Better Business Bureau Report for
Neighborhood Writing Alliance

Better Business Bureau Report issued January 2012
Better Business Bureau Report expires January 2014


Does not meet one or more standards
This charity does not meet one or more of the 20 standards for Charity Accountability. Find out more...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Neighborhood Writing Alliance
Address: 1313 E. 60th Street
Suite 238
  Chicago, IL 60637
Phone: 773-684-2742
Web Address: www.jot.org
Also known as:NWA
Journal of Ordinary Thought
JOT
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Better Business Bureau Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1996, Illinois
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: The Neighborhood Writing Alliance provokes dialogue, builds community, and promotes change by creating opportunities for adults in Chicago’s underserved neighborhoods to write, publish, and perform works about their lives.

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

Neighborhood Writing Alliance does not meet the following 5 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Standard 6: Board Policy on Effectiveness - Have a board policy of assessing, no less than every two years, the organization's performance and effectiveness and of determining future actions required to achieve its mission.

Neighborhood Writing Alliance does not meet this Standard because:

  • The board of directors does not have a written policy stating that, at least every two years, an appraisal be done assessing the organization’s performance and effectiveness and determining future actions required to achieve its mission.

Standard 7: Board Approval of Written Report on Effectiveness - Submit to the organization's governing body, for its approval, a written report that outlines the results of the aforementioned performance and effectiveness assessment and recommendations for future actions.

Standard 16: Annual Report - Have an annual report available to all, on request, that includes: (a) the organization's mission statement, (b) a summary of the past year's program service accomplishments, (c) a roster of the officers and members of the board of directors, (d) financial information that includes (i) total income in the past fiscal year, (ii) expenses in the same program, fund raising and administrative categories as in the financial statements, and (iii) ending net assets.

Neighborhood Writing Alliance does not meet this standard because the most recent annual report did not include:

  • A roster of the board of directors
  • Total income.
  • Total program expenses.
  • Total expenses for each program in the same categories that appear in the organization’s financial statements.
  • Total fund raising expenses.
  • Total administrative expenses.
  • Total end of year net assets.

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.

Neighborhood Writing Alliance does not meet this Standard because the organization's website, www.jot.org, does not include all of the recommended information for those charity websites that solicit for donations. Specifically, it does not include:

  • Total income.
  • Total program expenses.
  • Total fund raising expenses.
  • Total administrative expenses.
  • End of year net assets.
  • The organization’s mailing address.
  • Electronic access to the organization’s most recent IRS Form 990.

Standard 18: Privacy for Written Appeals & Internet Privacy - Address privacy concerns of donors by (a) providing in written appeals, at least annually, a means (e.g., such as a check off box) for both new and continuing donors to inform the charity if they do not want their name and address shared outside the organization, (b) providing a clear, prominent and easily accessible privacy policy on any of its websites that tells visitors (i) what information, if any, is being collected about them by the charity and how this information will be used, (ii) how to contact the charity to review personal information collected and request corrections, (iii) how to inform the charity (e.g., a check off box) that the visitor does not wish his/her personal information to be shared outside the organization, and (iv) what security measures the charity has in place to protect personal information.

Neighborhood Writing Alliance does not meet this Standard because the privacy policy on this website, www.jot.org does not indicate:

  • What personal information is being collected and how it will be used.
  • How to contact the charity to review personal information that is collected and request corrections.
  • How to inform the charity that the visitor does not want his/her information shared with others.
  • What security measures are in place to protect personal information that is collected.
Neighborhood Writing Alliance meets the remaining 15 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

In 2011, NWA celebrates 20 years of documenting first-person narratives through the Journal of Ordinary Thought and 15 years of bringing Chicago adults together to discuss and write about issues important to them. These engaging workshops help residents claim public spaces as their own by meeting in community-based locations such as libraries and schools, park district field houses, social service agencies, and churches as well as public housing projects, and transitional housing facilities. Provocative personal narratives produced in the workshops have been featured in eighty-five issues of JOT reaching a readership of over 164,000. JOT has been recognized twice with Illinois Arts Council Literary Awards, and Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune highlighted Journal of Ordinary Thought, the play adapted by the Chicago Theater Company from work published in JOT, among the top ten plays of 1999. Additionally, NWA presents the writers and their work at 35 events annually at neighborhood locations and city-wide stages. Partnerships include the University of Chicagoland Poets, Printers Row Lit Fest. The Public Square at the Illinois Humanities Council, the Goodman Theatre, and Jane Addams Hull-House Museum.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011, Neighborhood Writing Alliance's program expenses were:

  
Program 257,186
Total Program Expenses: $257,186
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Carrie Spitler, Executive Director
Compensation*:
$71,075

Chair of the Board: Jacqueline Lazu
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Professor

Board Size: 15

Paid Staff Size: 3

*Compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
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Fund Raising

              

Method(s) Used:

direct mail, invitations to fund raising events, grant proposals, internet
Fund raising costs were 10% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $338,384, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
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Tax Status

              

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.
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Financial

              

The following information is based on Neighborhood Writing Alliance's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011.

Source of Funds  
Contributions and private grants 197,547
Special Events Proceeds 87,830
In-kind donations 29,133
Government grants 23,874
Program fees 9,175
Subscription Income and magazine sales 4,845
Interest Income 476
Special Events Expenses -21,287
Total Income $331,593


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 85%  Fund Raising: 11%  Administrative: 4% 

Total income   $331,593
  Program expenses $257,186
  Fund raising expenses 32,764
  Administrative expenses 12,120
 
Total expenses   $302,070
Income in Excess of Expenses   29,523
Beginning net assets   130,457
Ending net assets   159,980
Total liabilities   330
Total assets   $160,310


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