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1200 S PINELLAS AVE STE 3
Tarpon Spgs FL 34689-3715
Tarpon Spgs FL | IRS ruling year: 2011 | EIN: 45-1308941
Organization Mission
Wheelchairs 4 Kids is dedicated to improving the lives of children with physical disabilities. We provide wheelchairs, home and vehicle modifications as well as othe ... (More)
Wheelchairs 4 Kids is dedicated to improving the lives of children with physical disabilities. We provide wheelchairs, home and vehicle modifications as well as other assistive or therapeutic equipment at no charge to the families. (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, weighted as follows: 85% Accountability & Finance, 10% Leadership & Adaptability, 5% 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 As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for Wheelchairs 4 Kids is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations.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.
Wheelchairs 4 Kids 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 2020, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us.
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Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Not ApplicableBoard Composition - 9/9 - 25/25 ptsBoard Composition - 9/9 - 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 - Has Audit/Review - 20/20 ptsIndependent Audit or Financial Review - Has Audit/Review - 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 - 15.40% - 15/15 ptsLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 15.40% - 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 - 86.05% - 25/25 ptsProgram Expense Ratio - 86.05% - 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 2020
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)
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 (Wheelchairs 4 Kids) or EIN (451308941) 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.
Wheelchairs 4 Kids reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Fundraising Capacity
Revenue
Grants Received
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
In the first 3 months of COVID, our funding was down by 70%. Some grantors diverted funding to COVID related causes such as Food banks. Like other nonprofits, we canceled one of our biggest fundraising events which was supposed to take place in April of 2020. We did apply for the PPP loans and those were of great help. However, it was not enough. We decided to go ahead and reinstate our Jail and Bail Fundraiser in August. We strictly followed all of the safety guidelines such as masks, social distancing, etc. Thankfully, people responded! It ended up being a record breaking event and no one got sick! That gave us the courage to go ahead and host our Wheely Good Time Gala in November. Again, we moved to a much larger venue and followed all of the suggested safety protocols. Those decisions allowed us to continue our mission.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
We never stopped delivering on our mission. We could not have seating specialists visit the kids in person for measurements and evaluations. Thanks to ZOOM, we were able to work with families and have them do the measurements. We had the equipment shipped directly to their homes. We did not do any home modifications that required contractors and workers enter the homes for the first several months. Bathroom modifications and door widening had to be put on hold for 5 months. As far as our inclusion program, parents were telling us that our kids were depressed and regressing both physically and emotionally. We did parades past the homes of children. In December, we had our first in-person event - Our Christmas Party at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium with Winter the Dolphin. The event was held in a breezeway and of course, Santa was there! We spaced the families apart and masks were required. Since then, we have done several events, all while following safety protocols.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
We adapted our programs by using ZOOM to perform evaluations with the parents doing measurements and having the equipment shipped directly to their homes. We adapted strict safety protocols for our fundraisers and inclusion program and we are happy to report that we are unaware of anyone getting sick.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
We will continue to use ZOOM periodically. There is nothing that beats an in-person evaluation, but for families that are in rural areas or have children with extreme compromised immune systems, it is sometimes the better option. We also had some fun ZOOM games with the kids such as having the Bucs Cheerleaders do a trivia night with them!
Not Currently Scored
Wheelchairs 4 Kids 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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Wheelchairs 4 Kids reported its three largest programs on its FY 2020 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
EQUIPMENT MODIFICATION PROGRAM - WE PROVIDE WHEELCHAIRS, HOME, AND VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS, AS WELL AS OTHER ASSISTIVE EQUIPMENT AT NO CHARGE TO THE FAMILIES. IN FISCAL 2020, WE PROVIDED 181 KIDS WITH E ... (More)
EQUIPMENT MODIFICATION PROGRAM - WE PROVIDE WHEELCHAIRS, HOME, AND VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS, AS WELL AS OTHER ASSISTIVE EQUIPMENT AT NO CHARGE TO THE FAMILIES. IN FISCAL 2020, WE PROVIDED 181 KIDS WITH EQUIPMENT AND/OR MODIFICATIONS, AN 8% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR (Less)
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
INCLUSION PROGRAM - WHEELY FUN DAYS ALLOWS OUR CHILDREN TO EXPERIENCE SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED AS WELL AS SOME EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCES. IN FISCAL 2020, WE HOSTED A TOTAL OF 8 WHEE ... (More)
INCLUSION PROGRAM - WHEELY FUN DAYS ALLOWS OUR CHILDREN TO EXPERIENCE SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED AS WELL AS SOME EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCES. IN FISCAL 2020, WE HOSTED A TOTAL OF 8 WHEELY FUN DAYS INCLUDING OUR CHRISTMAS PARTY WITH WINTER TH (Less)
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
Facilities Program - In the event that we receive gently used items as a donation that we are not able to present to a child, we offer it to facilities hospitals, physical therapy facilities, schools ... (More)
Facilities Program - In the event that we receive gently used items as a donation that we are not able to present to a child, we offer it to facilities hospitals, physical therapy facilities, schools that cater to special needs, etc. in as-is condition at (Less)
Wheelchairs 4 Kids 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.
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Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 ptsConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 pts
100% 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 serve families who have children up to the age of 21 living with a physical disability. We have 2 major programs: 1. Let's Roll - This program addresses mobility and accessibility. We provide wheelchairs, home and vehicle modifications as well as other assistive or therapeutic equipment at no charge to the families. 2. Wheely Fun Days - This program addresses inclusion and socialization. Our kids are often left on the sidelines of life. We take them on exciting adventures which not only promote socialization and fun, but helps them realize that they are capable of so much more than ever imagined. We take them indoor skydiving, ziplining and water-skiing using adaptive equipment. We also take them to sporting events and concerts.
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Paper surveys
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 inform the development of new programs/projects, 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 have done surveys since inception so it really hasn't changed! I do believe that they appreciate the fact that we take their opinions into consideration and use their feedback to improve our work. We have learned a lot and know how important it is to get things done right!
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
Briefly describe a recent change that your organization made in response to feedback from the people you serve.
We recently added 2 new items to the types of equipment we provide. One is the Permobil Mini Explorer. It is a new, power wheelchair for toddlers that is an introduction to power chairs that is extremely easy to use with a large ball that is easy for little hands to maneuver and learn how to control direction. The other is the EZ Cruiser - a lightweight, collapsible power chair that is easy to transport in an average vehicle.
Equity Practices - No Data Available - UnscoredEquity Practices - No Data Available - Unscored
This organization has not provided information regarding the Equity Practices it is presently implementing. As such, the organization has not earned a score on this metric. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective equity policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
Wheelchairs 4 Kids 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.
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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
Wheelchairs 4 Kids is dedicated to improving the lives of children with physical disabilities.
Vision - 10/10 ptsVision - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
Wheelchairs 4 Kids is dedicated to improving the lives of children with physical disabilities. We provide wheelchairs, home and vehicle modifications as well as other assistive or therapeutic equipment at no charge to the families. We also have an inclusion program called "Wheely Fun Days" which involves getting our kids out for barrier free, fun, interactive activities such as indoor sky diving, zip-lining and water-skiing. We also take them to professional sporting events, concerts and theme parks. Our vision is to see children with physical disabilities lead more fulfilled lives where their disability is not the only thing people see!
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: To provide 210 children with new wheelchairs, home or vehicle modifications as well as other equipment in Fiscal year 2022-23 with a 10% increase each following year.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: Host 12 to 15 Wheely Fun Days each year in the State of Florida and expand the program into other states with Texas being our next state in fiscal 2022-23.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Three: Hire an addition programs coordinator in Fiscal 2022-23 to be able to help more children get the equipment they need and host more Wheely Fun Days.
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
Our Executive Director and Director of Development are members of the AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals). They have both served on the board of our local chapter. One as Programs VP (secures speakers for each monthly meeting) and the other as Diversity Chairman. They also attend Planet Philanthropy each year to learn about fundraising strategies and ethics.
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
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS: We regularly partner with other organizations such as the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and Zoo Tampa for our Wheely Fun Days. We also promote and assist with their fundraising efforts. For example, we assist with selling tickets to the Aquariums Breakfast with Santa and we provide our Santa for the event! NETWORKS: We belong to several networking organizations such as 2 Chambers, the Kiwanis, AFP, etc. We assist and join committees for their events such as The Tarpon Springs Art Festival (Shuttle Chair), AFP National Philanthropy Day Luncheon (Sponsor Chair), Palm Harbor Kiwanis Car Show (PR Chair). LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES: We do a presentation on "How to Run a Successful Auction" at AFP meetings and for other nonprofits such as the Community Service Council. Our Executive Director was also the Programs VP for our AFP chapter for 3 years and the Chairman of the Board for the Tarpon Springs Chamber for 3 years. SOCIAL MEDIA - We are active on several platforms
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.
COVID was a challenge to say the least! In the first 3 months, we were all working from home, our funds were down by 70% and we learned from parents that our kids were regressing both physically and psychologically. We decided that we could hold fundraisers if we followed the suggested safety guidlines. We reinstated our canceled Jail and Bail in August. We moved it to a much larger venue and only 50 people attended. Masks, gloves, social distancing, temperature checks and hand sanitizer ruled the day. It ended up being a record breaker! We had the same result when we held our Wheely Good Time Gala in November of 2020. We follwed the rules and moved the event to a much larger venue with the tables spaced and guests seated with only their parties. Those two events truly saved us and allowed us to continue our programs! As for the children, we were inundated with requests for help. Many families had lost jobs and insurance! We were able to continue to provide equipment and modifications with a few changes to our procedures. In the beginning, we were unable to send seating specailists out to the homes of our kids so we had parents get measurements for us and used ZOOM to help with evaluations. We are proud that we were able to help 194 kids by providing new equipment or modifications. We also did parades past the homes of children in the beginning to let them know that we still cared about them. We also did a Drive Through Jurrasic Park event. In December 2020, we had our first in person Wheely Fun Day at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in the breezeway with Winter the Dolphin and Santa. Since then, we have had several events including Zip-lining, Wrestlemania and water-skiing to name a few. We discovered that with a few adaptions, we could still fulfill our mission! The world did not have to stop and we are proud to report that we are not aware of anyone getting COVID at our events.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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