BBB Wise Giving Report for
Access Fund

BBB Wise Giving Report issued March 2011
BBB Wise Giving Report expires March 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: Access Fund
Address: Post Office Box 17010
  Boulder, CO 80308
Phone: 303-545-6772
Web Address: www.accessfund.org
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1991, Colorado
Affiliates: None

Stated Purpose: "to keep climbing areas open and to conserve the climbing environment."

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

Access Fund (AF) does not meet the following 4 Standards for Charity Accountability.

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.

AF does not meet this Standard because:

  • It did not produce a written report outlining the results of its most recent effectiveness assessment.

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.

AF does not meet this Standard because, when the organization provided budget information, it indicated that the budget:

  • Did not identify total projected fund raising expenses.
  • Did not identify total projected administrative expenses.
  • Included total projected program service expenses, however, did not break these expenses down by major program category (i.e. outreach and education, special projects, newsletter, etc.)

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.

AF does not meet this Standard because its website, www.accessfund.org does not:

  • Have a privacy policy that includes the recommended information.

Standard 19: Cause Related Marketing - Clearly disclose how the charity benefits from the sale of products or services (i.e., cause-related marketing) that state or imply that a charity will benefit from a consumer sale or transaction. Such promotions should disclose, at the point of solicitation: (a) the actual or anticipated portion of the purchase price that will benefit the charity (e.g., 5 cents will be contributed to abc charity for every xyz company product sold), (b) the duration of the campaign (e.g., the month of October), (c) any maximum or guaranteed minimum contribution amount (e.g., up to a maximum of $200,000).

AF does not meet this Standard because, in the past year the organization participated in an affinity card promotion that indicates that the organization will benefit from purchases made with the card. The promotion, however, did not specify:

  • The actual or anticipated amount of future purchases made on the card that will benefit the organization.
In addition, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance requested but did not receive complete information on the organization’s governance and oversight and solicitation materials and is unable to verify the organization's compliance with the following 3 Standards for Charity Accountability: 1, 3, and 15.
AF meets the remaining 13 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

AF reports that it supports and represents about 2.3 million climbers nationwide in all forms of climbing: rock, ice, mountaineering, and bouldering. AF partners with land management agencies, environmental organizations, climbing groups, outdoor businesses and guide services on conservation projects, land acquisitions, and climbing policy. AF works with federal, state and local officials on climbing policy and supports management based on objective decision making. AF represents climbers' interests during the planning process while helping agencies to reduce impacts and formulate policy. The organization aims to help land managers with trail building, installing parking and waste disposal facilities, and educational and safety signage. AF’s partnerships comprise of more than 200 climbing gyms and outdoor retailers which are a link to the broader climbing community. AF reports working on about 500 climbing related events annually.

For the year ended December 31, 2009, AF's program expenses were:

  
Outreach and education 372,043
Special projects 256,918
Land conservation management 131,534
Newsletter 116,941
Total Program Expenses: $877,436
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Bradon W. Robinson, Executive Director
Compensation*:
$77,151

Chair of the Board: Paul Fish
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: CEO and President of Mountain Gear

Board Size: 17

Paid Staff Size: 9

*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, telemarketing, special events, print advertisements, grant proposals, Internet appeals, planned giving, cause-related marketing, and membership appeals.
Fund raising costs were 7% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $1,283,075, 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 AF's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2009.

Source of Funds  
Membership 413,740
Land conservation campaign 363,656
Corporations 218,731
In-kind 111,311
Individuals 98,447
Investment income 57,158
Foundations 46,356
Special event income 30,834
Merchandise sales 8,105
Other 2,841
Total Income $1,351,179


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 81%  Fund Raising: 9%  Administrative: 10% 

Total income   $1,351,179
  Program expenses $877,436
  Fund raising expenses 93,566
  Administrative expenses 107,148
 
Total expenses   $1,078,150
Income in Excess of Expenses   273,029
Beginning net assets   431,029
Ending net assets   704,058
Total liabilities   25,028
Total assets   $729,086

Note: According to AF's 2009 audited financial statements, the organization's in-kind donations totaled $111,311 which includes donated advertising ($67,670), donated products ($35,491), and pro bono legal services ($8,150).

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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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