Kalamazoo Foundation for Excellence

aka Foundation for Excellence (FFE) | Kalamazoo, MI | https://www.kalamazoocity.org/ffe

GuideStar Charity Check

EIN: 82-2587771

Contributions tax deductible
as of November 2023

IRS BMF 509(a)(3)
as of November 13, 2023

View summary

Charity Check report

Mission

"The Mission of the Kalamazoo Foundation for Excellence is to support the goals of the City of Kalamazoo, fund aspirational investments in the city, and empower Kalamazoo residents to achieve the lives they want for themselves and their families."

Ruling year info

2017

Board President

Angela Graham-Williams

Main address

241 W South St

Kalamazoo, MI 49007 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

82-2587771

Subject area info

Philanthropy

Public affairs

Population served info

Social and economic status

NTEE code info

Single Organization Support (W11)

IRS subsection

501(c)(3) Public Charity

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Tax forms

Show Forms 990

Affiliations

See related organizations info

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Structural budget challenges have for many years impeded the City’s effort to make its vision a reality. The Foundation For Excellence is a unique innovation by the City of Kalamazoo and private donors to address systemic challenges to the prosperity of the city. The Foundation provides millions of dollars each year to stabilize the city’s budget, lower its property tax rate, and invest in aspirational community projects. A community fundraising effort will be launched to create a fully endowed foundation that can sustain this funding in perpetuity. The Foundation’s financial model is being structured in such a way as to do the most good with the most efficient use of resources possible. The Foundation will work to establish strategic partnerships with organizations whose mission and work aligns with the goals and objectives of the Imagine Kalamazoo 2025 Strategic Vision and Master Plan, the Shared Prosperity Kalamazoo plan, and the City of Kalamazoo.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Addressing Generational Poverty

Develop and commit resources to address generational poverty, promote youth development and remove barriers to employment opportunities for youth, under-employed and unemployed individuals, and persons seeking re-entry to the Kalamazoo community.

Population(s) Served

Children and youth

At-risk youth

Unemployed people

Ex-offenders

Economically disadvantaged people

Capital and Human Infrastructure

Address capital and human infrastructure improvement and/or maintenance needs as identified by ongoing studies and by the City of Kalamazoo's designated Capital Improvement Program.

Neighborhood Investments

Develop and implement neighborhood improvement efforts and projects which reimagine and reinvest public spaces to attract and connect people.

Municipal Budget stability

To accomplish priorities established by the City Commission to set the course for the City of Kalamazoo's future direction, including to create long-term fiscal stability/sustainability, and provide budget stability to the City of Kalamazoo resulting from the City's reduction of the ad valorem tax rate on real and personal property located in the City and the loss or reduction in payments by the State to the City.

Where we work

External reviews

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of youth receiving services (e.g., groups, skills and job training, etc.) with youths living in their community

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Age groups

Related Program

Addressing Generational Poverty

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

The number of youth who were able to participate in 2020 was greatly reduced due to COVID-19 and social distancing requirements. Includes: SuperRec, All Things Possible, MyCity YOU participants.

Number of housing units built

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Economically disadvantaged people

Related Program

Capital and Human Infrastructure

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

The number of households we were able to assist in 2020 was greatly reduced due to COVID-19 and social distancing requirements. 2018 includes a large project with 164 individual units.

Number of trees planted

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

The number of youth who were able to participate in 2020 was greatly reduced due to COVID-19 and social distancing requirements. Includes: SuperRec, All Things Possible, MyCity YOU participants.

Property tax reduction for residents of the City of Kalamazoo, measured annually in millions of dollars

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Neighborhood Investments

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

Measured in millions of dollars, these numbers represent the decrease in property taxes paid by City residents as a result of a reduction of taxes from 19 mils to 12 mils.

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

What is the organization aiming to accomplish?

The Foundation for Excellence (FFE)supports the City of Kalamazoo in three main ways:

First, funding is provided to stabilize the City of Kalamazoo's budget.

Second, the FFE is utilized to lower the property tax rate in the City of Kalamazoo, thereby encouraging residential and commercial growth.

Third, the FFE funds aspirational projects, allowing the community (and employees) to respond creatively to needs in the community and to pilot new ways to respond to those needs. The aspirational funding must be in direct alignment with at least one Imagine Kalamazoo 2025 (strategic plan) goal as well as at least one of the five stated goals of the FFE: addressing generational poverty, promoting youth development, removing barriers to employment, developing capital and human infrastructure improvements, and/or supporting neighborhood improvements to attract and connect residents and the community.

What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?

The City of Kalamazoo guides and directs an annual budgeting process during which each City department is given the opportunity to present and propose aspirational projects. These projects must align with both an Imagine Kalamazoo 2025 goal and a Foundation for Excellence priority in order to be considered for FFE funding. Projects that meet several basic criteria are scored through an established metric and those which "pass" are moved on.

In the second phase of the project development, FFE staff work with City staff to ensure the projects have clearly aligned goals, outputs, outcomes, and a realistic budget. Fully developed projects are then included in the City's budget (the FFE segment is presented separately) and reviews/approved by both the FFE Board of Directors and the City Commission before implementation begins.

FFE staff meet with City staff throughout the year to provide support and assist with projects as needed, ensuring that data collection processes are established and that the project will be able to present results to the FFE Board of Directors, the City Commission, and, most importantly, the community.

The process is repeated each year in support of the City's goals, established with significant and ongoing feedback from the community.

What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?

The Foundation for Excellence exists to support the strategic goals of the City of Kalamazoo. The FFE is establishing a fully-funded endowment to be able to provide support each year toward these goals. Currently, the FFE can provide support for aspirations projects in the amount of $10M per year in addition to support to reduce property taxes and support the City budget.

What have they accomplished so far and what's next?

To date, the Foundation for Excellence has provided significant support to each of the City's neighborhoods. This progress is updated each year on an easy-to-navigate impact map, which can be found at the website below. Impact is broken down into each of the 10 goals in the City of Kalamazoo Imagine Kalamazoo 2025 plan.

https://www.kalamazoocity.org/ffedashboard

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.

We shared information about our current feedback practices.

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
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback

Financials

Financial data

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

Digitizing IRS form 990 data

Kalamazoo Foundation for Excellence

Revenue & expenses

Fiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31

SOURCE: IRS Form 990 info

Fiscal year ending: Download Data

Revenue
Contributions	$38,180
Program Services	$0
Investments	$0
Special Events	$0
Sales	$0
Other	$0
Total Revenue	$38,180

Expenses
Grants	$0
Salaries & Employee Benefits	$0
Professional Fees	$0
Occupancy	$0
Printing, Publications, Postage, etc.	$0
Other Expenses	$734
Total Expenses	$734
Net Gain/Loss	$37,446

Revenue
Contributions	$6,889
Program Services	$0
Investments	$0
Special Events	$0
Sales	$0
Other	$0
Total Revenue	$6,889

Expenses
Grants	$0
Salaries & Employee Benefits	$0
Professional Fees	$0
Occupancy	$0
Printing, Publications, Postage, etc.	$0
Other Expenses	$562
Total Expenses	$562
Net Gain/Loss	$6,327

Revenue
Contributions	$90,010,302
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$0
Investments	($7,134,646)
Special Events	$0
Sales	$0
Other	$0
Total Revenue	$82,875,656

Expenses
Program Services	$0
Administration	$274,424
Fundraising	$0
Total Expenses	$274,424
Net Gain/Loss	$82,601,232

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$0
Advertising & Promotion	$0
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$0
Interest Expenses	$0
Investment Management Fees	$274,424
Legal Fees	$0
Pension Plan Contributions	$0
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$367,158,392
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$0
Investments	$2,384,094
Special Events	$0
Sales	$0
Other	$0
Total Revenue	$369,542,486

Expenses
Program Services	$0
Administration	$416,961
Fundraising	$0
Total Expenses	$416,961
Net Gain/Loss	$369,125,525

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$7,500
Advertising & Promotion	$0
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$0
Interest Expenses	$0
Investment Management Fees	$119,611
Legal Fees	$0
Pension Plan Contributions	$0
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$488,232
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$0
Investments	($534,228)
Special Events	$0
Sales	$0
Other	$0
Total Revenue	($45,996)

Expenses
Program Services	$0
Administration	$442,576
Fundraising	$0
Total Expenses	$442,576
Net Gain/Loss	($488,572)

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$11,300
Advertising & Promotion	$0
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$0
Interest Expenses	$0
Investment Management Fees	$232,880
Legal Fees	$14,596
Pension Plan Contributions	$0
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Kalamazoo Foundation for Excellence

Balance sheet

Fiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31

SOURCE: IRS Form 990 info

The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.

Fiscal year ending: Download Data

Assets	Jan 01, 2018	Dec 31, 2018	Change
Contributions	$38,180
Cash & Equivalents	$0	$10,307	$10,307
Fixed Assets (LBE - Depreciation)	$0	$0	$0
Other	$0	$28,085	$28,085
Total Assets	$0	$38,392	$38,392

Liabilities	Jan 01, 2018	Dec 31, 2018	Change
Total Liabilities	$0	$946	$946

Fund balance	Jan 01, 2018	Dec 31, 2018	Change
Net Assets	$0	$37,446	$37,446

Assets	Jan 01, 2019	Dec 31, 2019	Change
Contributions	$6,889
Cash & Equivalents	$10,307	$16,655	$6,348
Fixed Assets (LBE - Depreciation)	$0	$0	$0
Other	$28,085	$28,119	$34
Total Assets	$38,392	$44,774	$6,382

Liabilities	Jan 01, 2019	Dec 31, 2019	Change
Total Liabilities	$946	$1,001	$55

Fund balance	Jan 01, 2019	Dec 31, 2019	Change
Net Assets	$37,446	$43,773	$6,327

Assets	Jan 01, 2020	Dec 31, 2020	Change
Contributions	$90,010,302
Cash & Equivalents	$16,655	$95,566	$78,911
Accounts Receivable	$0	$0	$0
Pledges & Grants Receivable	$0	$0	$0
Receivable, Other	$0	$0	$0
Inventories for Sale or Use	$0	$0	$0
Investment, Securities	$0	$95,693,985	$95,693,985
Investment, Other	$0	$0	$0
Fixed Assets (LBE - Depreciation)	$0	$0	$0
Other	$28,119	$28,119	$0
Total Assets	$44,774	$95,817,670	$95,772,896

Liabilities	Jan 01, 2020	Dec 31, 2020	Change
Accounts Payable	$501	$26,904	$26,403
Grants Payable	$0	$0	$0
Deferred Revenue	$0	$0	$0
Loans and Notes	$0	$0	$0
Tax-Exempt Bond Liabilities	$0	$0	$0
Other	$500	$1,001	$501
Total Liabilities	$1,001	$27,905	$26,904

Fund balance	Jan 01, 2020	Dec 31, 2020	Change
Temporarily Restricted Net Assets	N/A	N/A	N/A
Permanently Restricted Net Assets	N/A	N/A	N/A
Total Restricted Net Assets	$43,773	$51,000	$7,227
Unrestricted Net Assets	$0	$95,738,765	$95,738,765
Net Assets	$43,773	$95,789,765	$95,745,992

Assets	Jan 01, 2021	Dec 31, 2021	Change
Contributions	$367,158,392
Cash & Equivalents	$95,566	$80,071	($15,495)
Accounts Receivable	$0	$0	$0
Pledges & Grants Receivable	$0	$0	$0
Receivable, Other	$0	$0	$0
Inventories for Sale or Use	$0	$0	$0
Investment, Securities	$95,693,985	$150,609,739	$54,915,754
Investment, Other	$0	$0	$0
Fixed Assets (LBE - Depreciation)	$0	$0	$0
Other	$28,119	$328,519,000	$328,490,881
Total Assets	$95,817,670	$479,208,810	$383,391,140

Liabilities	Jan 01, 2021	Dec 31, 2021	Change
Accounts Payable	$26,904	$21,832	($5,072)
Grants Payable	$0	$0	$0
Deferred Revenue	$0	$0	$0
Loans and Notes	$0	$0	$0
Tax-Exempt Bond Liabilities	$0	$0	$0
Other	$1,001	$1,001	$0
Total Liabilities	$27,905	$22,833	($5,072)

Fund balance	Jan 01, 2021	Dec 31, 2021	Change
Temporarily Restricted Net Assets	N/A	N/A	N/A
Permanently Restricted Net Assets	N/A	N/A	N/A
Total Restricted Net Assets	$51,000	$327,954,492	$327,903,492
Unrestricted Net Assets	$95,738,765	$151,231,485	$55,492,720
Net Assets	$95,789,765	$479,185,977	$383,396,212

Assets	Jan 01, 2022	Dec 31, 2022	Change
Contributions	$488,232
Cash & Equivalents	$80,071	$83,942	$3,871
Accounts Receivable	$0	$0	$0
Pledges & Grants Receivable	$0	$0	$0
Receivable, Other	$0	$0	$0
Inventories for Sale or Use	$0	$0	$0
Investment, Securities	$150,609,739	$160,566,644	$9,956,905
Investment, Other	$0	$0	$0
Fixed Assets (LBE - Depreciation)	$0	$0	$0
Other	$328,519,000	$288,646,000	($39,873,000)
Total Assets	$479,208,810	$449,296,586	($29,912,224)

Liabilities	Jan 01, 2022	Dec 31, 2022	Change
Accounts Payable	$21,832	$32,153	$10,321
Grants Payable	$0	$0	$0
Deferred Revenue	$0	$0	$0
Loans and Notes	$0	$0	$0
Tax-Exempt Bond Liabilities	$0	$0	$0
Other	$1,001	$1,007	$6
Total Liabilities	$22,833	$33,160	$10,327

Fund balance	Jan 01, 2022	Dec 31, 2022	Change
Temporarily Restricted Net Assets	N/A	N/A	N/A
Permanently Restricted Net Assets	N/A	N/A	N/A
Total Restricted Net Assets	$327,954,492	$288,646,000	($39,308,492)
Unrestricted Net Assets	$151,231,485	$160,617,426	$9,385,941
Net Assets	$479,185,977	$449,263,426	($29,922,551)

Kalamazoo Foundation for Excellence

Financial trends analysis Glossary & formula definitions

Fiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31

SOURCE: IRS Form 990 info

This snapshot of Kalamazoo Foundation for Excellence’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.

Created in partnership with

Fiscal year: Jan 01 - Dec 31 View full report Download data

Business model indicators

Profitability	2020	2021	2022
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation	$95,738,765	$55,492,720	$9,385,941
As % of expenses	34887.2%	13308.9%	2120.8%
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation	$95,738,765	$55,492,720	$9,385,941
As % of expenses	34887.2%	13308.9%	2120.8%

Revenue composition
Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted)	$82,875,656	$369,542,486	-$45,996
Total revenue, % change over prior year	0.0%	345.9%	-100.0%
Program services revenue	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Membership dues	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Investment income	0.9%	0.2%	-3027.5%
Government grants	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
All other grants and contributions	108.6%	99.4%	-1061.5%
Other revenue	-9.5%	0.5%	4189.0%

Expense composition
Total expenses before depreciation	$274,424	$416,961	$442,576
Total expenses, % change over prior year	0.0%	51.9%	6.1%
Personnel	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Professional fees	100.0%	99.9%	99.9%
Occupancy	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Interest	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Pass-through	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
All other expenses	0.0%	0.1%	0.1%

Full cost components (estimated)	2020	2021	2022
Total expenses (after depreciation)	$274,424	$416,961	$442,576
One month of savings	$22,869	$34,747	$36,881
Debt principal payment	$0	$0	$0
Fixed asset additions	$0	$0	$0
Total full costs (estimated)	$297,293	$451,708	$479,457

Capital structure indicators

Liquidity	2020	2021	2022
Months of cash	4.2	2.3	2.3
Months of cash and investments	4188.7	4336.8	4355.9
Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets	4186.5	4352.4	4355.0

Balance sheet composition	2020	2021	2022
Cash	$95,566	$80,071	$83,942
Investments	$95,693,985	$150,609,739	$160,566,644
Receivables	$0	$0	$0
Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE)	$0	$0	$0
Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE)	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Liabilities (as a % of assets)	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Unrestricted net assets	$95,738,765	$151,231,485	$160,617,426
Temporarily restricted net assets	N/A	N/A	N/A
Permanently restricted net assets	N/A	N/A	N/A
Total restricted net assets	$51,000	$327,954,492	$288,646,000
Total net assets	$95,789,765	$479,185,977	$449,263,426

Key data checks

Key data checks	2020	2021	2022
Material data errors	No	No	No

Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

Documents

Letter of Determination is not available for this organization

Form 1023/1024 is not available for this organization

Board President

Angela Graham-Williams

Number of employees

Source: IRS Form 990

Kalamazoo Foundation for Excellence

Officers, directors, trustees, and key employees

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

Compensation

Other

Show data for fiscal year

Compensation data

Download up to 5 most recent years of officer and director compensation data for this organization

There are no highest paid employees recorded for this organization.

Kalamazoo Foundation for Excellence

Board of directors
as of 01/20/2023

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Board of directors data

Download the most recent year of board of directors data for this organization

Board co-chair

Sandra Calderon-Huezo

Board co-chair

James Ritsema

City of Kalamazoo

Term: 2018 - 2026

David Anderson

Mayor, City of Kalamazoo

James K Ritsema

Kalamazoo City Manager

Hess Jeanne

Kalamazoo City Commission

Sandra Calderon-Huezo

Despierta Kalamazoo

Alisa Carrel

Gilmore Music Festival

Stephanie Hoffman

Kalamazoo City Commission

Barbara Miller

(Retired) Oakland-Winchell Neighborhood

Alice Taylor

(Retired) Northside Neighborhood

Von Washington Jr.

The Kalamazoo Promise

Rachel Lonberg

People's Church

Bobby J Hopewell

Former Mayor of Kalamazoo

Jeanne Hess

Kalamazoo City Commissioner

Ida Salas

Business Owner

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 1/19/2023

Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity

Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx

Gender identity

Female

Sexual orientation

Heterosexual or straight

Disability status

Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data

Contractors

Fiscal year ending

There are no fundraisers recorded for this organization.

Related organizations & associated domestic grants

Show data for fiscal year

Kalamazoo Foundation for Excellence

Mission

Is this your nonprofit?

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

Our programs

Addressing Generational Poverty

Capital and Human Infrastructure

Neighborhood Investments

Municipal Budget stability

Where we work

Our results

Evaluation documents

Number of youth receiving services (e.g., groups, skills and job training, etc.) with youths living in their community

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Number of housing units built

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Number of trees planted

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Number of microloan borrowers

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Number of businesses developed

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Number of employment placements defined as part-time (less than 35 hours per week)

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Property tax reduction for residents of the City of Kalamazoo, measured annually in millions of dollars

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Our Sustainable Development Goals

Goals & Strategy

Charting impact

What is the organization aiming to accomplish?

What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?

What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?

What have they accomplished so far and what's next?

How we listen

Financials

Financial documents

Revenue vs. expenses: breakdown

Liquidity in 2022 info

4844.71

Months of cash in 2022 info

2.3

Fringe rate in 2022 info

0%

Funding sources info

Liquidity in 2022

Months of cash in 2022

Fringe rate in 2022

Funding sources

Assets & liabilities