to achieve mission and scale back on programs not seen as core.
Leadership Development 15/15 points Leadership Development 15/15 points
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
Describe an investment in leadership
One of our core values is learning, and we encourage all staff to continue learning. In August 2023, El Porvenir is taking an active role in hosting a nation-wide sanitation conference. Our staff lead sessions and participate in sessions. We also encourage online trainings in WASH Systems, fundraising, accounting systems, program monitoring and evaluation, and Salesforce (for programs and fundraising). We are also training our staff to use mWater for monitoring and evaluation as well as for project communication with donors.
Mobilizing for Mission 15/15 points Mobilizing for Mission 15/15 points
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
This organization mobilizes for mission in the following ways:
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Community Building
What are this organization’s external mobilizaton efforts?
We have partnerships with other nonprofits as well as local government. For example, we are working with another nonprofit now on water testing and treatment as well as setting up a circuit rider program for project sustainability. We also are developing a new alliance to expand our fuel-efficient stove project. We lead and present at conferences in Nicaragua as well as in the United States. We do extensive community building, organizing, and training as part of our program work; many communities after working with us go on to use the skills they've learned to advocate for themselves by requesting better schools, roads, etc. We are active members of RASNIC (The Nicaraguan Network of Water and Sanitation Organizations, often holding leadership roles). We are active on social media in Nicaragua and the U.S.
Adaptability Story 30/30 points Adaptability Story 30/30 points
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
Adaptability continues to be at the core of how we operate. The pandemic emphasized how important clean water and handwashing is, meaning our services have been requested more than ever. Our community partners continue to be concerned about the spread of disease, and our hygiene educators continue to train community members and school teachers. We achieved universal WASH coverage in Ciudad Dario at the end of 2022. As of August 2023, we are completing the final projects in the municipality of San Lorenzo to achieve universal WASH coverage there. We are looking to expand into new municipalities to continue to expand our impact in 2024. We have worked to have a sustainability plan in place to be sure the Potable Water and Sanitation Committees (CAPS) are trained to maintain their community-owned water and sanitation projects. Each community has a CAPS that is responsible for project maintenance, function, tariff collection (for water usage), and more. Community members build, own, operate, and maintain their projects. In 2022, we worked with more than 27,000 rural Nicaraguans on 21 clean water projects, 537 household/school/health post latrines and toilets, and planting more than 87,000 trees. Additionally, we trained CAPS and community members on hygiene education topics including project maintenance and conducted more than 1,600 water quality tests. Together, our donors, our staff, and community leaders in Nicaragua proved once again what is possible.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
The Giving Basket is having some issues. If you wish to donate, please refresh the page. If the problem persists contact us.
Cart ID: Not Assigned
The Giving Basket is having some issues. If you wish to donate, please refresh the page. If the problem persists contact us.
Cart ID: Not Assigned
