BBB Wise Giving Report for
National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts

BBB Wise Giving Report issued April 2010
BBB Wise Giving Report expires April 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: National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts
Address: 777 Brickell Avenue, Suite 370
  Miami, FL 33131
Phone: 305-377-1140
Web Address: www.nfaa.org
Also known as:youngARTS
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1981, Florida
Affiliates: None

Stated Purpose: "to identify emerging artists and assist them at critical junctures in their educational and professional development; and to raise the appreciation for, and support of, the arts in American society."

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA) does not meet the following 6 Standards for Charity Accountability.

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.

NFAA does not meet this Standard because:

  • The board of directors held two meetings in the past fiscal year.

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.

NFAA 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.

NFAA does not meet this Standard because:

  • It has never completed an effectiveness assessment., and does not have one planned for the near future.

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.

NFAA does not meet this standard because:

  • The organization states it does not have an annual report covering activities conducted in the past year.

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.

NFAA does not meet this Standard because the organization's website, www.nfaa.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.

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.

NFAA does not meet this Standard because their website, www.nfaa.org does not provide a link to a privacy policy. 

National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA) meets the remaining 14 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

NFAA’s youngARTS recognizes and supports America’s talented 17-18 year olds in the visual, literary and performing arts. youngARTS consists of an evaluation process from a national pool of over 6,000 applications resulting in up to 150 students attending youngARTS Week, which is an all-expenses-paid week in Miami of master classes, educational enrichment opportunities, performances, exhibitions and final adjudications. youngARTS winners share over $500,000 in cash awards and a total benefit package valued at $1 million. An additional $3 million in college scholarship opportunities is offered to all applicants by major colleges across America. NFAA is the sole nominating agency for Presidential Scholars in the Arts, a designation based on their artistic and academic achievements and honored at the White House by the U. S. President.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009, NFAA's program expenses were:

  
ARTS program 3,809,165
Total Program Expenses: $3,809,165
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Christina DePaul, CEO/President
Compensation*:
$180,280

Chair of the Board: James M. Dubin
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Partner, Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrisson LLP

Board Size: 24

Paid Staff Size: 27

*July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009 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, special events, print advertisements, grant proposals, Internet appeals, cause-related marketing, and membership appeals.
Fund raising costs were 17% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $4,824,447, 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 NFAA's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009.

Source of Funds  
Contributions 4,415,609
Special events (net) 237,940
Applications 162,730
Government grants 120,898
In-kind contributions 50,000
Other earned revenues 14,733
Investment losses (net) -2,824,274
Total Income $2,177,636


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 70%  Fund Raising: 16%  Administrative: 14% 

Total income   $2,177,636
  Program expenses $3,809,165
  Fund raising expenses 839,862
  Administrative expenses 756,154
 
Total expenses   $5,405,181
Expenses in Excess of Income   (3,227,545)
Beginning net assets   15,261,172
Ending net assets   12,033,627
Total liabilities   680,714
Total assets   $12,714,341


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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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