BBB Wise Giving Report for
Camp Starfish

BBB Wise Giving Report issued December 2010
BBB Wise Giving Report expires December 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...


Find out more about this charity:

Back To Top

Charity Contact Information

Name: Camp Starfish
Address: 1121 Main Street
  Lancaster, MA 01523
Phone: 978-368-6580
Web Address: www.campstarfish.org
Back To Top

BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1998, Massachusetts
Affiliates: None

Stated Purpose: "to foster the success and growth of children with emotional, behavioral and learning problems by providing individualized attention as part of structured, nurturing and fun programs.”

Back To Top

Evaluation Conclusions

              

Camp Starfish (Starfish) does not meet the following 5 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Standard 1: Oversight of Operations and Staff - Organizations shall have a board of directors that provides adequate oversight of the charity's operations and its staff. Indication of adequate oversight includes, but is not limited to, regularly scheduled appraisals of the CEO's performance, evidence of disbursement controls such as board approval of the budget, fund raising practices, establishment of a conflict of interest policy, and establishment of accounting procedures sufficient to safeguard charity finances.

Starfish does not meet this Standard because its board of directors does not:

  • Have a voting member of the board who is assigned the responsibility of serving as the treasurer. In general, the board’s treasurer helps provide independent oversight of the organization’s finances.

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.

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

  • Did not identify total projected program service expenses.

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.

Starfish does not meet this standard because the most recent annual report did not include:

  • A roster of the board of directors
  • Total income.
  • Total program expenses.
  • Total expenses for each program in the same categories that appear in the organization’s financial statements.
  • Total fund raising expenses.
  • Total administrative expenses.
  • Total end of year net assets.

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.

Starfish does not meet this Standard because the organization's website, www.campstarfish.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.
  • End of year net assets.
  • Electronic access to the organization’s most recent IRS Form 990.

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.

Starfish does not meet this Standard because:

  • The organization does not have a privacy policy on its website, www.campstarfish.org that includes the recommended information.
In addition, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance requested but did not receive complete information on the organization’s solicitation materials and is unable to verify the organization's compliance with the following Standard for Charity Accountability: 15.
Starfish meets the remaining 14 Standards for Charity Accountability.
Back To Top

Programs

              

Starfish operates a therapeutic summer camp for emotionally, behaviorally, and learning disabled children. The organization reports being the only New England camp to offer a one-to-one camper-to-counselor ratio for at risk children. Furthermore, Starfish serves children from ages 7 to 15 and it offers individualized attention and support to the children in the camp.

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

  
Program services 537,914
Total Program Expenses: $537,914
Back To Top

Governance

              

Chief Executive : Emily Golinsky, Executive Director
Compensation*:
$69,312

Chair of the Board: Ned Rimer
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Co-founder, Citizen's Schools

Board Size: 10

Paid Staff Size: 3

*2008 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
Back To Top

Fund Raising

              

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, special events, print advertisements, grant proposals, Internet appeals, and planned giving.
Fund raising costs were 12% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $704,267, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
Back To Top

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.
Back To Top

Financial

              

The following information is based on Starfish's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2009.

Source of Funds  
Grants 481,679
Camper tuition 252,131
In-kind contribution 115,116
Contributions 98,270
Interest income 10,118
Government funds 9,202
Total Income $966,516


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 74%  Fund Raising: 12%  Administrative: 14% 

Total income   $966,516
  Program expenses $537,914
  Fund raising expenses 87,113
  Administrative expenses 102,164
 
Total expenses   $727,191
Income in Excess of Expenses   239,325
Beginning net assets   989,988
Ending net assets   1,229,313
Total liabilities   1,721,934
Total assets   $2,951,247


Back To Top

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.

Send to:



What is an Accredited Charity