Standard 1: Oversight of Operations and Staff - Organizations shall have a board of directors that provides adequate oversight of the charity's operations and its staff. Indication of adequate oversight includes, but is not limited to, regularly scheduled appraisals of the CEO's performance, evidence of disbursement controls such as board approval of the budget, fund raising practices, establishment of a conflict of interest policy, and establishment of accounting procedures sufficient to safeguard charity finances.
Starfish Learning center does not meet this Standard because its board of directors does not:
- Review the performance of the chief executive officer at least once every two years.
- Receive a copy of the organization’s IRS Form 990.
Standard 3: Frequency and Attendance of Board Meetings - An organization shall have a minimum of three evenly spaced meetings per year of the full governing body with a majority in attendance, with face-to-face participation. A conference call of the full board can substitute for one of the three meetings of the governing body. For all meetings, alternative modes of participation are acceptable for those with physical disabilities.
Starfish Learning center does not meet this Standard because:
- The board of directors did not hold a minimum of three evenly spaced meetings in the past fiscal year.
Standard 4: Compensated Board Members - Not more than one or 10% (whichever is greater) directly or indirectly compensated person(s) serving as voting member(s) of the board. Compensated members shall not serve as the board's chair or treasurer.
Starfish Learning center does not meet this Standard because:
- FOUR (4) member(s) out of the FIVE (5) member board of directors (80%) is/are compensated either directly or indirectly.
- The paid chief executive officer also serves as the chair of the board of directors.
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.
Starfish Learning center 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.
Starfish Learning center does not meet this Standard because:
- Although it produced a written effectiveness assessment report, it was not submitted for approval to the board of directors.
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.
Starfish Learning center does not meet this standard because the most recent annual report did not include:
- The organization’s mission statement
- A summary of program service accomplishments.
- A roster of the board of directors
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.
Starfish Learning center does not meet this Standard because the organization's website, www.starfishchicago.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.
- Electronic access to the organization’s most recent IRS Form 990.