Better Business Bureau Report for
Heat-Up St. Louis, Inc.

Better Business Bureau Report issued May 2009
Better Business Bureau Report expires May 2011


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: Heat-Up St. Louis, Inc.
Address: 1221 Locust, #603
  St. Louis , MO 63103
Phone: 314-241-7668
Web Address: www.heatupstlouis.org
Also known as:Cool Down St. Louis
Back To Top

Better Business Bureau Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 2000, Missouri
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: exists to provide energy assistance funds for elderly/poor/disabled and to provide public education on energy efficiency, health and safety issues, fund availability and energy affordability.

Back To Top

Evaluation Conclusions

              

Heat-Up St. Louis, Inc. (HSTL) does not meet the following 8 Standards for Charity Accountability.

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.

The organization is working to comply with this Standard by holding three board meetings a year instead of one.  The organization contends that its committees, which act on behalf of the board of directors, meet far more than required by BBB Standards but has agreed to hold three board meetings nonetheless. 

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 does not have a board policy on assessing organizational performance and effectiveness.  The organization has informed the BBB that it is working to comply with this Standard.   

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 does not have a board policy on assessing organizational performance and effectiveness.  The organization has informed the BBB that it is working to comply with this Standard.   

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.

The organization's income is over $250,000 but it did not have its financial statements audited in accordance with GAAS and presented in conformity with GAAP.  The organization's position is that it could have an audit completed but the cost would take away from monies that could be put into programs.   

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.

The organization does not have a detailed functional breakdown of expenses in its financial statements. 

Standard 13: Accuracy of Expenses in Financial Statements - Accurately report the charity's expenses, including any joint cost allocations, in its financial statements. For example, audited or unaudited statements which inaccurately claim zero fund raising expenses or otherwise understate the amount a charity spends on fund raising, and/or overstate the amount it spends on programs will not meet this standard.

The organization does not report any fundraising expenses.  The organization says that all fundraising costs are covered by its board members and associated corporations. 

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 did not send a current annual report to the BBB.   

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.  The organization has informed the BBB that it is working to comply with this Standard.   

In addition, the St. Louis Better Business Bureau requested but did not receive complete information on the organization’s finances and is unable to verify the organization's compliance with the following Standard for Charity Accountability: 9.
Heat-Up St. Louis, Inc. (HSTL) meets the remaining 11 Standards for Charity Accountability.
Back To Top

Programs

              

Grants given to social service agencies to help pre-screened individuals with heating or cooling assistance. Recipients typically consist of the working poor, disabled, elderly, and needy.

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, HSTL's program expenses were:

  
Grants 350,800
Total Program Expenses: $350,800
Back To Top

Governance

              

Chief Executive :
Compensation*:

Chair of the Board: Melanie Dileo
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: CITI

Board Size: 45

Paid Staff Size: 0

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

Fund Raising

              

Method(s) Used:

print advertisements, television, radio
Fund raising costs were % of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $366,512, 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 HSTL's IRS Form 990 for the year ended December 31, 2007.

Source of Funds  
Direct Public Support 241,512
Government Contributions 125,000
Total Income $366,512


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 97%    Administrative: 3% 

Total income   $366,512
  Program expenses $350,800
  Fund raising expenses
  Administrative expenses 12,293
 
Total expenses   $363,093
Income in Excess of Expenses   3,419
Beginning net assets   30,637
Ending net assets   34,056
Total liabilities  
Total assets   $34,056


Back To Top

NOTES

              

The organization has informed the BBB that while it does not have a paid staff the organization does use moderately priced consultants to support the work of the board, officers, and committees. 

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.