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FRANCISCAN SISTERS OF THE POOR FOUNDATION INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 112859284 · Form 990 · FY2024 · Medium ($1M-$10M) · franciscanfoundation.org
revenue
$1.2M
expenses
$1.0M
net assets
$13.9M
employees
1
volunteers
23
program ratio
79%
mission · from form 990

SUPPORT THE APOSTOLATE AND CHARITABLE WORKS UNDERTAKEN BY THE FRANCISCAN SISTERS OF THE POOR

profile · synthesized from sources

Religious congregation of Franciscan Sisters operating charitable and social service programs for the poor and marginalized across multiple countries. The organization provides healthcare, education, vocational training, and basic needs support to underserved populations including street children, trafficking survivors, and families in extreme poverty. Programs are implemented directly through local missions in Senegal, Brazil, the Philippines, Italy, and the United States.

named programs · 15 · from sources

What they call their work

Benedicta Formation Center
Teaches women in Koungheul, Senegal skills in textile-dyeing, soap production, and fruit juice making to promote financial independence
Bulahan Scholarship Program for Children with Special Needs
Provides educational, therapeutic, and financial support to children with special needs and their families in the Philippines
Frances Schervier Formation Center
Vocational training center in Senegal offering tailoring, embroidery, and life skills to young women from disadvantaged backgrounds
Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart
Provides free professional haircuts to homeless individuals and low-income families in Cincinnati, Ohio through a voucher program
Jim Alund Scholarship Program
Offers financial assistance to poor but deserving students in the Philippines to attend college and break the cycle of poverty
John XXIII Daycare Center
Provides childcare, meals, healthcare, and hygiene training for children aged 4 months to 4 years in Jatai, Brazil while parents work
Project Miriam
Shelter and support program in Padua, Italy for immigrant women victims of human trafficking, offering legal aid, job training, and housing
Sister Giusy Nutritional Program
Combats child malnutrition in 32 villages in Senegal by providing nutritious meals and supporting community-run kitchens
Sowing Project (Projeto Semear)
After-school program in Pires do Rio, Brazil offering homework help and social development activities for children and adolescents aged 6–17
St. Claire Formation Center
Provides second-chance education and vocational training in sewing, dyeing, and home economics to girls and women who dropped out of school in Rufisque-Keur Mbaye, Senegal
St. Francis Clinics and Maternity Center
Provides maternal and child healthcare in Senegal including pre- and post-natal care, vaccinations, and medical consultations; served over 9,300 people in 2017
Sunrays
Social center in Rome, Italy for homeless individuals offering meals, laundry, internet access, and psychological support
Tau House
Service and spiritual formation program in Cincinnati, Ohio for high school and college students to live simply and serve the poor
Tent of Hope Project
Holistic outreach to families living in extreme poverty in Hidrolândia, Brazil, providing clean water access, food production support, and connection to social services
Wheel of Hope Soup Kitchen
Provides hot meals, showers, clothing, and basic medical care to street children and homeless adults in Dumaguete City, Philippines
activities · 11 groups

What they do

  • General Support for Catholic and Faith-Based Organizations 2 activities
    • Funds apostolic and charitable activities of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor
      Provides financial support and counsel for the global ministries of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor, including programs in the United States, Italy, Brazil, Philippines, and Senegal. Serves as the principal funding body for these initiatives.
    • Supports international ministries through planned giving and mass card sales
      Enables individuals to make planned gifts, including bequests, to support the mission of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor. Uses proceeds from mass card sales to fund organizational programs.
  • Youth and Young Adult Spiritual Engagement 1 activity
    • Manages community and spiritual development programs
      Offers spiritual formation, retreats, counseling, and personal development programs for adolescents, university students, families, and young women. Includes initiatives like the Colei che sa program and safe space programs for youth.
  • Financial Aid and Scholarship Access Programs 1 activity
    • Offers scholarships and educational support for disadvantaged students
      Provides college scholarships and covers educational costs, transportation, nutrition, and therapies for economically disadvantaged students and children with special needs. In 2017, supported 267 students across various levels of education.
  • Early Childhood Education & Development Programs 1 activity
    • Operates daycare centers, schools, and educational programs for underserved children
      Runs daycare centers, elementary schools, and after-school programs in Brazil and Senegal to expand access to education and safe childcare for vulnerable children. Includes full-day care, meals, health services, and academic support.
  • Continuing Care Retirement Communities 1 activity
    • Operates senior and disability care facilities
      Provides care and social engagement for disabled seniors through a group home and operates a senior residence facility. Offers daily support and structured programming for elderly and disabled individuals.
  • Direct Clinical Care Delivery 1 activity
    • Provides healthcare and maternal services in low-income communities
      Operates health clinics and maternity centers offering prenatal and postnatal care, immunizations, childbirth assistance, and general healthcare services. In 2017, served over 9,300 individuals, including 711 women receiving maternal care.
  • Mobile and Fixed Hygiene Services 1 activity
    • Provides social services for homeless and marginalized populations
      Offers soup kitchens, laundry services, free internet, library access, and socialization opportunities for homeless men and women in Rome. Also provides support to imprisoned individuals and the mentally ill in Frascati and Rome.
  • Self-Sufficiency Empowerment Workshops 1 activity
    • Provides vocational training and economic empowerment programs for women
      Runs education and skills training centers, including the Clar’Art Project and four vocational centers, offering training in arts, crafts, baking, and social skills to promote financial independence and family income generation.
  • Food Distribution and Hunger Relief 1 activity
    • Runs feeding and nutrition programs for vulnerable populations
      Provides nutritious meals through soup kitchens and local kitchens in multiple countries, including the Wheel of Hope Soup Kitchen in Dumaguete City and kitchens serving over 1,000 children across 32 villages. Includes food assistance for women, children, and families experiencing poverty.
  • Refugee and Immigrant Resettlement Services 1 activity
    • Supports women and victims of human trafficking through shelter and empowerment programs
      Operates Project Miriam in Padua and other ministries providing emergency shelter, legal and medical care, job training, and emotional and spiritual support for immigrant victims of human trafficking. Also includes coordinated shelters in Assisi and pastoral outreach.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Operates community-based initiatives including thrift shop, garden, and hair care voucher program
      Runs a community thrift shop, a community garden with communal plots and beehives, and a voucher program providing free haircuts to over 30,000 people through partnerships with 140 schools and social service agencies.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.21M
Contributions & grants$789K65%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$405K34%
Other revenue$12K
expenses
Total expenses$1.05M
Program expenses79%
Admin / overhead19%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$94K
Grants paid out$831K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$15.51M
Cash$561K
Investments$14.39M
Liabilities$1.59M
Net assets$13.92M
Liquid reserves171.5 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +100.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 21
  • DR JEFFREY NICHOLS MD — Chairman
  • FR LAWRENCE P FORD OFM — Board Member
  • MARY MACCHIAROLA — Board Member
  • MR GEORGE J RAAB III — Board Member
  • MR JAMES W LEE — Board Member
  • MR JIM MAHON — BOARD MEMBER
  • MR JOHN GORMALLY — Board Member
  • MRS INES RODRIGUES — Board Member
  • MS BELKIS J KNUDSVIG — BOARD MEMBER
  • MS DANA DOKMANOVICH — Board Member
  • MS ELENA LEAL — Board Member
  • MS MICHELE A MASUCCI — Board Member
  • MS THOMASINA NOLAN — Board Member
  • Mr THOMAS MCARDLE — BOARD MEMBER
  • NICHOLAS FISCINA — Board Member
  • PATRICIA FAGAN — Board Member
  • SISTER MARA BELLUTTA — Treasurer
  • SISTER MICHELA REFATTO — Secretary
  • SISTER WILMA MOLINARI — President
  • SR TIZIANA MERLETTI — Board Member
  • VICTOR DIONE — Board Member
relationships · 24

Who they work with

  • Arleen Kearns Government — Development Coordinator for the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor Foundation, serving as contact for Foundation Giving Programs.
  • Arleen Kearns Partner — Development Coordinator for Foundation Giving Programs
  • Brazil Partner — Operates programs in Brazil.
  • Capanne Prison Partner — Provides moral and spiritual counsel to incarcerated women.
  • Caritas of the Diocese of Assisi Partner — Collaborated with as a social worker and assistant director of the refugee program.
  • Centro de Educação Infantil (CEI) João XXIII Partner — Worked in early childhood education through this institution in Jataí, Brazil.
  • Congregação Lar e Creche São Francisco Partner — Provided social work services through this philanthropic institution in Ipameri, Brazil.
  • Diocese Partner — Collaborates with the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor in operating the John XXIII Daycare Center in Jatai.
  • Francescane con i Poveri (Franciscans with the Poor) Partner — Collaborated through work at the head office in Rome.
  • Franciscan Sisters of the Poor Network — Principal beneficiary and ministry partner receiving funding and counsel from the Foundation.
  • Franciscan Sisters of the Poor Partner — Foundation supports the programs and mission of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor by providing funding.
  • Franciscan Sisters of the Poor Partner — Recipient of foundation support for apostolate and charitable works.
  • Italy Partner — Operates programs in Italy.
  • Philippines Partner — Operates programs in the Philippines.
  • Rebibbia Prison Partner — Provides moral and spiritual counsel to incarcerated women.
  • Samine mission Partner — Coordinated schools at this mission in Casamance, Senegal.
  • Senegal Partner — Operates programs in Senegal.
  • St. Clare Center Partner — Hosts The Franciscan Peddler Thrift Shop and serves as a site for community programs.
  • St. Clare’s Convent Partner — Location of the Franciscan Community Garden and host site for community growing and educational initiatives.
  • St. Francis Clinics and Maternity Center Partner — Collaborates on maternal and child health services in Koumbidia, Missira, and Lwanga
  • United States Partner — Operates programs in the United States.
  • University Partner — Engages volunteer students who assist with spiritual guidance and language instruction at the Frances Schervier Formation Center.
  • local government Partner — Partners with the Sisters in running the St. Francis Home & Kindergarten in Ipameri.
  • other faith communities Partner — Collaborates with other faith communities to operate the Wheel of Hope Soup Kitchen in Dumaguete City.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Community-Led Empowerment Through Integrated Skills and Economic Development
    methodology: community_led_nutrition_and_empowerment
    By combining vocational and life skills training with community-led nutrition and micro-enterprise initiatives, the organization promotes sustainable empowerment of women and marginalized populations because integrated economic and educational support fosters independence and intergenerational change.
  • Faith-Integrated Service and Personal Transformation
    methodology: faith_based_service
    By integrating charitable service with spiritual practice, the organization advances social justice through individual transformation, believing that personal encounters rooted in faith produce dignity, hope, and lasting societal change because they align service with prayer and moral purpose.
  • Holistic, Dignity-Centered Care Model
    methodology: holistic_approach
    By addressing material, emotional, and spiritual needs together—such as combining survival services with education, trauma-informed support, and dignity-affirming acts like hair care—the organization fosters empowerment and breaks cycles of poverty because holistic interventions restore agency and self-worth.