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7 BELGRADE ST
Youngstown OH 44505-1817
Youngstown OH | IRS ruling year: 1995 | EIN: 22-3272976
VETERANS' OUTREACH HAS THE PRIMARY MISSION OF HONORING AND SERVING ALL VETERANS WITH UNIQUE NEEDS. WE USE OUR PROGRAM RESOURCES TO OFFER A HAND UP, NOT A HAND OUT, T ... (More)
VETERANS' OUTREACH HAS THE PRIMARY MISSION OF HONORING AND SERVING ALL VETERANS WITH UNIQUE NEEDS. WE USE OUR PROGRAM RESOURCES TO OFFER A HAND UP, NOT A HAND OUT, TO BENEFIT VETERANS AND IN TURN THIS NATION. (Less)
Great
This charity's score is 100%, earning it a Four-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.
This overall score is calculated from multiple beacon scores: 80% Accountability & Finance, 10% Leadership & Adaptability, 10% Culture & Community. Learn more about our criteria and methodology.
We recognize that not all metrics and beacons equally predict a charity’s success. The percentage each beacon contributes to the organization’s overall rating depends on the number of beacons an organization has earned.
Use the tool below to select different beacons to see how the weighting shifts when only one, two, or three beacons are earned.
Rating histories are available for a growing number of rated organizations. Check back later to see if this organization has a rating history!
The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for Veterans Outreach is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations. Please check with the charity directly for any questions you may have.
Veterans Outreach has earned a 100% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.
This Accountability & Finance score represents IRS Form 990 data up until FY 2019, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us.
Learn more
Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Not ApplicableBoard Composition - 5/7 - 25/25 ptsBoard Composition - 5/7 - 25/25 pts
Charity Navigator looks for at least 3 board members, with more than 50% of those members identified as independent (not salaried).
The presence of an independent governing body is strongly recommended by many industry professionals to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters.
Source: IRS Form 990
Independent Audit or Financial Review - Audited - 20/20 ptsIndependent Audit or Financial Review - Audited - 20/20 pts
An Audit, Review, or Compilation provides important information about financial accountability and accuracy. Organizations are scored based on their Total Revenue Amount:
| Total Revenue Amount | Expectation to Receive Credit |
|---|---|
| $1 million or higher | Expected to complete an audit |
| $500,000 - $1 million | Expected to complete an audit, review, or compilation |
| Less than $500,000 | No expectation (removed from scoring methodology) |
Source: IRS Form 990
Conflict of Interest Policy - Listed - 3/3 ptsConflict of Interest Policy - Listed - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a conflict of interest policy on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy protects the organization and by extension those it serves, when it is considering entering into a transaction that may benefit the private interest of an officer, director and/or key employee of the organization.
Source: IRS Form 990
Board Meeting Minutes - Documented - 3/3 ptsBoard Meeting Minutes - Documented - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has this process in place as an accountability and transparency measure.
An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference.
Source: IRS Form 990
Document Retention and Destruction - Listed - 3/3 ptsDocument Retention and Destruction - Listed - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a document retention and destruction policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy establishes guidelines for the handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promote data integrity.
Source: IRS Form 990
Whistleblower Policy - Listed - 3/3 ptsWhistleblower Policy - Listed - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a whistleblower policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report financial or other types of mismanagement.
Source: IRS Form 990
Website - Listed - 3/3 ptsWebsite - Listed - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks for a website on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency metric.
Nonprofits act in the public trust and reporting publicly on activities is an important component.
Source: IRS Form 990
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 12.62% - 15/15 ptsLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 12.62% - 15/15 pts
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990). This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and/or long-term sustainability.
| Liabilities to Assets Ratio | Amount of Credit Received |
|---|---|
| Less than 50% | Full Credit |
| 50% - 59.9% | Partial Credit |
| 60% or more | No Credit |
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Ratio - 77.88% - 25/25 ptsProgram Expense Ratio - 77.88% - 25/25 pts
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s). This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver.
| Program Expense Percentage | Amount of Credit Received |
|---|---|
| 70% or higher | Full Credit |
| 60% - 69.9% | Partial Credit |
| 50% - 59.9% | Zero Points for Program Expense Score |
| Below 50% | Zero Points for Both Program Expense AND Liabilities to Assets Scores |
Source: IRS Form 990
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
Presented here are up to five of this organization's highest compensated employees. This compensation data includes salary, cash bonuses, and expense accounts and is displayed exactly how it is reported to the IRS. The amounts do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. In some cases, these amounts may include compensation from related organizations. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2019
Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website
Activities:
Described in section 170(b)1)(a)(vi) of the Code (BMF activity code: 994)
Gifts, grants, or loans to other organizations (BMF activity code: 602)
Foundation Status:
Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (BMF foundation code: 15)
Affiliation:
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). (BMF affiliation code: 3)
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available). Simply enter the organization's name (Veterans Outreach) or EIN (223272976) in the 'Search Term' field.
This organization was impacted by COVID-19 in a way that effected their financial health in 2020. This normally would have reduced their star rating. Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, we give charities such as this one the opportunity to share the story of COVID's impact on them, and doing this pauses our revision of their rating. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
Veterans Outreach reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Fundraising Capacity
Revenue
Staffing
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
Veterans' Outreach had many special events planned for 2020, all but one were cancelled due to the Pandemic. The organization suffered drastic reductions in donations. Our in-house fundraising programs were shut down for a month, then struggled for several months to regain positioning that we had prior to the Pandemic. We still have not reached pre-Pandemic staffing for fundraising. However, we did receive CARES Act PPP loans that helped us sustain operations and services.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
Due to limited funding, our Direct Aid services were scaled back, but our Freedom Food Pantry Program really exploded with food donations and veterans experiencing hunger insecurity. The food program has become a dependable resource for veterans still struggling with COVID 19 issues.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
Our offices adapted to the new "normal" of masking and maintaining social distance as well as taking temperatures of every employee, volunteer, veteran clients, and visitors. With these careful measures in place, we continued our main programs.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
We added a staff person in our waiting area as part of the Pandemic response to limit numbers in the waiting area, to take the temperatures, distribute masks if necessary, sanitize frequently used services, and so on. This position has become part of who we are, it really helps with streamlining and filling the needs of our veteran clients.
Not Currently Scored
Veterans Outreach cannot currently be evaluated by our Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
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Veterans Outreach reported its largest program on its FY 2019 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
PROVIDE DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS THROUGH PROGRAMS OFFERED. THE DIRECT AID PROGRAM PROVIDES VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES UP TO $200 PER YEAR IN STATES WHERE THE ORGANIZATION IS REGISTERED. DIRECT A ... (More)
PROVIDE DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS THROUGH PROGRAMS OFFERED. THE DIRECT AID PROGRAM PROVIDES VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES UP TO $200 PER YEAR IN STATES WHERE THE ORGANIZATION IS REGISTERED. DIRECT AID INCLUDES SHELTER, RENT, UTILITES, FOOD, AUTO REPAIRS, CLOTHING, RELOCATIONS AND OTHER NEEDS THAT ARISE. PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS TO FIND EMPLOYMENT WITH THIRD PARTIES, WITH ASSOCIATED ORGANIZATIONS OR WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION THROUGH THE WORKFORCE PROGRAM TITLED OUTREACH PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM ALLOWS VETERANS TO LEARN WORK SKILLS, COMMUNICATION SKILLS, AND PROPER GROOMING FOR EMPLOYMENT. PROVIDE FREE CLOTHING AND PERSONAL ITEMS TO VETERANS THROUGH THE HEROES' CLOSET PROGRAM. PROVIDE FREE BAGS OF FOOD TO VETERANS THROUGH THE DAILY FOOD PANTRY PROGRAM. (Less)
Veterans Outreach has earned a 100% for the Culture & Community beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 ptsConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 pts
30% of beacon score
This organization reported that it is collecting feedback from the constituents and/or communities it serves. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations that engage in inclusive practices, such as collecting feedback from the people and communities they serve, may be more effective.
Who are the people you serve with your mission? Describe briefly.
We respectfully serve and honor United States Veterans that have encountered situations that have led to a disadvantaged position in daily life.
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Case management notes, Suggestion box/email
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
With whom does your organization share the feedback you got from the people you serve?
The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners
How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship with them or shifted power - over decisions, resources, rules or in other ways - to them?
We appreciate understanding our mission from the recipients point of view. We have become even more focused on solving the issues that veterans suffer from.
What challenges does your organization face in collecting feedback from the people you serve?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Briefly describe a recent change that your organization made in response to feedback from the people you serve.
We learned that many veterans were without sufficient warm clothing for winter. We partnered with a local organization called "Youngstown Bluecoats" to host a "warming event" that gave 94 veterans several new warming items and a free lunch from Mission BBQ.
Equity Practices - Data Available - 100/100 ptsEquity Practices - Data Available - 100/100 pts
70% of beacon score
This organization's score of 100 is a passing score. The organization reported that it is implementing 12 Equity Practices. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective equity policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
Equity Practices (6/7) | |
|---|---|
We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race. | |
We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and/or portfolios. | |
We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization/'s programs, portfolios, and the populations served. | |
We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support. | |
We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders. | |
We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured | |
We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization. | |
Equity Policies and Procedures (6/7) | |
|---|---|
We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity. | |
We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions. | |
We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization. | |
We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board. | |
We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability. | |
We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team. | |
We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization. | |
Veterans Outreach has earned a 100% for the Leadership & Adaptability beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableMission - 10/10 ptsMission - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission
Veterans' Outreach has the primary mission of honoring and serving all veterans. Each veteran has unique needs. We use our program resources to offer a hand up, not a hand out to benefit veterans and in turn communities and this great nation.
Vision - 10/10 ptsVision - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
Our vision and hope for the future is to remain a viable resource for all veterans struggling with issues that overwhelm them. Veterans that are hungry, cold, homeless, needing counsel, love, and respect - these are the men and women that we serve. With that accomplished, veterans will have a chance to experience the lifestyle that they unselfishly chose to protect for the rest of America. Heroes' Passage - A Retreat for Veterans to be built on 110 acres of land in Kentucky is our ultimate goal.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Goals - 20/20 ptsGoals - 20/20 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Our programs are well received by veterans. We plan to dramatically expand our Heroes' Closet Program to be able to accept more donations from the community that are then given to veterans.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: We see many veterans that need help with home repairs. We had a grant that funded home repairs and it was a big success. We plan to seek more grant funding for the Home Repair Program.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Three: We are committed to building Heroes' Passage, a Retreat for Veterans to help veterans navigate the sometimes difficult transition from military to civilian life.
Goal Type: New program(s) based on observed changes in needs among our constituencies/communities served.
Leadership Development - 15/15 ptsLeadership Development - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
We purchased Quickbooks software and customer care to help maintain our transparency and accounting standards. This purchase has aided and enhanced our annual voluntary audit with one of the nation's top accounting firms.
Mobilizing for Mission - 15/15 ptsMobilizing for Mission - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
Strategic Partnerships
Raising Awareness
We have working relationships with veteran friendly agencies and government offices. We refer and receive referrals to access our programs to develop the best solutions for veterans problems without duplicating services. We have a newly updated website and highly visited Facebook page that is continuously advertising our mission and our programs.
Adaptability Story - 30/30 ptsAdaptability Story - 30/30 pts
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
We had to replace three top management personnel in the last year. Our Regional Manager in Alabama retired in his 80's due to health problems. Our Regional Manager in Florida retired in his 90's due to wanting to experience retirement and spending more time with his wife. Our Regional Manager in Kentucky resigned from Veterans' Outreach to take his career on a different path. Each one was a valued friend and part of our team for many years, so the void was huge. Thankfully, in each state, we were able to promote from within our team. The new leadership has been carefully groomed over the years and has new energy and enthusiasm for the mission to honor and serve all veterans.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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