Better Business Bureau Report for
Earth Share of Missouri

Better Business Bureau Report issued January 2007
Better Business Bureau Report expires January 2009


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:

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Charity Contact Information

Name: Earth Share of Missouri
Address: 1915 Alfred Ave.
  St. Louis, MO 63110
Phone: 314-771-6668
Web Address: www.earthsharemo.org
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Better Business Bureau Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1993, Missouri
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: Earth Share’s number one mission is fundraising via workplace giving campaigns to benefit the non-profit environmental service organizations (it represents 71 independent organizations as of 2/2006). An important secondary accomplishment is general awareness building of important environmental work.

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

Earth Share of Missouri (ESMO) does not meet the following 6 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.

The board of directors does not review the performance of the chief executive officer (CEO) at least once every two years.  The organization also didn't provide the BBB with its budget information. 

Standard 6: Board Policy on Effectiveness - Have a board policy of assessing, no less than every two years, the organization's performance and effectiveness and of determining future actions required to achieve its mission.

The organization's board of directors does not have an official policy that the organization's performance and effectiveness will be assessed at least once every two years.

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.

The organization's board of directors does not have an official policy that the organization's performance and effectiveness will be assessed at least once every two years.

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.

The organization did not send the BBB its budget information. 

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.

The organization is working on its annual report and it should be available at the end of February. 

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.

The organization does not have an online privacy policy. 

Earth Share of Missouri (ESMO) meets the remaining 14 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

Earth Share of Missouri enables more people to support environmental causes in an easy, highly efficient way. It was started in 1994 as the Missouri Environmental Fund. Today, it is a federation that represents more than 70 local, regional, national and international organizations. Earth Share of Missouri represents familiar names such as The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, Missouri Parks Association, Missouri Botanical Garden, National Audubon Society, Ozark Regional Land Trust, Sierra Club Foundation, Trailnet, Saint Louis Zoo, The Trust for Public Land, the World Bird Sanctuary and National Wildlife Federation. This federation enables employees to make a single donation that will benefit a wide spectrum of environmental causes, addressing issues from protecting the Mississippi and Amazon rivers to Missouri prairies and Brazilian rainforests. All of the Earth Share affiliated organizations are doing something that works to improve the health of ecosystems on planet earth, and thereby is beneficial to the health and welfare of human beings. Earth Share of Missouri and all of the affiliated organizations are classified as 501(c)3 organizations, and contributions are tax-deductible as defined by the IRS.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2006, ESMO's program expenses were:

  
Funding of Missouri Organizations 190,702
Total Program Expenses: $190,702
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Jerry Klamon, Executive Director
Compensation*:
$45,750

Chair of the Board: Terry Whaley
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Ozark Greenways

Board Size: 8

Paid Staff Size: 2

*Compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
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Fund Raising

              

Method(s) Used:

workplace giving
Fund raising costs were 1% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $288,180, 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 ESMO's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2006.

Source of Funds  
Pledge revenue (net) 157,611
Grants and contracts 103,170
Administrative fees for raising funds on behalf of member organizations 24,799
Member dues 6,138
Interest 3,047
In-kind donations 2,600
Loss on disposal of fixed asset -681
Distribution of designated pledges -92,369
Total Income $204,315


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 97%  Fund Raising: 1%  Administrative: 2% 

Total income   $204,315
  Program expenses $190,702
  Fund raising expenses 2,037
  Administrative expenses 4,824
 
Total expenses   $197,563
Income in Excess of Expenses   6,752
Beginning net assets   109,139
Ending net assets   115,891
Total liabilities   103,629
Total assets   $219,520


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