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.
Meals on Wheels Foundation of Cook County 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.
- Have a voting member of the board who is assigned the responsibility of serving as the treasurer. In general, the board’s treasurer helps provide independent oversight of the organization’s finances.
Standard 2: Number of Board Members - Soliciting organizations shall have a board of directors with a minimum of five voting members.
Meals on Wheels Foundation of Cook County does not meet this Standard because:
- The organization has TWO (2) voting members of the board.
Standard 14: Budget - Have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year, outlining projected expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration.
Meals on Wheels Foundation of Cook County does not meet this Standard because, when the organization provided budget information, it indicated that the budget:
- Did not identify total projected administrative expenses.
- Included total projected program service expenses, however, did not break these expenses down by major program category.
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.
Meals on Wheels Foundation of Cook County does not meet this standard because the most recent annual report did not include:
- 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.
Meals on Wheels Foundation of Cook County does not meet this Standard because the organization's website, www.mowcookcounty.org, does not include all of the recommended information for those charity websites that solicit for donations. Specifically, it does not include:
- A summary of program service accomplishments.
- Total income.
- Total program expenses.
- Total fund raising expenses.
- Total administrative expenses.
- End of year net assets.