BBB Wise Giving Report for
International Book Project

BBB Wise Giving Report issued June 2010
BBB Wise Giving Report expires June 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: International Book Project
Address: 1440 Delaware Avenue
  Lexington, KY 40505
Phone: 859-254-6771
Web Address: www.internationalbookproject.org
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1966, Kentucky
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: "to promote education and literacy in developing countries and in areas of need within the United States; to broaden Americans' understanding of their neighbors; and to foster global friendships and strengthen world unity."

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

International Book Project (IBP) 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.

IBP 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 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.

IBP does not meet this Standard because:

Its audited financial statements were not prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).  According to the auditor's opinion in the 2008 audited financial statements: ". . . these financial statements were prepared on the modified cash basis of accounting, which is a comprehensive basis of accounting other than generally accepted accounting principles."

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.

IBP does not meet this standard because its most recent annual report did not include:

  • Total end of year net assets.
International Book Project (IBP) meets the remaining 17 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

IBP provides new and used books to schools, libraries, and other nonprofit organizations throughout the developing world. In 2009, IBP reports sending out more than 207,000 books to 63 countries. IBP's "Books as Bridges" program is a cross-cultural pen-pal exchange between students in Central Kentucky and the organization's book recipient classrooms overseas. Students share letters, artwork, and pictures. "Books as Bridges" also provides Cultural Literacy Lessons for the Kentucky classrooms to learn more about life in their partner's country.

For the year ended December 31, 2008, IBP's program expenses were:

  
Program services 162,918
Total Program Expenses: $162,918
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Rachel Lewis, Executive Director
Compensation*:
$30,000

Chair of the Board: Dorothy Swope
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Trust Advisor

Board Size: 18

Paid Staff Size: 4

*2008 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, radio, grant proposals, Internet appeals, planned giving, and cause-related marketing.
Fund raising costs were 7% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $275,624, 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 IBP's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2008.

Source of Funds  
Grants and capital projects 124,700
General and shipping contributions 95,099
Sales 48,972
Fundraising event 6,853
Interest 2,502
Miscellaneous 1,429
Trust investment -73,102
Total Income $206,453


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 75%  Fund Raising: 9%  Administrative: 16% 

Total income   $206,453
  Program expenses $162,918
  Fund raising expenses 18,928
  Administrative expenses 34,235
 
Total expenses   $216,081
Expenses in Excess of Income   (9,628)
Beginning net assets   581,382
Ending net assets   571,754
Total liabilities   2,109
Total assets   $573,863


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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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