Better Business Bureau Report for
Chicago Asthma Consortium

Better Business Bureau Report issued October 2010
Better Business Bureau Report expires October 2012


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: Chicago Asthma Consortium
Address: 4541 N. Ravenswood Avenue, Ste. 303
  Chicago, IL 60640
Phone: 773-769-6060
Web Address: www.chicagoasthma.org
Also known as:CAC
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Better Business Bureau Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1999, Illinois
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: The Chicago Asthma Consortium is a coalition of medical and public health professionals, business leaders, government agencies, community-based organizations, and individuals dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with asthma through networking, information sharing, education, and collaboration.

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

Chicago Asthma Consortium 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.

Chicago Asthma Consortium 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 9: Fund Raising Expense Ratio - Spending should be no more than 35% of related contributions on fund raising. Related contributions include donations, legacies, and other gifts received as a result of fund raising efforts.

Chicago Asthma Consortium does not meet this Standard because:

  • According to its audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, the organization's fund raising costs were 47% ($12,434) of related contributions, which totaled $26,444.

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.

Chicago Asthma Consortium does not meet this Standard because, when the organization provided budget information, it indicated that the budget:

  • Did not identify total projected program service expenses.
  • Did not identify total projected fund raising expenses.
  • Did not identify total projected administrative expenses.

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.

Chicago Asthma Consortium 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 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.

Chicago Asthma Consortium does not meet this Standard because:

Chicago Asthma Consortium does not meet this Standard because the privacy policy on this website, www.chicagoasthma.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.
In addition, the BBB of Chicago & Northern Illinois requested but did not receive complete information on the organization’s solicitation materials and is unable to verify the organization's compliance with the following Standard for Charity Accountability: 15.
Chicago Asthma Consortium meets the remaining 14 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

Quarterly Meetings Quarterly Meetings are forums for the stakeholders in Chicago ’s fight against asthma to learn and share best practices. They offer Chicago ’s asthma advocates the only forum for gathering information and networking with others in their field. Chicago-area doctors, nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, public health professionals, and community members attend the Quarterly Meetings. Data Conferences The CAC holds data conferences to exchange current information on asthma in Chicago, stimulate new data collection activities and find new ways of using data. As part of our mission of sharing information, we produce these reports as a means of making information available to everyone.

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, Chicago Asthma Consortium's program expenses were:

  
Consulting and Management Fees 79,100
Brochures and Publications 12,665
Conferences, Conventions and Meetings 9,220
Amortization 8,334
Professional Fees and Services 6,673
Postage and Shipping 4,357
Printing and Reproduction 4,328
Subcontractor Expense 2,514
Meals and Entertainment 1,093
Insurance 1,050
Website Maintenance 719
Awards 607
Supplies 579
Travel 445
Bank Charges 277
Total Program Expenses: $131,961
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Joel Massel, Executive Director
Compensation*:
$113,000

Chair of the Board: Helen Margellos-Anast
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Senior Epidemiologist/Project Director, Sinai Urban Health Institute

Board Size: 16

Paid Staff Size: 0

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

              

Method(s) Used:

grant proposals, membership
Fund raising costs were 47% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $26,444, 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 Chicago Asthma Consortium's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009.

Source of Funds  
Grants and Contracts 129,908
Contributions 26,444
Membership Dues 7,695
Interest Income 3,097
Registration Fees 2,745
Exhibit Fees 1,900
Miscellaneous 727
Total Income $172,516


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 76%  Fund Raising: 7%  Administrative: 8%  Other Expenses: 9%

Total income   $172,516
  Program expenses $131,961
  Fund raising expenses 12,434
  Administrative expenses 13,069
  Other Expenses 15,212
Total expenses   $172,676
Expenses in Excess of Income   (160)
Beginning net assets   212,114
Other Changes in Net Assets (160)
Ending net assets   211,954
Total liabilities   27,345
Total assets   $239,299


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An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.

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