Student Freedom Initiative Inc
75% goes to programs $24 to raise $100 Strong reserves Declining revenue
Student Freedom Initiative Inc is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, District of Columbia, registered in 2020, with $6,005,581 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B+, and it directs about 75% of spending to programs.
633 Pennsylvania Ave Nw 5th Fl, Washington, DC, 20004 EIN 85-0557522 Since 2020
Revenue (FY2024)
$6.0M
▲ 1.7% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2024)
$6.8M
Net assets
$140.8M
Employees
25
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
B+
B+Program efficiency40% of the rating75% to programs · $24 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Student Freedom Initiative Inc: 75% to programs · $24 to raise $100 earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
C+Financial health25% of the rating248 mo reserves · -14% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Student Freedom Initiative Inc: 248 mo reserves · -14% margin earns a C+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Student Freedom Initiative Inc: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
ATransparency10% of the rating4 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Student Freedom Initiative Inc: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Show this grade on your website
A live seal — it updates automatically when the grade changes and links donors to this verified profile.
Mission
The student freedom initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring freedom in professional and life choices for students attending minority serving institutions (msis).
Contact & location
- Address
- 633 Pennsylvania Ave Nw 5th Fl, Washington, DC, 20004
- City
- Washington
- State
- District of Columbia
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Student Services & Aid
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue declined from $50.1M (FY2019) to $6.0M (FY2024) across 6 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $272KNet assets $140.8M
Operating margin
-13.6%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$141.1M
Total liabilities
$272K
Net assets
$140.8M
Salaries & benefits
$2.9M
43% of expenses
Board members
7
5 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $6,005,581▲1.7% | $6,821,861▼32.5% | $140,838,625▲0.3% | $141,110,468▼0.5% | 990 |
| 2023 | $5,904,402▼70.1% | $10,112,603▲38.9% | $140,465,970▼3.1% | $141,833,798▼2.8% | 990 |
| 2022 | $19,723,286▲29.0% | $7,282,206▲40.2% | $145,025,944▲9.4% | $145,875,504▲9.9% | 990 |
| 2021 | $15,285,825▼79.8% | $5,195,727▲83.6% | $132,589,003▲8.0% | $132,770,538▲8.0% | 990 |
| 2020 | $75,542,300▲50.9% | $2,829,869▲49209% | $122,766,692▲145% | $122,948,895▲146% | 990 |
| 2019 | $50,060,000 | $5,739 | $50,054,261 | $50,054,261 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Michele Mccullom — $207,040 (3.03% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michele Mccullom | General Counsel & Secretary | 40 | $207,040 |
| Barry Cynamon | Director of Program Design | 40 | $203,780 |
| Yvette Thomas | Director of Capacity Building | 40 | $187,216 |
| Ronald Crozier | Chief Security Officer | 40 | $182,925 |
| Gregg Mitchell | Director of Philanthropy | 40 | $167,411 |
| Kenneth Luzzatto | Project Manager | 40 | $166,473 |
| Mark Brown | Executive Director | 40 | $158,693 |
| Keith Shoates | President/chief Executive Officer | 40 | $120,820 |
| Henry Louis Gates | Director | 1 | — |
| Lawrence P Bancroft | Director | 1 | — |
| Linda Wilson | Director | 1 | — |
| Michael Lomax | Director | 1 | — |
| Robert F Smith | Chairman | 4 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Mckinsey & Company Inc | Consulting | $1,800,000 |
| Imperial Management Group LLC | Grant Writing | $400,000 |
| Good Stuff Digital | Marketing | $276,566 |
| Rsm Us LLP | Accounting | $130,890 |
| Black Promoters Collective LLC | Concert Management | $125,000 |
Grants received · $7.7M total
5 grants to Student Freedom Initiative Inc totaling $7.7M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impactassets Inc | General support | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Education | 2023 | $2,500,000 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2021 | $5,150,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Education | 2020 | $5,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Education | 2020 | $5,000 |
Grants made · $395K in FY2024
17 grants totaling $395K in FY2024 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by Student Freedom Initiative Inc →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Claflin University | Broadband program | $100,000 |
| Texas Southern University | Helps program | $50,100 |
| Morehouse College | Helps program | $38,578 |
| Lincoln University | Helps program | $31,000 |
| U C Riverside Foundation | Helps program | $25,000 |
| Alabama State University | Helps program | $20,000 |
| Virginia Union University | Helps program | $20,000 |
| Selma University | Helps program | $19,996 |
| Fayetteville State University | Helps program | $10,000 |
| Red Lake Nation College | Helps program | $10,000 |
| Elizabeth City State University Foundation | Helps program | $10,000 |
| Ilisagvik College | Helps program | $10,000 |
| Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University | Helps program | $10,000 |
| Bluefield State University | Helps program | $10,000 |
| Wilberforce University | Helps program | $10,000 |
Similar organizations in Education
- Education
Kipp Dc Supporting Corp
Washington, DC
$6.1M
C+annual revenue
Education
Military Bowl Foundation Inc
Washington, DC
$5.9M
Bannual revenue
Education
Shining Stars Montessori Academy Public Charter School
Washington, DC
$6.1M
Bannual revenue
- Education
Community Capital Corporation
Washington, DC
$5.9M
C+annual revenue
Education
School For Ethics and Global Leadership
Washington, DC
$5.8M
C+annual revenue
Education
University Professional & Continuing Education Association
Washington, DC
$6.3M
Bannual revenue
Education
National Council On Teacher Quality
Washington, DC
$5.7M
Bannual revenue
Education
Harmony Dc Public Charter Schools
Washington, DC
$6.3M
Bannual revenue
Education
Excelencia In Education Inc
Washington, DC
$6.3M
Bannual revenue
Education
Association of American Law Schools Inc
Washington, DC
$6.4M
C+annual revenue
Compare Student Freedom Initiative Inc
Frequently asked questions
- Is Student Freedom Initiative Inc a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Student Freedom Initiative Inc is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 85-0557522, based in Washington, District of Columbia. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Student Freedom Initiative Inc's EIN?
- Student Freedom Initiative Inc's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 85-0557522.
- How much revenue does Student Freedom Initiative Inc report?
- Student Freedom Initiative Inc reported $6,005,581 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Student Freedom Initiative Inc's spending goes to programs?
- Student Freedom Initiative Inc spends about 75% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Student Freedom Initiative Inc have?
- CharityIndex grades Student Freedom Initiative Inc B+, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Student Freedom Initiative Inc's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Student Freedom Initiative Inc's latest Form 990 is $207,040, paid to Michele Mccullom (General Counsel & Secretary).
More nonprofits in Washington
Explore more
Data for Student Freedom Initiative Inc (EIN 85-0557522) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.