Better Business Bureau Report for
Missouri Sheriff's Association

Better Business Bureau Report issued August 2008
Better Business Bureau Report expires August 2010


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: Missouri Sheriff's Association
Address: 6605 Business 50 West
  Jefferson City , MO 65109
Phone: 573-635-5925
573-635-2128
Web Address: www.mosheriffs.com
Back To Top

Better Business Bureau Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1979, Missouri
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: Exists to upgrade qualifications of the Office of Sheriff, provide technical assistance to sheriffs and their deputies, and provide research for law enforcement legislation.

Back To Top

Evaluation Conclusions

              

Missouri Sheriff's Association (MSA) does not meet the following 8 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.

This organization does not meet this Standard because it does not have a written contract with its professional fundraiser, and its board does not receive its audited financial statements and auditor's management letter annually. In addition, the organization does not have a conflict of interest policy. 

Standard 3: Frequency and Attendance of Board Meetings - An organization shall have a minimum of three evenly spaced meetings per year of the full governing body with a majority in attendance, with face-to-face participation. A conference call of the full board can substitute for one of the three meetings of the governing body. For all meetings, alternative modes of participation are acceptable for those with physical disabilities.

This organization does not meet this Standard because the majority of its board of directors did not attend board meetings on average.

Standard 9: Fund Raising Expense Ratio - Spending should be no more than 35% of related contributions on fund raising. Related contributions include donations, legacies, and other gifts received as a result of fund raising efforts.

This organization does not meet this Standard because its total fundraising expenses are more than 35% of total related contributions. 

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.

This organization does not meet this Standard because its financial statements are not prepared according to generally accepted accounting principles and generally accepted auditing standards. In addition, this organization's financial statements are not audited by a CPA on an annual basis.  

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.

This organization does not meet this Standard because its financial statements do not include a detailed functional breakdown of expenses for each program.

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.

This organization does not meet this Standard because its budget does not clearly identify the projected amounts to be spent on program service activities, fund raising activities, or administrative activities. Also, this organization has only provided a budget projecting income and expenses for the same year as its most recent financial statements. 

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.

This organization does not meet this Standard because it has not provided an annual report covering activities conducted in the past year.

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.

This organization does not meet this Standard because its website, http://www.mosheriffs.com/, does not include all of the recommended information for those charity websites that solicit donations. Specifically, it does not include links to its annual report, its financial information, or its most recent IRS Form 990.

In addition, the St. Louis Better Business Bureau requested but did not receive complete information on the organization’s effectiveness measures and is unable to verify the organization's compliance with the following Standard for Charity Accountability: 7.
Missouri Sheriff's Association (MSA) meets the remaining 11 Standards for Charity Accountability.
Back To Top

Programs

              

The Missouri Sheriff Publication, Training and Technical Support to Member Sheriffs, Training Program, and Scholarships.

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2007, MSA's program expenses were:

  
DEA Grant Disbursements 656,536
Sheriff Training and Technical Support 514,718
Training Program 71,603
Scholarships 14,001
"The Missouri Sheriff" 5,000
Total Program Expenses: $1,261,858
Back To Top

Governance

              

Chief Executive : Michael Covington, Executive Director
Compensation*:
62,806

Chair of the Board: Dennis Martin
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Sheriff, Atchison County

Board Size: 24

Paid Staff Size: 8

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

Fund Raising

              

Method(s) Used:

direct mail, internet
Fund raising costs were 42% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $728,773, 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 MSA's IRS Form 990 for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2007.

Source of Funds  
Program Service Revenue 951,653
Membership Dues and Assessments 395,186
Government Contributions 291,979
Direct Public Support 37,486
Dividends and Interest from Securities 6,305
Other Revenue 5,455
Special Events and Activities 4,122
Interest on Savings and Temporary Cash Investments 2,499
Total Income $1,694,685


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 76%  Fund Raising: 18%  Administrative: 6% 

Total income   $1,694,685
  Program expenses $1,261,858
  Fund raising expenses 304,802
  Administrative expenses 97,403
 
Total expenses   $1,664,063
Income in Excess of Expenses   30,622
Beginning net assets   614,119
Ending net assets   699,925
Total liabilities   494,011
Total assets   $1,193,936


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.