BBB Wise Giving Report for
Simon Youth Foundation

BBB Wise Giving Report issued July 2010
BBB Wise Giving Report expires July 2012


This BBB Accredited charity meets all 20 Standards for Charity Accountability. Find out more...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Simon Youth Foundation
Address: 225 West Washington Street
  Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: 800-509-3676
Web Address: www.syf.org
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1997, Indiana
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: "to foster and improve educational opportunities, career development, and life skills that transform the lives of at-risk youth through focused programs and initiatives with our public school and post-secondary education partners."

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

Simon Youth Foundation (SYF) meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

SYF's Education Resource Centers (ERCs) are public alternative schools located primarily in Simon malls. According to SYF, students meet all state and national graduation requirements and earn their diplomas from their referring high schools, but are provided a learning environment with small classes, flexible schedules and a self-paced curriculum. SYF reports that the ERC program has grown to 25 centers in 12 states, and enrollment has reached nearly 19,000. SYF’s scholarship program offers financial support to ERC graduates, as well as high school seniors across the country. Renewable scholarships are awarded to graduates of SYF’s ERCs. Community Scholarships are also awarded in communities with Simon Properties and are one-time awards. In addition, eight students in select communities receive four-year, renewable scholarships. Recipients are selected by a third-party administrator based on financial need, past academic performance, future potential, leadership, participation in school, community activities, work experience, a statement of career and educational aspirations and outside appraisals. Special consideration is also given to students who will be the first in their family to attend higher education.

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

  
Educational programs 4,910,524
Total Program Expenses: $4,910,524
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Dr. Richard M. Markoff, Executive Vice President
Compensation*:
$173,598

Chair of the Board: Deborah J. Simon
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Community volunteer

Board Size: 18

Paid Staff Size: 10

*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, grant proposals, and Internet appeals.
Fund raising costs were 17% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $5,844,510, 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 SYF's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2008.

Source of Funds  
Special events (net) 3,273,871
In-kind contributions 2,570,639
Interest income 171,810
Net realized and unrealized losses on investments -588,764
Total Income $5,427,556


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Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 75%  Fund Raising: 15%  Administrative: 7%  Other Expenses: 3%

Total income   $5,427,556
  Program expenses $4,910,524
  Fund raising expenses 982,530
  Administrative expenses 470,215
  Other Expenses 225,350
Total expenses   $6,588,619
Expenses in Excess of Income   (1,161,063)
Beginning net assets   9,519,728
Ending net assets   8,358,665
Total liabilities   904,810
Total assets   $9,263,475

Note 1: The SYF's 2008 audited financial statements report in-kind gifts in the amount of $2,570,639.

Note 2: In the above financial section, "other expenses" represents loss on disposals of property and equipment.

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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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