Step Up For Students does not meet the following 2 Standards for Charity Accountability:
Standard 7 (Board Approval of Written Report on Effectiveness)
Submit to the organization's governing body, for its approval, a written report that outlines the results of the aforementioned performance and effectiveness assessment and recommendations for future actions.
SUFS does not meet this Standard because:
- The organization has not performed an effectiveness assessment within the last two years.
Standard 16 (Annual Report)
Have an annual report available to all, on request, that includes: (a) the organization's mission statement, (b) a summary of the past year's program service accomplishments, (c) a roster of the officers and members of the board of directors, (d) financial information that includes (i) total income in the past fiscal year, (ii) expenses in the same program, fund raising and administrative categories as in the financial statements, and (iii) ending net assets.
SUFS does not meet this Standard because:
- The organization did not submit its 2020 annual report to the BBB Wise Giving Alliance upon request.
The BBB Wise Giving Alliance requested but did not receive complete information from the organization and is unable to verify the organization's compliance with the following Standard(s) for Charity Accountability:
6
14
Step Up For Students meets the remaining 16 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Year, State Incorporated
2000, FL
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Also Known As
Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program
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Affiliates
The Alabama Opportunity Scholarship Fund
C2 Scholarships
Alabama Opportunity Action Fund
A+ Opprotunity Scholarship Fund
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Stated Purpose
"to empower families to pursue and engage in the most appropriate learning options for their children, with an emphasis on families who lack the information and financial resources to access these options."
Step Up For Students (SUFS) reports that it aims to fulfill public education's promise of equal opportunity through the provision of scholarships for Florida schoolchildren. The organization's scholarships include the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program, Family Empowerment Scholarship, Gardiner Scholarship, Hope Scholarship, and Reading Scholarship Accounts. The scholarships serve lower-income families, children with special needs, public school students who are bullied or victimized, and public school students in third through fifth grade who struggle with reading. SUFS also operates a student development and student learning program, which connects schools to internal and external professional learning opportunities and develops connections to resources and networking opportunities. In 2019-2020, the organization states that its Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program served 108,504 students who attended 1,855 private schools. In addition, SUFS reports that it also served 38,156 students through its other scholarship programs.
For the year ended June 30, 2020, Step Up For Students's program expenses were:
| Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program |
$689,211,318 |
| Alabama Tax Credit Scholarship program |
$8,685,259 |
| Gardiner Scholarship program |
$5,828,686 |
| Hope Scholarship program |
$1,673,569 |
| School development and student learning |
$1,553,199 |
| Communications, policy and public affairs |
$1,475,867 |
| Family Empowerment Scholarship |
$1,388,678 |
| Scholarship service contract |
$908,501 |
| Reading Scholarship program |
$842,349 |
| Advocacy and civic engagement |
$725,052 |
| Total Program Expenses: |
$712,292,478 |
*2019 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Grant proposals, Internet, Planned giving arrangements, Print advertisements (newspapers, magazines, etc.), Telephone appeals, Cause- related marketing (affinity credit cards, consumer product sales, etc.)
Fundraising costs were less than 1% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $618,394,183 are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)
This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
The following information is based on Step Up For Students's audited financial statements - consolidated for the year ended June 30, 2020.
| Source of Funds |
| Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program, net |
$545,438,550 |
| Hope Scholarship program |
$66,843,081 |
| Alabama Tax Credit Scholarship program |
$3,436,419 |
| Grants and other contributions |
$2,676,133 |
| Other revenue and interest income |
$1,640,883 |
| Scholarship service and contract revenue |
$910,173 |
| Total Income |
$620,945,239 |
- Programs: 99%
- Administrative: Less than 1%
- Fundraising: Less than 1%
| Total Income |
$620,945,239 |
| Program expenses |
$712,292,478 |
| Fundraising expenses |
$2,427,225 |
| Administrative expenses |
$5,791,531 |
| Other expenses |
$0 |
| Total expenses: |
$720,511,234 |
| Income in Excess of Expenses |
$-99,565,995 |
| Beginning Net Assets |
$577,089,557 |
| Other Changes In Net Assets |
$0 |
| Ending Net Assets |
$477,523,562 |
| Total Liabilities |
$113,475,307 |
| Total Assets |
$590,998,869 |