Is Smart Child And Family Services Legit?

Quick charity verification for Smart Child And Family Services (EIN: 10493869)

Verdict: Smart Child And Family Services appears trustworthy

70/100Mission Score

$1.8MRevenue

$522KAssets

3Red Flags

3Strengths

Red Flags

Significant and consistent decline in annual revenue from $2,952,757 in 2016 to $1,785,536 in the latest period, indicating potential operational challenges.
Consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation, which is highly unusual for an organization of this size and could indicate a lack of transparency in reporting executive costs or an unsustainable reliance on volunteer leadership.
Expenses frequently exceeding or closely matching revenue, such as in 2019 where expenses ($2,097,213) exceeded revenue ($2,057,167), suggesting tight operating margins and potential for deficits.

Strengths

Long operational history with 9 filings, indicating stability and experience in the sector.
Maintained positive net assets in most recent periods, with assets of $521,863, suggesting a degree of financial solvency.
Liabilities generally lower than assets in recent years, indicating responsible financial management of debt.

Spending Breakdown

How Smart Child And Family Services allocates its funds across programs, administration, and fundraising.

80%

Program Spending

Healthy — majority goes to mission

15%

Admin Costs

Reasonable — admin costs in check

Fundraising

Within typical range

How to read this: Well-run charities typically spend 75% or more on programs, keep admin under 25%, and fundraising under 15%. A high program ratio means more of every dollar goes directly to the mission.

How to Interpret This Report

What Red Flags Mean

Red flags are potential warning signs identified by AI analysis of IRS 990 filings. They may indicate issues like declining revenue, high executive pay relative to program spending, lack of transparency, or governance concerns. A single red flag does not necessarily mean an organization is untrustworthy, but multiple flags warrant further investigation before donating.

What Mission Score Measures

The Mission Score (0-100) evaluates how effectively a nonprofit fulfills its stated purpose. It combines multiple factors: program spending efficiency (how much goes to programs vs. overhead), financial health and sustainability, governance quality, transparency in reporting, and consistency of operations over time. A score of 70+ indicates strong alignment with the organization’s mission.

Using This Data for Donation Decisions

Use this report as one input in your decision. Look at the overall Mission Score for a quick assessment, review red flags and strengths for specific concerns, check the spending breakdown to see where money goes, and compare executive compensation to the organization’s size. Consider viewing the full transparency report for deeper analysis, and always verify tax-exempt status with the IRS before making large donations.

Frequently Asked Questions about Smart Child And Family Services

Is Smart Child And Family Services a legitimate charity?

Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Smart Child And Family Services (EIN: 10493869) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 70/100. 3 red flags identified, 3 strengths noted.

Is Smart Child And Family Services a good charity to donate to?

Smart Child And Family Services has a Mission Score of 70/100. Revenue: $1.8M. Assets: $522K. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.

What is the EIN for Smart Child And Family Services?

The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Smart Child And Family Services is 10493869. This is the unique tax ID assigned by the IRS.

What is a Mission Score?

The Mission Score is a 0-100 rating that measures how effectively a nonprofit fulfills its stated mission. It factors in program spending efficiency, financial transparency, governance practices, and outcome reporting. Scores above 70 indicate strong mission alignment, 40-69 suggest mixed performance, and below 40 signals potential concerns.

How does Smart Child And Family Services spend its money?

Smart Child And Family Services allocates 80% to programs, 15% to administration, and 5% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.

How can I verify Smart Child And Family Services's tax-exempt status?

You can verify Smart Child And Family Services's tax-exempt status using EIN 10493869 on the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search (TEOS) at apps.irs.gov/app/eos. You can also request copies of their Form 990 directly from the organization, as they are required by law to provide them upon request.

AI Transparency Report

Smart Child And Family Services demonstrates a consistent operational history with revenues fluctuating over the past decade. The organization has experienced a decline in revenue from a peak of $2,952,757 in 2016 to $1,785,536 in its latest filing, indicating a significant contraction in its financial scale. Despite this, the organization has maintained positive net assets in most recent periods, with current assets of $521,863. A notable aspect is the consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation across all available filings, which suggests either a volunteer-led executive team or compensation is not reported in a way that is visible in this summary data. This lack of reported executive compensation, while potentially positive for donor perception, also limits transparency regarding leadership costs.

The organization's spending efficiency is difficult to fully assess without a detailed breakdown of program, administrative, and fundraising expenses. However, the consistent reporting of expenses often exceeding or closely matching revenue, particularly in earlier years, suggests tight operational margins. For instance, in 2019, expenses of $2,097,213 slightly exceeded revenue of $2,057,167. The overall trend of declining revenue warrants closer examination to understand the underlying causes and the organization's strategic response. The organization's transparency regarding executive compensation is high in terms of reporting zero, but a more detailed breakdown of functional expenses would enhance understanding of its spending efficiency.

While the organization has a long filing history, the absence of specific functional expense ratios (program, admin, fundraising) in the provided data makes a precise assessment of spending efficiency challenging. The consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation is a significant data point for transparency. However, the overall financial health shows a shrinking revenue base, which could impact its long-term capacity to deliver services. The organization's ability to manage its liabilities, which have generally been lower than assets in recent years, is a positive sign, but the declining revenue trend is a key area for potential concern.

View Full Transparency Report →

Disclaimer

AI-generated analysis based on IRS public records. Not financial or legal advice. Verify information directly with the organization.