Liberty Academy Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
LIBERTY ACADEMY FOUNDATION PROVIDES HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDRENKINDERGARTEN TO FIFTH GRADE. WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 120 CHILDREN ENROLLED FROM ONE OF THE MOSTUNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN MIAMI, LIBERTY CITY. WE EMPLOY 14 FULL TIME STAFF THAT ARE TEACHERS ANDTEACHER'S AIDES FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. LIBERTY ACADEMY IS AN AWARDWINNING PROGRAM AND IS HIGHLY REGARDED IN THE COMMUNITY.
- Income
- $1.1 million
- Spending
- $801,026
- Spent on programs
- 90%
- Reserves
- 7.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 31
- Highest pay
- $50,080, chairman
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.2 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 30% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 25% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 128% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1590% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Weak: 43 out of 100. Higher than 6% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
18 of 254 of 4 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $720,924 spent. LIBERTY ACADEMY IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST PERFORMING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAMS SERVING STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN AND AROUND THE HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY OF LIBERTY CITY SECTION OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY. AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE ACADEMIC OUTCOMES OF OUR STUDENTS, THE DEMAND FOR OUR EDUCATIONAL SERVICES HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT. TO ADDRESS THE HIGH DEMAND FOR OUR EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, IN 2022, LIBERTY ACADEMY BEGAN THE EXPENSIVE AND LENGTHY PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTING A NEW ADDITION TO OUR EXISTING FACILITY. PRIOR TO THE 2024/25 SCHOOL YEAR, WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE WOULD NEED TO OBTAIN A CHANGE OF USE TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT STEP-UP FOR STUDENTS SCHOLARSHIPS. BASED ON OUR APPROVAL TO OBTAIN A CHANGE IN USE UPON COMPLETION OF OUR ADDITION AND A STATEMENT FROM FIRE THAT OUR EXISTING FACILITY DID NOT POSE ANY SAFETY HAZARDS, A WAIVER WAS GRANTED FOR LIBERTY ACADEMY TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THE 2024/25 SCHOOL YEAR. AFTER GETTING OUR BUILDING PERMIT IN 2024, THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT AGREED TO FINANCE THE CONSTRUCTION DELAYED MOVING FORWARD UNTIL THEIR UNDERWRITER COULD VERIFY THAT STEP-UP PAYMENTS WOULD BE MADE QUARTERLY. THE DELAY IN OUR FINANCIAL INSTITUTION'S COMMITMENT TO FINANCE THE DEAL MADE COMPLETION OF THE ADDITION BEFORE THE 2025/26 SCHOOL YEAR EXTREMELY UNLIKELY. DESPITE INVESTING OVER 100,000 AND ALMOST THREE YEARS INTO THE EXPANSION, LIBERTY ACADEMY DECIDED TO GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION IN DECEMBER 2024. BECAUSE THE COST OF HOUSING IS VERY EXPENSIVE IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, LIBERTY ACADEMY MADE THE DECISION TO RENOVATE THE PROPERTY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED TO ACCOMMODATE THE EXPANSION TO PROVIDE SIGNIFICANTLY DISCOUNTED HOUSING FOR FOUR STAFF MEMBERS AND THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILIES. LIBERTY ACADEMY IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST PERFORMING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAMS SERVING STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN AND AROUND THE HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY OF LIBERTY CITY SECTION OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY. AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE ACADEMIC OUTCOMES OF OUR STUDENTS, THE DEMAND FOR OUR EDUCATIONAL SERVICES HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT. TO ADDRESS THE HIGH DEMAND FOR OUR EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, IN 2022, LIBERTY ACADEMY BEGAN THE EXPENSIVE AND LENGTHY PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTING A NEW ADDITION TO OUR EXISTING FACILITY. PRIOR TO THE 2024/25 SCHOOL YEAR, WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE WOULD NEED TO OBTAIN A CHANGE OF USE TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT STEP-UP FOR STUDENTS SCHOLARSHIPS. BASED ON OUR APPROVAL TO OBTAIN A CHANGE IN USE UPON COMPLETION OF OUR ADDITION AND A STATEMENT FROM FIRE THAT OUR EXISTING FACILITY DID NOT POSE ANY SAFETY HAZARDS, A WAIVER WAS GRANTED FOR LIBERTY ACADEMY TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THE 2024/25 SCHOOL YEAR. AFTER GETTING OUR BUILDING PERMIT IN 2024, THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT AGREED TO FINANCE THE CONSTRUCTION DELAYED MOVING FORWARD UNTIL THEIR UNDERWRITER COULD VERIFY THAT STEP-UP PAYMENTS WOULD BE MADE QUARTERLY. THE DELAY IN OUR FINANCIAL INSTITUTION'S COMMITMENT TO FINANCE THE DEAL MADE COMPLETION OF THE ADDITION BEFORE THE 2025/26 SCHOOL YEAR EXTREMELY UNLIKELY. DESPITE INVESTING OVER 100,000 AND ALMOST THREE YEARS INTO THE EXPANSION, LIBERTY ACADEMY DECIDED TO GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION IN DECEMBER 2024. BECAUSE THE COST OF HOUSING IS VERY EXPENSIVE IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, LIBERTY ACADEMY MADE THE DECISION TO RENOVATE THE PROPERTY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED TO ACCOMMODATE THE EXPANSION TO PROVIDE SIGNIFICANTLY DISCOUNTED HOUSING FOR FOUR STAFF MEMBERS AND THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILIES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 2019.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: Academy Foundation (Beverly Hills, CA), EIN 95-2243698. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.