French Camp Academy 
The information on this page was last updated 3/1/2024. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
The primary purpose of French Camp Academy is to provide a Christian school and Christian home for young people, mostly teenagers, with family problems not of their own making. FCA is not a reform school, orphanage, or expensive private school. Our students are victims of parental divorce, alcoholism abuse, illness, abandonment, and so forth.
Contact information
Mailing address:
French Camp Academy
One Fine Place
French Camp, MS 39745
Website: frenchcamp.org
Phone: 662-547-6482
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 640321520
CEO/President: F. Steward Edwards, Jr.
Chairman: Hugh Potts Jr.
Board size: 12
Founder: Presbyterian missionaries
Ruling year: 1949
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 05/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 1988
Purpose
Located in the lush pine woods of central Mississippi, along the scenic Natchez Trace, we offer a safe, stable home where young people of all kinds can learn and live.
Though their backgrounds are diverse, all of our students trust French Camp Academy to empower them to thrive emotionally, come alive spiritually, stretch academically, grow physically and mature socially.
Mission statement
French Camp Academy, a Christ-centered home and school, exists to serve young people and families for the glory of God.
Statement of faith
French Camp Academy Adopted Statement of Faith: THE WESTMINSTER CONFESSION OF FAITH AND CATECHISM
I. God is the One being existing in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is the
Sovereign, the Creator, and the Sustainer of all things. God is the source and end of all truth.
II. The Scriptures are the written Word of God, inerrant in their original writings. They are the
infallible authority by which He directs and governs all our activities, including the education of
our children.
III. Jesus Christ is the eternally begotten Son of God. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born
of the Virgin Mary. He is truly God and truly man. Through Christ's life, death, resurrection and
ascension, He accomplished for His people a decisive victory over sin and death and established
His kingdom among men.
IV. Man was created in the image of God as a rational, moral, and spiritual being. Man sinned in
Adam and fell with him in his first transgression. Man's fall affected him spiritually, intellectually,
and physically. Man is restored only by the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit and the cleansing
blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
V. The Lord Jesus Christ will return in glory and triumph for the final judgment and the
consummation of His kingdom. All those who have truly repented of their sins and have received
Christ as their personal savior will be eternally with the Lord Jesus Christ. All those who have
failed truly to repent of their sins and have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ will be eternally
damned without Christ in a literal hell.
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: K-12 Schools/Academies
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 365 of 1106 | 33 of 48 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 16 of 1107 | 11 of 48 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 612 of 1107 | 31 of 48 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 711 of 1106 | 39 of 48 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 11% | 10% | 10% | 4% | 18% | 14% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 3% | 5% | 6% | 3% | 9% | 8% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 15% | 50% | 58% | 79% | 51% | 56% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 3% | 8% | 9% | 8% | 9% | 10% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 85% | 50% | 42% | 21% | 49% | 44% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 83% | 82% | 80% | 82% | 81% | 79% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 94% | 60% | 64% | 40% | 102% | 79% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 76% | 49% | 51% | 32% | 83% | 63% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 6% | 40% | 36% | 60% | -2% | 21% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 6% | 8% | 5% | 20% | 0% | 4% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 14% | 10% | 11% | 10% | 10% | 10% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.46 | 0.12 | 0.09 | 0.13 | 0.16 | 0.15 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 3.08 | 1.32 | 1.25 | 1.30 | 1.39 | 1.39 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.44 | 0.15 | 0.12 | 0.16 | 0.22 | 0.21 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 3.01 | 55.18 | 60.94 | 90.95 | 38.73 | 42.28 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.33 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.03 | 0.02 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 4.19 | 77.05 | 99.75 | 72.38 | 52.23 | 55.32 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 33% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 4% | 3% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 11% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 143% | 845% | 1040% | 774% | 599% | 637% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Cash | $8,878,550 | $5,818,514 | $4,985,209 | $4,398,730 | $4,518,206 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $224,536 | $216,678 | $782,306 | $371,473 | $177,444 |
| Short-term investments | $45,519,866 | $53,098,980 | $40,712,820 | $30,047,758 | $30,756,089 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $54,622,952 | $59,134,172 | $46,480,335 | $34,817,961 | $35,451,739 |
| Long-term investments | $4,079,282 | $3,880,872 | $3,503,945 | $3,276,941 | $3,521,502 |
| Fixed assets | $7,501,189 | $7,037,982 | $6,910,321 | $6,683,913 | $6,257,504 |
| Other long-term assets | $5,838,780 | $4,108,034 | $3,749,982 | $3,667,458 | $4,025,618 |
| Total long-term assets | $17,419,251 | $15,026,888 | $14,164,248 | $13,628,312 | $13,804,624 |
| Total assets | $72,042,203 | $74,161,060 | $60,644,583 | $48,446,273 | $49,256,363 |
| Liabilities | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $472,649 | $483,738 | $427,567 | $407,249 | $373,525 |
| Other current liabilities | $517,231 | $486,647 | $83,463 | $491,830 | $464,965 |
| Total current liabilities | $989,880 | $970,385 | $511,030 | $899,079 | $838,490 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $431,845 | $449,637 | $1,149,347 | $907,071 | $553,423 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $431,845 | $449,637 | $1,149,347 | $907,071 | $553,423 |
| Total liabilities | $1,421,725 | $1,420,022 | $1,660,377 | $1,806,150 | $1,391,913 |
| Net assets | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Without donor restrictions | $36,445,982 | $35,396,579 | $30,278,193 | $18,223,177 | $19,373,176 |
| With donor restrictions | $34,174,496 | $37,344,459 | $28,706,013 | $28,416,946 | $28,491,274 |
| Net assets | $70,620,478 | $72,741,038 | $58,984,206 | $46,640,123 | $47,864,450 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Total contributions | $6,942,197 | $6,381,208 | $15,206,345 | $3,910,139 | $5,315,492 |
| Program service revenue | $2,641,776 | $1,617,193 | $2,182,884 | $2,340,402 | $2,108,144 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $4,163,190 | $2,682,926 | $1,692,589 | $1,040,107 | $1,634,599 |
| Other revenue | $136,912 | $232,110 | $211,077 | $370,527 | $389,263 |
| Total other revenue | $6,941,878 | $4,532,229 | $4,086,550 | $3,751,036 | $4,132,006 |
| Total revenue | $13,884,075 | $10,913,437 | $19,292,895 | $7,661,175 | $9,447,498 |
| Expenses | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Program services | $6,821,540 | $5,603,032 | $6,239,365 | $6,321,029 | $5,953,198 |
| Management and general | $869,364 | $758,979 | $777,821 | $785,552 | $786,208 |
| Fundraising | $662,202 | $634,894 | $604,589 | $686,125 | $769,087 |
| Total expenses | $8,353,106 | $6,996,905 | $7,621,775 | $7,792,706 | $7,508,493 |
| Change in net assets | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $5,530,969 | $3,916,532 | $11,671,120 | ($131,531) | $1,939,005 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $5,530,969 | $3,916,532 | $11,671,120 | ($131,531) | $1,939,005 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| F Stewart Edwards Jr | President | $97,031 |
| Bruce Hosket | Vice President | $46,583 |
| J Lance Ragsdale | Vice President | $44,044 |
| R Stephen Ulerich | CFO | $41,196 |
Compensation data as of: 5/31/2022
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 3/1/2024. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
The town of French Camp dates to about 1810 when Frenchman Louis Lefleur established a trading post and inn on the Natchez Trace, the fabled trade route between Natchez and Nashville. The Choctaw natives and others in the area called it "The Frenchman's Camp," later shortened to "French Camp."
In 1885 a group of Presbyterian missionaries established a school for girls at French Camp - the Mississippi Institute for Girls. Because of its success, a school for boys was started later that year, named French Camp Academy.
In 1915, fire destroyed the girls' institute, and the schools were combined under the name "French Camp Academy."
A major change took place in 1950, when French Camp Academy was reorganized under the direction of an interdenominational board of trustees. Since that time, we have grown to accommodate up to 170 boarding students, and provide a quality Christ-centered education and atmosphere.
French Camp Academy today is respected nationwide as an interdenominational Christian boarding school with a rich history of helping young people.
The town and school together form a thriving 900-acre community, 90 miles north of Jackson and 80 miles south of Tupelo. With a population of about 175, the town is home to FCA graduates, as well as current staff and students. The history and progress of FCA and the town of French Camp go hand-in-hand. We are thankful to have a great community to help support and enhance our ministry to young people.
Program accomplishments
Needs
Your generous donation will help us provide a safe, stable home where young people can learn and live.