Impact & Measurement
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
Better Eugene-Springfield Transportation
PO BOX 773
Eugene OR 97440-0773
Eugene OR | IRS ruling year: 2005 | EIN: 42-1661720 
An EIN is a unique nine-digit number that identifies a business for tax purposes.
An EIN is a unique nine-digit number that identifies a business for tax purposes.Organization Mission
BEST is building a successful community by bringing people together to promote transportation options, safe streets, and walkable neighborhoods.Rating Information
Not currently rated
Ratings are calculated from one or more beacon scores. Currently, we require either an Accountability & Finance beacon or an Impact & Measurement beacon to be eligible for a Charity Navigator rating. Note: The absence of a rating does not indicate a positive or negative assessment; it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated this organization.
See rating report below to learn why this organization is not currently eligible.
Historical Ratings 
Historical Ratings 
Charity Navigator's ratings previously did not consider Leadership & Adaptability, Culture & Community, or Impact & Measurement. The historic rating mainly reflects a version of today’s Accountability and Finance score. More information on our previous rating methodologies can be found on our rating methodology page.
Rating histories are available for a growing number of rated organizations. Check back later to see if this organization has a rating history!
Rating Report
Accountability & Finance
Not Currently Scored
Unknown Reason
Charity Navigator is unable to evaluate this nonprofit at this time. Please see our Encompass Rating methodology for more information.
Additional Information
Total Revenue and Expenses - Data Available
Total Revenue and Expenses - Data Available
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
Salary of Key Persons - Data Available
Salary of Key Persons - Data Available
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
Rob Zako, Executive Director
$54,000
Alexis Biddle, President
$0
Marianne Nolte, Vice-president
$0
Bob Passaro, Secretary
$0
Jon Belcher, Treasurer
$0
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2022
IRS Published Data (Business Master File) - Data Available
IRS Published Data (Business Master File) - Data Available
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
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)
Data Sources (IRS Forms 990) - Data Available
Data Sources (IRS Forms 990) - Data Available
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage accountability and finance 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 (Better Eugene-Springfield Transportation) or EIN (421661720) in the 'Search Term' field.
Impact & Measurement
Not Currently Scored
Better Eugene-Springfield Transportation cannot currently be evaluated by our Impact & Measurement 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.
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.
Culture & Community
Score
85
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves.
Metrics
Full Credit
Partial Credit
No CreditConstituent Feedback - Data Available100/100 points
Constituent Feedback - Data Available100/100 points
33.33% of beacon score
This organization reported that it is collecting feedback from the constituents and/or communities it serves. The methodology leveraged for Constituent Feedback is based on The Core Principles of Constituent Feedback, which describes listening and responding well to feedback. Charity Navigator participates in a consortium with other feedback experts and leading nonprofit infrastructure platforms to drive Constituent Feedback's advancement, promotion, and data collection.
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
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
Equity Practices - Data Available77/100 points
Equity Practices - Data Available77/100 points
66.67% of beacon score
This organization's score of 77 is a passing score. The organization reported that it is implementing 3 Equity Practices.
This assessment demonstrates the importance of implementing practices that contribute positively to an organization's overall culture, both internally and with respect to community engagement. Furthermore, equity centered frameworks and similar approaches have drawn much attention from donors, experts, and sector leaders who underscore its value to the nonprofit's overall health and capacity for mission success. Currently, the Equity Strategies Checklist assessment consists of practices and policies that promote racial equity in their operations and programs (per the Equity Strategies checklist administered by Candid). As we refine our DEI assessment, Charity Navigator partners with DEI consultants and field experts to broaden and deepen this work.
| Equity Practices (0/7) | |
| The organization did not respond to this question. | |
| Equity Policies and Procedures (3/7) | |
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. | |
Leadership & Adaptability
Score
100
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.
- Strategic Partnerships
- Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
- Thought Leadership
- Raising Awareness
- Policy Advocacy
Metrics
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditMission 10/10 points
Mission 10/10 points
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission
Note: The organization did not respond to this question.
Vision 10/10 points
Vision 10/10 points
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
Note: The organization did not respond to this question.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Goals 20/20 points
Goals 20/20 points
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Issues: Have a positive impact on important transportation issues affecting our area.
Goal Type: This goal reflects our commitment to further our advocacy work for our organization and or cause area.
Goal Two: People: Develop the board, staff, members, partners, and government officials, and government staff needed to be successful.
Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).
Goal Three: Funding: Develop the sustainable funding needed to support our work.
Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).
Leadership Development 15/15 points
Leadership Development 15/15 points
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
Describe an investment in leadership
The executive director and staff regularly attend and sometimes present at transportation conferences to keep up with latest developments.
For example, our Safe Streets Coordinator recently participated in a local, all-day Active Transportation Professionals Workshop with other public and NGO professionals.
For example, our executive director will be part of a panel discussion about Active & Shared Transportation in Eugene at the annual Oregon Active Transportation Summit.
Mobilizing for Mission 15/15 points
Mobilizing for Mission 15/15 points
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
This organization mobilizes for mission in the following ways:
What are this organization’s external mobilizaton efforts?
On an issue by issue basic, BEST relies heavily on partnerships with other nonprofits. For example, we work with 350 Eugene on issues related to climate change, Eugene-Springfield NAACP on issues related to equity, and Better Housing Together on issues related to housing and parking.
In many cases, we play a leading role and support our partners in turning out their members to public hearings and/or communicating with elected officials. In some case—housing—we play more of a supporting role, turning out our own members as part of larger coordinated efforts.
Adaptability Story 30/30 points
Adaptability Story 30/30 points
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
Over the last year or so, BEST had an opportunity to get the contract to operate bike share in Eugene, opted to support another nonprofit in getting that contract, and then received a donated building we are now managing and leasing, in particular, to the nonprofit bike share operator. None of these efforts had been in our plans but rather we adapted to opportunities as they appeared.
In May 2020, JUMP Bicycles owned by Uber suddenly dropped its contract with the City of Eugene to operate bike share. Wanting a local nonprofit to take over operations, the City of Eugene approach BEST about responding to a RFP for a new operator. Even though it was outside of our wheelhouse, seeing no other local nonprofits willing to step up, BEST began the process to take on operating bike share. We made it past the first round to be one of four finalists.
In summer 2020, we learned that a new nonprofit, Cascadia Mobility, we deep experience with bike share, was another finalist. After meeting with them, we dropped our bud and threw our support behind them, the only other nonprofit to apply. Soon they won the contract.
In summer 2021, several factors converged: 1) Cascadia Mobility was looking for a new building to lease. 2) Long-time BEST donor Tom Bowerman was looking to unload a building he owned. 3) The long-time nonprofit tenant of that building, Center for Appropriate Transport (CAT), was looking to shut down. After much discussion and negotiation, BEST assumed ownership of the building, received the remaining assets of CAT, committed to continuing the spirit of CAT to provide bicycle education and services in the community, and worked with Cascadia Mobility to line up a lease for them in our new building.
Now in early 2022, the Nexus for Eugene Sustainable Transportation (NEST) LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of BEST that owns, maintains and leases the building to other nonprofits and for-profits serving the community with sustainable transportation services.