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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: November 2023 Expires: November 2025

Literacy Connects

Standards Not Met
Standards Not Met
11 16 18
(520) 882-8006
200 E Yavapai Rd
Tucson, AZ, 85705
https://literacyconnects.org/
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Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight
  2. Board Size
  3. Board Meetings
  4. Board Compensation
  5. Conflict of Interest

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy
  2. Effectiveness Report

Finances

  1. Program Expenses
  2. Fundraising Expenses
  3. Accumulating Funds
  4. Audit Report
  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown
  6. Accurate Expense Reporting
  7. Budget Plan

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials
  2. Annual Report
  3. Website Disclosures
  4. Donor Privacy
  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures
  6. Complaints

Literacy Connects does not meet the following 3 Standards for Charity Accountability:

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 $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 charity does not meet this Standard because:

Organization has over $1M in annual revenue but does not produce audited financial statements. Organization states intent to conduct an audit in 2024.

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 charity does not meet this Standard because:

Organization does not produce an annual report.

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 charity does not meet this Standard because:

Organization's privacy policy does not state what security measures are in place to protect donors' personal information from unauthorized access.

Literacy Connects meets the remaining 17 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:
Not available

Year, State Incorporated:
1969, AZ

Also Known As:
Literacy for Life Coalition, Literacy Volunteers of Tucson, Reach Out and Read Southern Arizona, Reading Seed, Stories That Soar!

Program information not available.

For the year ended June 30, 2022, Literacy Connects's program expenses were:

Program services $2,030,224
Total Program Expenses $2,030,224

Chief Executive
Sharon O'Brien, Executive Director

Board Size
11

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Invitations to fund raising events, Print advertisements (newspapers, magazines, etc.), Grant proposals, Internet, Cause-related marketing (affinity credit cards, consumer product sales, etc.)

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.

The following information is based on Literacy Connects's unaudited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2022.

Source of Funds
Contributions $951,434
Grants $743,782
Debt extinguishment - Paycheck Protection Loan $280,740
Government contracts $269,286
In-kind contributions $172,983
Special events $137,246
Program service fees $7,630
Investment loss $-6,078
Change in value of beneficial interest in funds held by others $-18,357
Total Income $2,538,666

Programs: 85% Fundraising: 10% Administrative: 5%

Total Income $2,538,666
Total expenses: $2,402,591
  Program expenses $2,030,224
  Fundraising expenses $245,824
  Administrative expenses $126,543
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $136,075
Beginning Net Assets $2,768,285
Other Changes In Net Assets $0
Ending Net Assets $2,904,360
Total Liabilities $466,900
Total Assets $3,371,260

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 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 International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.

RELATED CONTENT

Report completed by:
BBB Serving Southern Arizona