Detroit Childrens Fund

The information for Detroit Childrens Fund is as of the organization's most recent filing in June '22. This organization is located in Detroit, MI. It has been in existence for 9 years, following its founding in 2013.

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 Detroit Childrens Fund's NTEE code is T30. The "T" tells us that the organization is classified along with Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Foundations. The "30" tells us that the organization is a Public Foundation. The NTEE describes Public Foundations as organizations that derive their funding or support primarily from the general public in carrying out charitable activities serving the common welfare, with a primary focus on grantmaking.

Every organization is also governed by a specific section of 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 Detroit Children's Fund is to make high-potential investments to expand successful schools, greatly improve lower performing schools, and discover and develop talented educators so that every child in Detroit has the opportunity to receive an excellent education.

Program Areas

Program Area 1: The organization provides support for the School Collaboration Collective (SC2) and supports a pilot program for four qualifying schools, providing holistic, long-term, targeted strategic investments and financial support. SC2 aims to improve schools and give more Detroit children the opportunity to receive a quality education.

Program Area 2: The organization provides support for model schools by improving coaching for leadership teams, master teachers, and teachers for the ELA and math curricula at the 16 K-8 schools for the 2021-2022 school year. Additionally, they focus on developing the 32 strategic partnership schools.

Program Area 3: The organization provides support for a new paradigm for education in order to meet the target number of new high-quality seats created by growing the number of schools and children it serves in Detroit. This includes building capacity for talent pipelines, tracking systems, and leadership development programs to recruit and retain effective teachers and leaders. The organization also funds academic assessment systems, coaching and training, and network level positions to fully implement the academic model. Additionally, they focus on building capacity for marketing, enrollment, and development to effectively recruit students, teachers, and resources. Lastly, they support the development of the board to govern and guide the organization's growth.

Organization Staffing

Detroit Childrens Fund has 7 employees, 2 of whom were paid over $100k according to the organization's most recent 990 tax filing. Supporting the paid staff are 30 volunteers.

Board Governance

The Detroit Childrens Fund appears to be a well-governed non-profit organization based on the provided information. With 18 voting members, all of whom are independent, the organization demonstrates a commitment to ensuring a diverse and unbiased decision-making process. The absence of potential conflicts of interest further reinforces the organization's dedication to transparency and ethical conduct. The fact that the organization has not delegated management to an outside firm indicates a hands-on approach to overseeing its operations. This suggests that the board is actively involved in decision-making and has a comprehensive understanding of the organization's activities. The documentation of board and committee meetings further supports the organization's commitment to transparency and accountability. The presence of a conflict of interest policy, as well as the requirement for disclosure of conflicts, demonstrates the organization's proactive approach to addressing potential conflicts and maintaining integrity. The presence of a written whistleblower policy further emphasizes the organization's commitment to creating a safe and ethical work environment. However, it is worth noting that the organization does not have a document retention policy. This could be an area for improvement to ensure the proper storage and preservation of important organizational documents. Overall, the Detroit Childrens Fund appears to have a strong governance structure in place, with policies and practices that promote transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct. The organization's commitment to substantiating and reviewing leadership and officer salaries, as well as providing copies of the 990 to the board prior to filing, further highlights its dedication to responsible financial management.

Grant History

Our dataset includes six years of grant history for the Detroit Childrens Fund. Over the course of those six years, they have awarded a total of 60 grants, with an average check size of $292,570. The organization has primarily focused their grants in the Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Foundations sector, with 59 out of the 60 grants falling into this category. In terms of geographical distribution, the majority of grants were awarded in Michigan (48), followed by New York (6), and Washington DC (2). Additionally, the organization has awarded grants in Massachusetts (2), California (1), and North Carolina (1).

Organization Growth

The Detroit Childrens Fund has experienced significant growth over the given time period. Contributions and grants received increased from $508.8K in 2014 to $7.0M in 2021, indicating a substantial increase in financial support. Similarly, grants paid also increased from $217.0K in 2014 to $3.1M in 2021, suggesting an expansion in the organization's ability to provide funding to other entities. Total revenue grew from $508.8K in 2014 to $6.7M in 2021, further indicating the organization's growth. Total expenses also increased from $269.2K in 2014 to $5.5M in 2021, reflecting the organization's expanding operations. Additionally, the number of volunteers increased from 8 in 2014 to 30 in 2021, demonstrating an increase in community engagement and support.