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3401 ARSENAL ST
Saint Louis MO 63118-2001
Saint Louis MO | IRS ruling year: 1938 | EIN: 43-0652640
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS BUILDS A MORE CONNECTED AND PRODUCTIVE SOCIETY FOR IMMIGRANTS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY.
Great
This charity's score is 99%, 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 As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for International Institute of Metropolitan St. Louis is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations.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.
International Institute of Metropolitan St. Louis 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 - 21/21 - 25/25 ptsBoard Composition - 21/21 - 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 - 20.73% - 15/15 ptsLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 20.73% - 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 - 87.11% - 25/25 ptsProgram Expense Ratio - 87.11% - 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:
Other school related activities (BMF activity code: 059)
Other services or benefits to members or employees (BMF activity code: 279)
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 (International Institute of Metropolitan St. Louis) or EIN (430652640) 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.
International Institute of Metropolitan St. Louis reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Fundraising Capacity
Revenue
Staffing
Balance Sheet
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
Donations to our organization declined and we were unable to hold fundraising events, including the Festival of Nations. The festival is our largest fundraiser for operational support. IISTL also applied and received the PPP loan and thus were able to employ a full staff. After the PPP loan period ended, we had to layoff a minimal number of staff.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
Due to the pandemic, our offices were only open to staff. We moved all of our programming to online and over the phone. In some cases we met with clients outside. Our ESOL classes were offered on a very limited basis.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
IISTL used robocalls to help keep clients informed of the ever changing situation. Clients were also called to see how they were doing and what services were needed. We used Zoom, Teams, and WhatsApp to provide services. If the client was having difficulty using any of the platforms, a one-on-one meeting held outside was scheduled to teach them.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
IISTL will continue to use Zoom, Teams, and WhatsApp. By having virtual meetings where possible helped to save the client time and money since the majority of them use public transportation. In addition, by continuing to provide virtual services, IISTL is able to: reach a larger audience, assist the clients who are home bound, and help those who live outside of our geographical area.
Not Currently Scored
International Institute of Metropolitan St. Louis 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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International Institute of Metropolitan St. Louis reported its three largest programs on its FY 2019 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
CASE MANAGEMENT & RESETTLEMENT - SEE SCHEDULE OCASE MANAGEMENT & RESETTLEMENT:SERVICES IN THIS PROGRAM AREA ARE SHORT-TERM, GENERALLY LASTING UP TO SIX MONTHS AFTER PROGRAM REGISTRATION. REFUGEE RESET ... (More)
CASE MANAGEMENT & RESETTLEMENT - SEE SCHEDULE OCASE MANAGEMENT & RESETTLEMENT:SERVICES IN THIS PROGRAM AREA ARE SHORT-TERM, GENERALLY LASTING UP TO SIX MONTHS AFTER PROGRAM REGISTRATION. REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT SERVICES INCLUDE AIRPORT PICK-UP; PROVISION OF HOUSING AND FURNISHINGS ON ARRIVAL, FOOD, CLOTHING, TRANSPORTATION, AND INTERPRETATION FOR SPONSORED REFUGEES. IN ADDITION TO THESE BASIC NEEDS, WE PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT, CULTURAL ORIENTATION, LINKAGES FOR INITIAL HEALTH SCREENINGS, BENEFITS ENROLLMENT, SCHOOL ENROLLMENT, CRISIS INTERVENTION, AND VARIOUS COMMUNITY REFERRALS. STAFF MEMBERS MEET REFUGEES AT THE AIRPORT, DELIVER THEM TO HOUSING RENTED FOR THEM, OFFER ORIENTATION, AND HELP THEM BEGIN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING A NEW LIFE IN ST. LOUIS. DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF EACH REFUGEE FAMILY, SERVICES CAN INCLUDE REFERRALS TO REGISTRATION FOR ENGLISH CLASSES FOR ADULTS AND PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN, EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, AND STATE AND FEDERAL BENEFITS APPLICATIONS, INCLUDING ENROLLMENT INTO THE FEDERAL MARKETPLACE. CLIENTS ARE ASSIGNED A CASE SPECIALIST OF SIMILAR LANGUAGE AND CULTURE WHEN AVAILABLE. IN 2019, A TOTAL OF 232 REFUGEES WERE SERVED, INCLUDING 96 CONGOLESE AND 80 AFGHANS. (Less)
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - SEE SCHEDULE OCOMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:THE FOCUS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS TO 1) CONNECT ST. LOUISANS THROUGH WELCOMING EXPERIENCES, 2) IMPROVE THE CULTURAL COMPETENCY AND COMMUNIC ... (More)
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - SEE SCHEDULE OCOMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:THE FOCUS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS TO 1) CONNECT ST. LOUISANS THROUGH WELCOMING EXPERIENCES, 2) IMPROVE THE CULTURAL COMPETENCY AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS OF CUSTOMERS AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY, AND 3 (Less)
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
EDUCATION & CITIZENSHIP - SEE SCHEDULE OEDUCATION & CITIZENSHIP:OUR PROGRAMS HELP IMMIGRANTS ACQUIRE THE LANGUAGE AND KNOWLEDGE THEY NEED TO MEET CHALLENGES OF THEIR ROLES AS MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILIES ... (More)
EDUCATION & CITIZENSHIP - SEE SCHEDULE OEDUCATION & CITIZENSHIP:OUR PROGRAMS HELP IMMIGRANTS ACQUIRE THE LANGUAGE AND KNOWLEDGE THEY NEED TO MEET CHALLENGES OF THEIR ROLES AS MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES AND WORKPLACES. THE HIGH LEVEL OF COMMUNIT (Less)
International Institute of Metropolitan St. Louis has earned a 92% 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.
Our programs and services for immigrants, their families, and the wider community.
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Case management notes
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
With whom does your organization share the feedback you got from the people you serve?
Our staff, Our board
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, 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.
The International Institute is currently finishing our strategic plan for 2022-2025. Our strategic plan committee consisted of current and previous clients, community members, representatives from partner agencies, and the alderman of our ward plus staff. The feedback and ideas given were incorporated into our mission statement and strategic plan.
Equity Practices - Data Available - 88/100 ptsEquity Practices - Data Available - 88/100 pts
70% of beacon score
This organization's score of 88 is a passing score. The organization reported that it is implementing 6 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 (2/7) | |
|---|---|
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 (4/7) | |
|---|---|
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. | |
International Institute of Metropolitan St. Louis 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
The International Institute of St. Louis provides opportunities for immigrants and refugees to thrive in order to create a welcoming, prosperous, and healthy region for all.
Vision - 10/10 ptsVision - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
The International Institute of St. Louis provides opportunities for immigrants and refugees to thrive in order to create a welcoming, prosperous, and healthy region for all. (We have combined our mission and vision into one statement)
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: IISTL will expand on our foundation of comprehensive programs to address more needs, serve a larger population, and strengthen the region’s foreign-born workforce and economic impact.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: IISTL will engage the non-immigrant community in learning about issues immigrants face, the benefits of welcoming foreign-born individuals, forging stronger relationships and transforming our region.
Goal Type: This goal reflects our commitment to further our advocacy work for our organization and or cause area.
Goal Three: IISTL will diversify our core funding sources to enable agility, flexibility, and innovation in our programs and activities.
Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).
Leadership Development - 15/15 ptsLeadership Development - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
IISTL held a full-day retreat for all staff to review our results from the Gallop Strength Finder survey and to review our plan of action for our strategic plan. In addition, we are actively looking for training opportunities for all staff. We have recently started a training series for our supervisory team. Topics include communication, financial reports, performance reviews, and mental health first aid.
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
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Raising Awareness
Community Building
Strategic Partnerships: To develop our Strategic Plan, we recruited community members and clients to assist with the process. Networks: For our resettlement program, we have several MOUs with organizations to help with client outreach and activities, apartment set-ups, and client onboarding. Community Building: We give presentations, trainings, and tours about organization and cultural diversity. We also have a weekly meeting with the community about refugee resettlement reporting the status and how they can help. Raise Awareness: We use social media and email campaigns to promote our mission. IISTL is increasing its communication department to help with the promotion.
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.
Highlights from 2021: * Arrey Obenson, our new CEO, started in February. Our previous CEO, Anna Crosslin retired after 42 years. * In addition, the number of refugees to resettled tripled over 2020. Including the resettling Afghans in the fall. This resulted in the St. Louis community giving in-kind and monetary donations. IISTL transformed our gym into a warehouse for storing and distributing the donated items. * Our staff increased from 65 staff to 102 by end of year to meet the needs of the increased number of refugees and also to build up our infrastructure. * Still being in the midst of the pandemic, IISTL adopted a mandatory vaccination policy for all staff and volunteers. We moved from the majority staff working from home to a hybrid workforce. A new strategic plan was written and adopted.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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