FREE (Family Resources for Education and Empowerment)
Standards For Charity Accountability
Governance
-
Board Oversight
-
Board Size
-
Board Meetings
-
Board Compensation
-
Conflict of Interest
Measuring Effectiveness
-
Effectiveness Policy
-
Effectiveness Report
Finances
-
Program Expenses
-
Fundraising Expenses
-
Accumulating Funds
-
Audit Report
-
Detailed Expense Breakdown
-
Accurate Expense Reporting
-
Budget Plan
Fundraising & Info
-
Truthful Materials
-
Annual Report
-
Website Disclosures
-
Donor Privacy
-
Cause Marketing Disclosures
-
Complaints
FREE (Family Resources for Education and Empowerment) does not meet the following 6 Standards for Charity Accountability:
Standard 1 (Oversight of Operations and Staff)
Organizations shall have a board of directors that provides adequate oversight of the charity's operations and its staff. Indication of adequate oversight includes, but is not limited to, regularly scheduled appraisals of the CEO's performance, evidence of disbursement controls such as board approval of the budget, fund raising practices, establishment of a conflict of interest policy, and establishment of accounting procedures sufficient to safeguard charity finances.
FREE (Family Resources for Education and Empowerment) does not meet this standard because:
The organization is in the midst of transitioning from its previous Executive Director, as well as experiencing a period in which revenues that previously had been relatively stable have become substantially constrained. As a consequence, there has not been any executive leadership for the Board to review, and program services have been scaled back accordingly. Additionally, the organization's bookkeeping is in transition as well, as volunteer staff have attempted to make some repairs and revisions as they concurrently become better skilled with their chosen accounting software.
Standard 8 (Program Service Expense Ratio)
Spend at least 65% of its total expenses on program activities.
FREE (Family Resources for Education and Empowerment) does not meet this standard because:
At the time of assessment, the organization was experiencing a transition with regard to its revenues that has severely impacted its capacity to implement programs temporarily.
Standard 10 (Ending Net Assets)
Avoid accumulating funds that could be used for current program activities. To meet this standard, the charity's unrestricted net assets available for use should not be more than three times the size of the past year's expenses or three times the size of the current year's budget, whichever is higher.
FREE (Family Resources for Education and Empowerment) does not meet this standard because:
At the time of assessment, the organization transparently acknowledged it is in the midst of repair and revision with regard to bookkeeping activities, and there remain some questions, for now, that prevent this standard from being objectively assessed. In this same vein, there is a need to gain appraisal of real estate that the organization holds.
Standard 12 (Detailed Functional Breakdown of Expenses)
Include in the financial statements a breakdown of expenses (e.g., salaries, travel, postage, etc.) that shows what portion of these expenses was allocated to program, fund raising, and administrative activities. If the charity has more than one major program category, the schedule should provide a breakdown for each category.
FREE (Family Resources for Education and Empowerment) does not meet this standard because:
At the time of assessment, nearly all of the expenses in the statement provided adequate detail; however, two areas generically identified as "Business Expenses" ($80.00) and "Other Types of Expenses" ($854.76) were noted.
Standard 14 (Budget)
Have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year, outlining projected expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration.
FREE (Family Resources for Education and Empowerment) does not meet this standard because:
At the time of assessment, a budget for the current year substantiated as being approved by the Board was not extant.
Standard 17 (Web Site Disclosures)
Include on any charity websites that solicit contributions, the same information that is recommended for annual reports, as well as the mailing address of the charity and electronic access to its most recent IRS Form 990.
FREE (Family Resources for Education and Empowerment) does not meet this standard because:
At the time of assessment, the organization had added a link to its most recent IRS filing; however, because they are one that (given current circumstances) only is required to file a post card form, there is no financial information conveyed through that link. Another option is to provide the annual report disclosing the specified basic financial information. While it is anticipated that that will occur at some point ahead of the next review, at the time of assessment it had not yet been uploaded to the website, and thus, made available to donors and prospective donors.
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: 11
FREE (Family Resources for Education and Empowerment) meets the remaining 12 Standards for Charity Accountability.
Stated Purpose:
Year, State Incorporated:
,
Also Known As:
School of Greatness
The School of Greatness is the premier program that offers after-school group mentoring sessions. The overarching goal is to educate and improve opportunities for youth to fully develop academic, career, and social factors necessary for living productive lives.
For the year ended December 31, 2025, FREE (Family Resources for Education and Empowerment)'s program expenses were:
| Facilitator - Providence House program | $300 |
| Audio Equipment | $87 |
| Total Program Expenses | $386 |
Chief Executive
Shaun Cooper
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Not disclosed
Board Size
7
Paid Staff Size
1
Method(s) Used:
Appeals via Social Media (Facebook, etc.), Sent letters to previous donor list.
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 FREE (Family Resources for Education and Empowerment)'s unaudited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2025.
Source of Funds
| Deterrent Program (Grant) | $3,875 |
| Total Income | $3,875 |
Programs: 6% Fundraising: 0% Administrative: 94%
| Total Income | $3,875 |
| Total expenses: | $5,983 |
| Program expenses | $386 |
| Fundraising expenses | $0 |
| Administrative expenses | $5,596 |
| Other expenses | $0 |
| Income in Excess of Expenses | $-2,108 |
| Beginning Net Assets | $0 |
| Other Changes In Net Assets | $0 |
| Ending Net Assets | $0 |
| Total Liabilities | $-8,820 |
| Total Assets | $9,210 |
An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.
This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.
RELATED CONTENT
-
Meets Standards
-
Standards Not Met
-
Did Not Disclose
-
Review in Progress
-
Unable to Verify
Report completed by:
BBB Serving Northeast and Central Louisiana and the Ark-La-Tex