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.
VFP does not meet this Standard because:
- Although it has produced a written effectiveness assessment report, the report did not include recommendations for future actions and 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.
VFP does not meet this Standard because:
- According to the organization's reviewed financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2010, the organization spent $292,227 or 57% of its total expenses ($515,389) on program service activities.
In response to this finding, VFP stated:
"VFP's program expenses are proportionally lower than the standard because we are very much a grassroots organization. Program work is carried out, and often initiated, by our 125+ local chapters around the country and in Vietnam. The function of the national organization is essentially to provide administrative, communication & fundraising support for the chapters' work."
Standard 11: Financial Statements - Make available to all, on request, complete annual financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. When total annual gross income exceeds $250,000, these statements should be audited in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. For charities whose annual gross income is less than $250,000, a review by a certified public accountant is sufficient to meet this standard. For charities whose annual gross income is less than $100,000, an internally produced, complete financial statement is sufficient to meet this standard.
VFP does not meet this Standard because:
- Although the organization's income exceeded $250,000, it states it does not have audited financial statements for the past fiscal year.
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.
VFP 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.
- 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.
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.
VFP does not meet this Standard because the privacy policy on this website, www.veteransforpeace.org does not indicate:
- What security measures are in place to protect personal information that is collected.