Better Business Bureau Report for
Circle Tail, Inc.

Better Business Bureau Report issued May 2010
Better Business Bureau Report expires May 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: Circle Tail, Inc.
Address: 8834 Carey Lane
  Pleasant Plain, OH 45162
Phone: (513) 877-3325
Web Address: www.circletail.org
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Better Business Bureau Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1997, Ohio
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: Circle Tail, Inc. provides high quality assistance dogs to people with mobility, hearing, neurologic, or psychiatric disabilities and promotes the human-canine bond in the community by providing dog adoptions, obedience training, behavior management, educational programs and activities, and boarding and grooming services.

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

Circle Tail, Inc. does not meet the following 2 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Standard 5: Conflict of Interest - No transaction(s) in which any board or staff members have material conflicting interests with the charity resulting from any relationship or business affiliation. Factors that will be considered when concluding whether or not a related party transaction constitutes a conflict of interest and if such a conflict is material, include, but are not limited to: any arm's length procedures established by the charity; the size of the transaction relative to like expenses of the charity; whether the interested party participated in the board vote on the transaction; if competitive bids were sought and whether the transaction is one-time, recurring or ongoing.

The charity rents space for its dog training center from its Executive Director for $600 per month.  Your BBB has determined that this transaction may constitute a material conflict-of-interest due to the ongoing nature of the relationship.  

 

Standard 11: Financial Statements - Make available to all, on request, complete annual financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. When total annual gross income exceeds $250,000, these statements should be audited in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. For charities whose annual gross income is less than $250,000, a review by a certified public accountant is sufficient to meet this standard. For charities whose annual gross income is less than $100,000, an internally produced, complete financial statement is sufficient to meet this standard.

Despite gross revenues of $344,064 for the year ended December 31, 2008, the charity did not obtain an audit of its financial statements by an independent certified public accountant (CPA).

 

Circle Tail, Inc. meets the remaining 18 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

Programs include providing assistance dogs to people with disabilities at no cost to the individual, educating the public about the importance and functions of assistance dogs, helping to end pet overpopulation by spaying/neutering all dogs before adoption.

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008, Circle Tail's program expenses were:

  
Program Services 159,495
Total Program Expenses: $159,495
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Ms. Marlys Staley, Executive Director
Compensation*:
$46,920

Chair of the Board: Ms. Jennifer Kiblinger
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Technical & Regulatory Affairs Manager, DiaPharma

Board Size: 12

Paid Staff Size: 7

*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 appeals, invitations to fundraising events, grant proposals, Internet, cause-related marketing
Fundraising costs were 3% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $249,961, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)
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Tax Status

              

This charity 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 Circle Tail's IRS Form 990-EZ for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008.

Source of Funds  
Contributions, Gifts, and Grants 229,199
Program Service Revenue 75,804
Gross Revenue, Special Events 20,762
Investment Income 9,828
Gross Sales of Inventory (Cost of Goods $7,584) 661
Miscellaneous Income 226
Total Income $336,480


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 92%  Fund Raising: 5%  Administrative: 3% 

Total income   $336,480
  Program expenses $159,495
  Fund raising expenses 8,327
  Administrative expenses 5,645
 
Total expenses   $173,467
Income in Excess of Expenses   163,013
Beginning net assets   363,296
Ending net assets   505,101
Total liabilities   211,006
Total assets   $716,107


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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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