BBB Charity Report for
CASA of Tarrant County, Inc.


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Reported on Monday, November 23, 2009 12:20 PM

Evaluation Conclusions

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Tax Status 501(c)(3)

This organization has been evaluated in relation to the 20 Better Business Bureau Standards for Charitable Accountability.

This organization does not meet the following standard(s):

Standard 6
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.
CASA of Tarrant County, Inc. does not meet this standard because it's board of directors does not have a board policy stating that the organization's performance and effectiveness will be assessed at least once every two years.
Standard 7
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.
CASA of Tarrant County, Inc. does not meet this standard because it did not produce a written report outlining the results of the effectiveness assessment.
Standard 16
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.
CASA of Tarrant County, Inc. does not meet this standard because it does not publish an annual report.
Standard 18
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, and
   (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.
CASA of Tarrant County, Inc. does not meet this standard because None of it's written appeals included a means for both new and continuing donors to inform the charity if they do not want their name and address shared outside the organization.

The organization meets the remaining standards.

Purpose

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CASA of Tarrant County, Inc states its purpose is to assist the family court system by providing trained, court-appointed volunteers who advocate on behalf of abused and neglected children by making recommendations for safe and permanent homes.

Programs

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To act as advocates for abused and neglected children as well as recruitment, screening, training and supervision of Tarrant County volunteers who serve as court appointed child advocates on cased of child abuse and neglect.

Local judges appoint CASA volunteers as advocates for Texas foster care. CASA acts as the "eyes and ears of the court" and the "voice of the child." Unlike everyone else in the Child Protective System (CPS), a CASA volunteer works on one case at a time. Therefore, CASA really gets to know the child and their specific needs, and they can give the child's civil case the sustained, personal attention it deserves.

CASA volunteers research the child's family situation, monitor the case, provide detailed reports to the court, and advocate unwaveringly for the child's best interest. CASA volunteers help support the child in the system, help to secure resources and services they need, everything from physical therapy to new shoes, and ultimately help them secure what a children need and deserve-a safe, permanent, and loving home as soon as possible. With all the instability children endure in the CPS system, CASA volunteers are often the most consistent and stable adults in their lives.

TOTAL PROGRAM SERVICE EXPENSES: $668,109

Fund Raising Methods

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Direct mail appeals, telephone appeal scripts, invitations to fund raising events, print advertisements and grant proposal.

Financial Summary

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According to the IRS Form 990 for the Fiscal Year ended 8/31/2007:

Total Income $738,974
Total Expense $668,109
Gain (loss) for the year $70,865

Expense Breakdown
Item Amount % of Expenses
Programs $537,427 80.40%
Fund Raising $82,846 12.40%
Administrative $47,836 7.20%
Miscellaneous $0 .00%

Alternate Charity Names

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CHILD ADVOCATES OF TARRANT COUNTY, INC

Charity Contact and Profile

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Name:
CASA of Tarrant County, Inc.
Phone:
(817) 877-5891
Address:
101 Summit Avenue Suite 505, Fort Worth, TX 76102
      Google map  Mapquest map  Yahoo map
eMail:
BBB file opened:
February 01, 1993
Charity started:
February 1993
Primary Contact:
Connie R. Brown, CFRE (Executive Director)
Complaint Contact:
Connie R. Brown, CFRE (Executive Director)

Additional Locations and Phone Numbers

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(817) 877-3200 (FAX)

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ID: 93020019
Report as of: 11/23/2009

© 2009  BBB/Ft. Worth

Better Business Bureau Standards for Charitable Accountability
1. A board of directors that provides adequate oversight of the charity's operations and its staff. 2. A board of directors with a minimum of five voting members. 3. A minimum of three evenly spaced meetings per year of the full governing body with a majority in attendance, with face-to-face participation. 4. 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. 5. No transaction(s) in which any board or staff members have material conflicting interests with the charity resulting from any relationship or business affiliation. 6. 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. 7. 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. 8. Spend at least 65% of its total expenses on program activities. 9. Spend 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. 10. 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. 11. Make available to all, on request, complete annual financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. 12. 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. 13. Accurately report the charity's expenses, including any joint cost allocations, in its financial statements. 14. Have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year, outlining projected expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration. 15. Have solicitations and informational materials, distributed by any means, that are accurate, truthful and not misleading, both in whole and in part. 16. 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. 17. 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. 18. 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, and
(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. 19. 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). 20. Respond promptly to and act on complaints brought to its attention by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and/or local Better Business Bureaus about fund raising practices, privacy policy violations and/or other issues. Copyright © 2003, CBBB

Ten Tips for Better Giving

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Most charities are honest and ethical, but questionable solicitors are counting on the fact that you won't bother to check out the charity before you give. Here is some basic wise giving advice:

  1. Watch out for similar names.
    As there are many charities raising funds for similar causes, some charity names sound the same. Be sure to look at the name carefully, because the charity soliciting you may not be the one you have in mind.
  2. Do not be pressured to make an immediate gift.
    Be wary of solicitors that demand an 'on the spot' donation. Charities should welcome your gift whenever you want to send it.
  3. Question vague appeals.
    Appeals should clearly identify the charity's programs. Watch out for appeals that are strong on identifying a problem, but weak on describing what specifically the charity intends to do about it.
  4. Do not give out personal information to phone solicitors.
    Don't give out credit card numbers, checking account numbers or any other personal information to unknown telephone solicitors.
  5. Do not give cash.
    Write a check out to the charity's full official name, not to an individual or third party that may be collecting the donation.
  6. Keep records of your donations (receipts, canceled checks and bank statements) so you can document your charitable giving at tax time. (Note: The IRS requires donations of $250 or more to be substantiated through a written receipt from the charity.)
  7. If you want a deduction, make sure the organization is a charity.
    There are many different types of soliciting nonprofit organizations. Most appeals will indicate if the organization is eligible to receive gifts deductible as charitable contributions. (To be sure, review the list of organizations in IRS Publication 78 or ask the charity for a copy of its tax exempt status determination letter.)
  8. Don't hesitate to ask the charity for written information on its programs and finances.
    This tip can be particularly helpful in responding to phone appeals from charities that interest you.
  9. To verify if a charity is registered to solicit, contact your state government.
    In most cases, this will be the state's office of the attorney general. Remember that the state registration does not mean 'approval', it means the group has filed the appropriate forms.
  10. Report bad practices.
    Contact your Better Business Bureau and your state's Attorney General office about solicitation problems.
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