Foothills Educational Foundation

The information for Foothills Educational Foundation is as of the organization's most recent filing in June '21. This organization is located in Phoenix, AZ. It has been in existence for 20 years, following its founding in 2001.

Organization Classification

The IRS classifies organizations according to the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE) system. The NTEE system helps the IRS assign a 3-character code to each organization to describe the organization's activities.

The Foothills Educational Foundation's NTEE code is B20. The "B" tells us that the organization is classified as Education. The "20" tells us that the organization is specifically focused on Elementary & Secondary Schools. The NTEE describes Elementary & Secondary Schools as preschool, elementary, and secondary schools that provide a formal education for children and adolescents from kindergarten or first grade through grade twelve.

Every organization is also governed by a specific section of the Internal Revenue Code. The most common type is a 501(c)(3) organization. However, there are actually 29 different types of organizations that are identified by the Internal Revenue Code. This organization happens to be a 501(c)(3) organization. The IRS describes these organizations as those engaged in Religious, Educational, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, Public Safety, Amateur Sports, or Prevention of Cruelty to Children or Animals work.

Perhaps the most accurate way to get a sense of what the organization hopes to achieve is by looking at its mission. The mission of the Foothills Educational Foundation is to be a private educational organization.

Program Areas

The Summit School of Ahwatukee provides a wide range of opportunities for academic achievement, intellectual growth, artistic fulfillment, physical development, and community responsibility.

Organization Staffing

Foothills Educational Foundation has 91 employees, with one employee being paid over $100k according to the organization's most recent 990 tax filing. Supporting the paid staff are 120 volunteers.

Board Governance

The Foothills Educational Foundation appears to be fairly well-governed based on the information provided. With a total of 10 voting members, it suggests that the organization has a diverse group of individuals involved in decision-making. Additionally, the fact that 8 of these members are independent indicates that the organization values impartiality and avoids potential conflicts of interest. Furthermore, the organization's commitment to documenting both board and committee meetings demonstrates a level of transparency and accountability. This practice ensures that important discussions and decisions are recorded for future reference and prevents any miscommunication or misunderstanding among members. However, there are some areas where the Foothills Educational Foundation could improve its governance practices. The absence of a conflict of interest policy and a requirement for disclosing conflicts raises concerns about potential biases or undue influence within the organization. Implementing these policies would help establish clear guidelines for addressing conflicts and ensuring that decisions are made in the best interest of the organization and its mission. Additionally, the lack of a written whistleblower policy and document retention policy may leave the organization vulnerable to potential misconduct or legal issues. Having these policies in place would encourage transparency, accountability, and protect the organization from any potential breaches of ethics or legal requirements. Overall, while the Foothills Educational Foundation demonstrates some positive governance practices, there are areas where improvements can be made to enhance transparency, accountability, and mitigate potential conflicts of interest.

Organization Growth

The Foothills Educational Foundation has experienced growth in certain areas over the given time period. Contributions and grants received increased from $180.8K in 2014 to $291.3K in 2020, indicating an upward trend in support from donors. Other revenue also saw growth, rising from $7.0K in 2014 to $105.5K in 2020. However, program service revenue decreased from $4.5M in 2014 to $3.9M in 2020, suggesting a decline in revenue generated from the organization's programs. Investment income also decreased from $1.9K in 2014 to $949 in 2020. Total revenue decreased from $4.7M in 2014 to $4.3M in 2020, indicating a decline in overall financial resources. On the other hand, employee salaries increased from $3.2M in 2014 to $3.6M in 2020, suggesting an expansion of the organization's workforce. Total expenses remained consistent at $4.4M over the time period. The number of total employees grew from 67 in 2014 to 91 in 2020, indicating an increase in the organization's workforce. However, the number of total volunteers decreased from 171 in 2014 to 120 in 2020, suggesting a decline in volunteer engagement. Overall, while the Foothills Educational Foundation experienced growth in contributions, other revenue, employee salaries, and total employees, there were also declines in program service revenue, investment income, total revenue, and total volunteers.