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.
TREE Fund does not meet this Standard because:
- Although it has produced a written effectiveness assessment report, the report did not include recommendations for future actions.
- The report was not submitted for approval to the board of directors.
Standard 8: Program Service Expense Ratio - Spend at least 65% of its total expenses on program activities.
TREE Fund does not meet this Standard because:
- According to the its audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008, the organization spent $402,365 or 48% of its total expenses ($845,755) on program service activities.
Standard 12: Detailed Functional Breakdown of Expenses - Include in the financial statements a breakdown of expenses (e.g., salaries, travel, postage, etc.) that shows what portion of these expenses was allocated to program, fund raising, and administrative activities. If the charity has more than one major program category, the schedule should provide a breakdown for each category.
TREE Fund does not meet this Standard because, in the organization's financial statements, the detailed functional breakdown of expenses:
- Was not included. A detailed functional breakdown shows expenses by natural classification (e.g., salaries, travel, postage, etc.) and indicates what portion of these expenses was allocated to program, fund raising, and administrative activities).
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.
TREE Fund does not meet this standard because the most recent annual report did not include:
- Total income.
- Total expenses for each program in the same categories that appear in the organization’s financial statements.
- Total fund raising expenses.
- Total administrative expenses.
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.
TREE Fund does not meet this Standard because the organization's website, www.treefund.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.
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.
TREE Fund does not meet this Standard because:
- The organization's website, www.treefund.org, does not include a privacy policy.