Southern Education Foundation Inc

“In accordance with IRS requirements, the 990 was provided to each Board member prior to filing.”

“Annually, each Trustee and SEF staff member execute a disclosure form identifying any relationships, positions or circumstances in which he/she is involved that could contribute to a real or perceived conflict of interest. Any information regarding business interest of a Trustee is treated as confidential and is generally made available to the Chair, the President, and any committee appointed to address conflicts of interest, except to the extent additional disclosure is necessary in connection with the implementation of this policy. Trustees do not vote on any matter in which they believe there is duality of interest and may, if asked, be called upon to share with fellow Trustees such information related to the duality of interest as may be necessary and appropriate. The minutes of Board meetings will show that the Trustee having a duality of interest disclosed same and abstained from voting on related matters. A copy of this policy is furnished to each person who is or becomes a member of the Board of Trustees or staff. Each such person is required to review a copy of this policy and acknowledge in writing that he or she has done so.”

“In order to determine staff compensation levels for its small staff and conservative modest resources, sef consults sources such as the annually compensation survey published by the council on foundations, reports in the chronicle of philanthropy, and the chronicle of higher education, rather than hiring independent consultants to conduct detailed compensation surveys and audits. Sef board members and staff, as appropriate, also consult with peer organizations to ascertain appropriate compensation ranges for staff. Many sef board members serve, as well, on other non -profit organizational boards and bring that knowledge and perspective to bear in setting compensation for sef staff. Sef's finance, audit and administration committee reviews compensation as part of the annual budget-setting cycle and determines compensation of the president based upon an annual appraisal of performance. That appraisal considers all aspects of the president's work including fundraising, management, program development and implementation, governance and communications. Sef's president appraises the performance of other subordinate sef staff annually. All sef staff are part of a merit pay program in which there are no automatic or cost of living increases.”

“All SEF public documents are available upon request. Once a request is received the documents can be sent either electronically or through the US postal system. The 2021 CPA audit, conflict of interest policy and whistleblower policy can also be found on the SEF web site in the "Public Documents Listing."”

“During the year, the Foundation entered into a fiscal sponsorship agreement with The Browns Promise Project ("Browns Promise") to provide administrative support. The Foundation receives a fee for providing administrative support to Browns Promise. The Foundation is to receive 10% of the first $1 million in funds received by Brown's Promise and then 5% of all funds received thereafter within the calendar year.”

“Catalyzing Community Foundations: A Strategic Lever to Fund Smaller Nonprofits Across the South, smaller nonprofit organizations are working every day to improve postsecondary outcomes for students in their communities-often with limited resources and limited access to sustained funding. Recognizing the critical role of local philanthropy in addressing this challenge, the Southern Education Foundation has launched the Catalyzing Community Foundations initiative, a new effort designed to strengthen community-based support for postsecondary student success. With support from ECMC Foundation, the initiative is focused on deepening the capacity of community foundations in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi to fund and support organizations that are rooted in and responsive to the communities they serve. Each participating foundation will partner with local nonprofit organizations that operate with annual budgets under $1.5 million and are committed to increasing postsecondary retention and completion. In its first year, SEF conducted a landscape analysis to better understand the education-focused grantmaking efforts of community foundations in these states. This included identifying potential partners, mapping nonprofit capacity across the region, and designing the initiative's structure and strategy. With these foundational elements in place, SEF formally launched the first cohort in 2025. The Catalyzing Community Foundations initiative reflects SEF's broader commitment to investing in local infrastructure, expanding philanthropic reach, and strengthening the ecosystem of support for postsecondary student success. By equipping community foundations with targeted resources and capacity-building support, we seek to elevate the organizations closest to students-those best positioned to deliver direct, responsive, and sustained impact.”