Charity Report

  • Issued: December 2019
  • Expires: December 2021

Public Education and Empowerment Resource Service

Standards Not Met

  • 1
  • 2
  • 6
  • 14
  • 17
  • 3
  • 9
  • 13

510-900-3873

1607 Francisco St
Berkeley, CA 94703-1216

http://www.peerservice.org/

510-900-3873

1607 Francisco St
Berkeley, CA 94703-1216

http://www.peerservice.org/

Standards Not Met

<p><span>This organization does not meet one or more of the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability. Click the conclusions section below for more information.</span></p>

Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight

    Oversight of Operations and Staff: Standard 1

    Description
    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, fundraising practices, establishment of a conflict of interest policy, and establishment of accounting procedures sufficient to safeguard charity finances.

    Public Education and Empowerment Resource Service does not meet this standard because:The charity reports its Board of Directors has not reviewed the chief executive's performance at least once in the past two years.

  2. Board Size

    Number of Board Members: Standard 2

    Description
    Soliciting organizations shall have a board of directors with a minimum of five voting members.

    Public Education and Empowerment Resource Service does not meet this standard because:The charity reports it has 4 voting member(s) of the Board of Directors.

  3. Board Meetings

    Frequency and Attendance of Board Meetings: Standard 3

    Description
    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.

  4. Board Compensation

    Compensated Board Members: Standard 4

    Description
    Not more than one or 10% (whichever is greater) directly or indirectly compensated person(s) serving as voting member(s) of the board. Compensated members shall not serve as the board's chair or treasurer.

    The organization meets this standard.

  5. Conflict of Interest

    Conflict of Interest: Standard 5

    Description
    No transaction(s) in which any board or staff members have material conflicting interests with the charity resulting from any relationship or business affiliation. Factors that will be considered when concluding whether or not a related party transaction constitutes a conflict of interest and if such a conflict is material, include, but are not limited to: any arm's length procedures established by the charity; the size of the transaction relative to like expenses of the charity; whether the interested party participated in the board vote on the transaction; if competitive bids were sought and whether the transaction is one-time, recurring or ongoing.

    The organization meets this standard.

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy

    Board Policy on Effectiveness: Standard 6

    Description
    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.

    Public Education and Empowerment Resource Service does not meet this standard because:The charity does not have a board policy on assessing organizational performance and effectiveness.

  2. Effectiveness Report

    Board Approval of Written Report on Effectiveness: Standard 7

    Description
    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 meets this standard.

Finances

  1. Program Expenses

    Program Service Expense Ratio: Standard 8

    Description
    Spend at least 65% of its total expenses on program activities.

    The organization meets this standard.

  2. Fundraising Expenses

    Fundraising Expense Ratio: Standard 9

    Description
    Spending should be no more than 35% of related contributions on fundraising. Related contributions include donations, legacies, and other gifts received as a result of fundraising efforts.

  3. Accumulating Funds

    Ending Net Assets: Standard 10

    Description
    Avoid accumulating funds that could be used for current program activities. To meet this standard, the charity's unrestricted net assets available for use should not be more than three times the size of the past year's expenses or three times the size of the current year's budget, whichever is higher.

    The organization meets this standard.

  4. Audit Report

    Financial Statements: Standard 11

    Description
    Make available to all, on request, complete annual financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. When total annual gross income exceeds $1 million, these statements should be audited in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. For charities whose annual gross income is less than $1 million, a review by a certified public accountant is sufficient to meet this standard. For charities whose annual gross income is less than $250,000, an internally produced, complete financial statement is sufficient to meet this standard.

    The organization meets this standard.

  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown

    Detailed Functional Breakdown of Expenses: Standard 12

    Description
    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, fundraising, and administrative activities. If the charity has more than one major program category, the schedule should provide a breakdown for each category.

    The organization meets this standard.

  6. Accurate Expense Reporting

    Accuracy of Expenses in Financial Statements: Standard 13

    Description
    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 fundraising expenses or otherwise understate the amount a charity spends on fundraising, and/or overstate the amount it spends on programs will not meet this standard.

  7. Budget Plan

    Budget: Standard 14

    Description
    Have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year, outlining projected expenses for major program activities, fundraising, and administration.

    Public Education and Empowerment Resource Service does not meet this standard because:The charity's budget for the current fiscal year does not identify the total amount projected to be spent on fundraising or the total amount projected to be spent on administration.

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials

    Misleading Appeals: Standard 15

    Description
    Have solicitations and informational materials, distributed by any means, that are accurate, truthful and not misleading, both in whole and in part. Appeals that omit a clear description of program(s) for which contributions are sought will not meet this standard. A charity should also be able to substantiate that the timing and nature of its expenditures are in accordance with what is stated, expressed, or implied in the charity's solicitations.

    The organization meets this standard.

  2. Annual Report

    Annual Report: Standard 16

    Description
    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, fundraising and administrative categories as in the financial statements, and (iii) ending net assets.

    The organization meets this standard.

  3. Website Disclosures

    Web Site Disclosures: Standard 17

    Description
    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.

    Public Education and Empowerment Resource Service does not meet this standard because:The charity does not have a link to its most recent IRS Form 990 on its website.

  4. Donor Privacy

    Privacy for Written Appeals & Internet Privacy: Standard 18

    Description
    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 meets this standard.

  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures

    Cause Related Marketing: Standard 19

    Description
    Clearly disclose how the charity benefits from the sale of products or services (i.e., cause-related marketing) that state or imply that a charity will benefit from a consumer sale or transaction. Such promotions should disclose, at the point of solicitation: (a) the actual or anticipated portion of the purchase price that will benefit the charity (e.g., 5 cents will be contributed to abc charity for every xyz company product sold), (b) the duration of the campaign (e.g., the month of October), (c) any maximum or guaranteed minimum contribution amount (e.g., up to a maximum of $200,000).

    The organization meets this standard.

  6. Complaints

    Complaints: Standard 20

    Description
    Respond promptly to and act on complaints brought to its attention by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and/or local Better Business Bureaus about fundraising practices, privacy policy violations and/or other issues.

    The organization meets this standard.

Conclusion

Public Education and Empowerment Resource Service does not meet the following 5 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, fundraising practices, establishment of a conflict of interest policy, and establishment of accounting procedures sufficient to safeguard charity finances.

Public Education and Empowerment Resource Service does not meet this standard because:The charity reports its Board of Directors has not reviewed the chief executive's performance at least once in the past two years.

Standard 2: Number of Board Members - Soliciting organizations shall have a board of directors with a minimum of five voting members.

Public Education and Empowerment Resource Service does not meet this standard because:The charity reports it has 4 voting member(s) of the Board of Directors.

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.

Public Education and Empowerment Resource Service does not meet this standard because:The charity does not have a board policy on assessing organizational performance and effectiveness.

Standard 14: Budget - Have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year, outlining projected expenses for major program activities, fundraising, and administration.

Public Education and Empowerment Resource Service does not meet this standard because:The charity's budget for the current fiscal year does not identify the total amount projected to be spent on fundraising or the total amount projected to be spent on administration.

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.

Public Education and Empowerment Resource Service does not meet this standard because:The charity does not have a link to its most recent IRS Form 990 on its website.

The BBB Wise Giving Alliance requested but did not receive complete information from the organization and is unable to verify the organization's compliance with the following Standard(s) for Charity Accountability: 13, 9, 3

Public Education and Empowerment Resource Service meets the remaining 12 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Purpose

Programs

For the year ended December 31, 2018, Public Education and Empowerment Resource Service program expenses were:

Salaries and Taxes $85,681
Program Expenses $85,681

Governance & Staff

  • CEO

    Mr. Frederick Burks, Executive Director

  • Compensation*

    ¤52,000.00

  • Board Chair

    Ms. Kathleen Saulino, President

  • Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation

    PEERS

  • Board Size

    4

  • Paid Staff Size

    1

Governance

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

Fundraising

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Internet, Appeals via Social Media (Facebook, etc.).

% of Related Contributions on Fundraising: 0.00%

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.


Financial

The following information is based on Public Education and Empowerment Resource Service's IRS Form 990 for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018

Source of Funds
Contributions, Gifts and Grants $98,484
Other $6,029
Total Income $104,513

Breakdown of Expenses

Total Income $104,513
Total Expenses: $85,681
Program Expenses $85,681
Fundraising Expenses $0
Administrative Expenses $0
Other Expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $18,832
Beginning Net Assets $46,375
Other Changes In Net Assets $0
Ending Net Assets $65,207
Total Liabilities $1,460
Total Assets $66,668

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