BBB Wise Giving Report for
AFS-USA

BBB Wise Giving Report issued September 2011
BBB Wise Giving Report expires September 2013


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: AFS-USA
Address: One Whitehall Street,
Second Floor
  New York, NY 10004
Phone: 212-299-9000
Web Address: www.afs.org/usa
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1991, Illinois
Affiliates: 95 chapters

Stated Purpose: "to work towards a more just and peaceful world by providing international and intercultural learning experiences to individuals, families, schools, and communities through a global volunteer partnership."

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

AFS-USA does not meet the following 3 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.

AFS-USA 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.

AFS-USA does not meet this Standard because:

  • It has not completed an effectiveness assessment in the past two years.

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.

AFS-USA does not meet this Standard because, when the organization provided 2011 budget information, it indicated that the budget:

  • Did not identify total projected fund raising expenses.
  • Did not identify total projected administrative expenses.
  • Did not identify total projected program expenses broken down by major program category (i.e. sending/hosting programs and volunteer activites/other programs.)
AFS-USA meets the remaining 17 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

AFS-USA pairs young Americans going abroad with host families. From participant fees it collects, AFS-USA provides orientation, international travel, and a liaison with AFS offices in destination countries. In addition to school and university centered programs, AFS-USA offers options structured around community service. AFS-USA also finds host families for students from foreign countries. Other services performed by the organization for exchange students from foreign countries include orientation, domestic travel arrangements, and counseling support during the students stay. Americans and foreigners can choose to go for a summer, a semester, or full school year. Transfer fees are paid to and collected from AFS overseas affiliate offices to cover program service costs incurred for individual participants. Furthermore in collaboration with the U.S. State Department, AFS-USA promotes student, educator, and business leader exchange initiatives with Middle Eastern, Asian, and European countries.

For the year ended December 31, 2010, AFS-USA's program expenses were:

  
Sending and hosting programs 25,542,311
Volunteer activities and other programs 2,411,597
Total Program Expenses: $27,953,908
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Jorge Castro, President and Partner Director
Compensation*:
$182,902

Chair of the Board: Mary M. Porterfield
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: High School Spanish Teacher

Board Size: 15

Paid Staff Size: 162

*2010 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, telemarketing, grant proposals, Internet appeals, and planned giving.
Fund raising costs were 10% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $10,478,753, 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 AFS-USA's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2010.

Source of Funds  
Participant fees, net 15,691,092
Grants and contributions from federal and pass-through agencies 8,103,444
Contributions from individuals and corporations 2,375,309
Interest and dividends 211,310
Other income 73,299
Realized and unrealized gains on investments 24,253
Change in beneficial interest in perpetual trust 16,086
Total Income $26,494,793


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Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 91%  Fund Raising: 3%  Administrative: 6% 

Total income   $26,494,793
  Program expenses $27,953,908
  Fund raising expenses 1,024,546
  Administrative expenses 1,856,383
 
Total expenses   $30,834,837
Expenses in Excess of Income   (4,340,044)
Beginning net assets   19,662,719
Ending net assets   15,322,675
Total liabilities   6,382,159
Total assets   $21,704,834

Note: According to AFS-USA's 2010 financial statements, the organization's in-kind contributions were in the amount of $29,574 which represents donated software.

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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.

This report is not to be used for fund raising or promotional purposes.

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