BBB Wise Giving Report for
Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA

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


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


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA
Address: 274 Pittsboro Elementary School Road, P.O. Box 640
  Pittsboro, NC 27312
Phone: 919-542-1396
Web Address: www.rafiusa.org
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1990, North Carolina
Affiliates: Rural Advancement Institute
Stated Purpose: "to provide technical assistance, financial aid, and educational programs for the benefit of rural areas and for promoting a just, sustainable global food production system, all in the widest sense."

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA (RAFI-USA) meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

RAFI's Just Foods program aids in the development of national standards for organic agriculture and domestic fair trade standards for organic and sustainable agriculture. The program aims to revitalize public plant and animal breeding programs to ensure that farmers have access to varieties adapted to changing consumer demands and regional climates, and educates farmers on the legal and market liabilities associated with using genetically modified organisms in agriculture. RAFI's Farm Sustainability program assists farmers and communities facing rapidly changing agricultural markets to adapt with sustainable solutions. Advocates provide farm families with farm planning and financial counseling, assistance negotiating with lenders and referrals to legal and mental health services. RAFI's Contract Agriculture Reform program promotes just and equitable economic relationships between individual contract farmers and processors. The program educates farmers on risks and benefits associated with contract agriculture and on federal fair contract rules and regulations. RAFI's Tobacco Communities Reinvestment program provides technical and cost-share support to innovative producers and communities that demonstrate market-worthy ways for family farmers to replace lost tobacco income.

For the year ended December 31, 2008, RAFI-USA's program expenses were:

  
Just Foods 432,707
Farm sustainability 284,833
Contract agriculture reform 160,014
Tobacco communities and ag enterprise development 129,630
Rural advancement institute 33,198
Total Program Expenses: $1,040,382
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Linda Shaw, Executive Director
Compensation*:

Chair of the Board: Archie Hart
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Special Assistant to the NC Commissioner of Agriculture

Board Size: 10

Paid Staff Size: 18

*Compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances. In 2008, Executive Director Betty Bailey received $83,291 in compensation. Compensation information for Linda Shaw is not available at this time.
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Fund Raising

              

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, special events, grant proposals, Internet appeals, and planned giving
Fund raising costs were 2% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $6,196,999, 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 RAFI-USA's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2008.

Source of Funds  
Private foundations and public funds 5,795,951
Individual contributions 387,110
Service contracts and honoraria 126,676
Rental Income 34,759
Corporate contributions 13,310
Interest and dividends 2,282
In-kind contributions 628
Publications 54
Loss on disposal of assets -2,573
Change in value of charitable gift annuity -8,541
Total Income $6,349,656


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Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 78%  Fund Raising: 10%  Administrative: 12% 

Total income   $6,349,656
  Program expenses $1,040,382
  Fund raising expenses 137,530
  Administrative expenses 158,008
 
Total expenses   $1,335,920
Income in Excess of Expenses   5,013,736
Beginning net assets   1,843,957
Ending net assets   6,857,693
Total liabilities   149,023
Total assets   $7,006,716


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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.

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