Veterans Yoga Project
Veterans Yoga Project
PO BOX 6472
Alameda CA 94501-5172
Alameda CA | IRS ruling year: 2014 | EIN: 45-3606064
SUPPORT THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE AMONG OUR VETERANS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES.
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PO BOX 6472
Alameda CA 94501-5172
Alameda CA | IRS ruling year: 2014 | EIN: 45-3606064
SUPPORT THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE AMONG OUR VETERANS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES.
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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 As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for Veterans Yoga Project is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations.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 Yoga Project 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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:
Activity data not reported from the IRS
Foundation Status:
Organization that normally receives no more than one-third of its support from gross investment income and unrelated business income and at the same time more than one-third of its support from contributions, fees, and gross receipts related to exempt purposes. 509(a)(2) (BMF foundation code: 16)
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 Yoga Project) or EIN (453606064) 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 Yoga Project reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Fundraising Capacity
Revenue
Staffing
Administrative Capacity
Balance Sheet
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
Much of VYPs fundraising is dependent on grassroots funding efforts with two major campaign occurring in the spring and in November around Veterans Day. Those campaigns rely on a peer-to-peer model of fundraising and donation-based classes or similar events held across the country. Unfortunately, both events took serious hits. VYP relied on the generosity of individual donors and the willingness of grant-makers to work with the organization to allow for the use of existing grants to meet veterans' needs during this time of expanded demand.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
While VYP's Mindful Resilience yoga classes were traditionally offered in in-person local settings, online classes became the go-to as in-person gatherings were discouraged and studios, veterans centers, VA Hospital properties, community centers and other gathering places closed temporarily or permanently. Veterans Yoga Project witnessed an escalating demand for tools to reduce anxiety and stress, diminish the growing sense of isolation, and restore calm to the body and mind. As such, VYP initially moved to a variety of online platforms and ultimately launched an online studio that continues to provide live no-cost classes for veterans, active duty members of the military, first responders, and health care workers as well as their family members and communities. Going forward, VYP anticipates maintaining an online presence to serve those in rural or remote locations who lack access to in-person services and a return to in-person classes as public health recommendations advise.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
Veterans Yoga Project has always been a predominantly volunteer-driven organization operative in a remote work diaspora. Because our operations were able to continue as normal, VYP focused on shifting our delivery methods so that VYP-trained instructors could continue to teach over 100 free yoga classes each week for veterans and their families. By providing support to all veterans, whether they were/are currently struggling with severe symptoms, or they were/are focused on increasing resilience and giving back to others, Veterans Yoga Project continued to do its part to serve those who serve by shifting our classes and trainings to an online, live format. Additionally, VYP was able to bring one cohort of veterans going through teacher training together for a final week of in-person training as the pandemic wained. VYP worked with existing funders to rework grant agreements to allow for this switch to virtual delivery and to support the acquisition of necessary technology.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
VYP has also expanded its financial development capacity and looks forward to generating revenues from a wider variety of sources at the local level and nationwide. Going forward, VYP anticipates maintaining an online presence to serve those in rural or remote locations who lack access to in-person services and a return to in-person classes as public health recommendations advise. Additionally, VYP now offers Compassion Fatigue Resilience Trainings for caregivers of veterans, first responders and health care workers. This expanded support of caregivers and frontline personnel who are most likely to experience compassion fatigue will be maintained and expanded over time.
Not Currently Scored
Veterans Yoga Project 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 Yoga Project reported its largest program on its FY 2019 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
VETERANS YOGA PROJECT TRAINED YOGA INSTRUCTORS WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VETERANS, ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL, STUDENT VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER NON-PROFITS TO TEACH OVER 100 FREE YOGA CLASSES EACH ... (More)
VETERANS YOGA PROJECT TRAINED YOGA INSTRUCTORS WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VETERANS, ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL, STUDENT VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER NON-PROFITS TO TEACH OVER 100 FREE YOGA CLASSES EACH WEEK FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE PROVIDE SUPPORT TO ALL VETERANS, FROM THOSE STRUGGLING WITH SEVERE SYMPTOMS, AND TO THOSE WHO SIMPLY WANT TO GIVE BACK TO OTHERS. WE ALSO PROVIDE MULTI-DAY RETREATS, AND OFFER ADVANCED TRAINING IN MINDFULNESS RESILIENCE FOR YOGA INSTRUCTORS AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS. (Less)
Veterans Yoga Project 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
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.
Veterans, Active-Duty Military and their families and communities. Training is also provided for professional and personal caregivers of veterans.
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Paper surveys, Community meetings or town halls, Suggestion box/email, Other means
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 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
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?
From the beginning, VYP has worked to keep those we serve at the top of our organizational chart and by meeting them where they are. This provides a visual reminder to our board and staff on a regular basis and encourages us to consistently check in with our veteran community and caregivers to make sure we are providing them the tools and resources they need. Many of our staff and teachers are veterans and have been from the beginning; they are an integral part of decision-making and leadership day in and day out.
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.
VYP migrated our online classes from one presentation platform to a more accessible platform based on the feedback we have received from class participants. VYP added a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion component to our Strategic Plan and a volunteer Diversity, Inclusion, Cultural Appreciation and Equity advisor to our leadership team. VYP is including D,E,I components to our grant-funded programming for 2022. Additionally, VYP has made changes to training and outreach materials to reflect and include the full diversity of the communities we serve.
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 (4/7) | |
---|---|
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 (2/7) | |
---|---|
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 Yoga Project 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
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission
Veterans Yoga Project (VYP) envisions a future where all those affected by trauma have access to a full range of mind-body practices to facilitate recovery and resilience. We are committed to providing these tools and training in Safe, Predictable, and Controlled environments (SPaCe). An educational and advocacy organization, VYP is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of military veterans, active duty service members, first responders, health care workers and caregivers. Working in partnership with veterans, active-duty military personnel, student veterans’ organizations, and other non-profit organizations, VYP-trained instructors teach over 100 free yoga classes each week for veterans and their families. By providing support to all veterans currently struggling with severe symptoms or focused on increasing resilience and giving back to others, VYP does its part to serve those who serve. VYP is an IAYT member school and a certified Yoga Alliance school.
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
Veterans Yoga Project (VYP) envisions a future where all those affected by trauma have access to a full range of mind-body practices to facilitate recovery and resilience.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Extend Mindful Resilience Yoga to the full diversity of the veteran community across age, racial/ethnic identity, gender identity, and geographic distribution.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: Meet the unique needs of caregivers for veterans including family, medical and mental health professionals, and other first responders who are at greatest risk for experiencing compassion fatigue.
Goal Type: New program(s) based on observed changes in needs among our constituencies/communities served.
Goal Three: Maintain online and in-person live classes and training opportunities to promote resilience with a mindful commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion among participants, volunteers and staff.
Goal Type: Focus on core programs to achieve mission and scale back on programs not seen as core.
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
VYP provided funding to support leadership development/professional development training for full-time, part-time and key volunteers in the areas of nonprofit management and volunteer management to the mutual benefit of the organization and the individual. Additionally, VYP brings together its leadership in summit environments annually (including 2020) to further strategic planning, brainstorming and discourse, educational and team-building opportunities. Given that the organization is fully remote, this annual gathering provides a venue for deepening relationships, impromptu meetings and discernment to further the mission of the organization as well as foster growth and development of existing and future leadership for VYP.
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
Strategic Partnerships
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Community Building
VYP works with a variety of nonprofit and health/mental health care partners including the VA, Vet Centers, community-based organizations, student military organizations, nonprofits serving veterans and more to reach the wider audience of veterans and to create additional awareness around the mental health concerns facing our nation's active military and veteran community. VYP leadership are asked many times each year to present at local, regional, national and international conferences focused on mental health issues, treatments and protocols. Because VYP is 80% volunteer-driven, the work begins and is led at the local level where volunteers are trained to deliver trauma-informed classes to meet individual needs and to build community among the participants. VYP has an aggressive social media program using at least six major platforms to educate, inform, encourage, elevate, inspire and connect the veterans community and to bridge the military-civilian divide.
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
Because VYP already employed a remote workforce and relied heavily on volunteer engagement, business operations continued as normal allowing for a concerted effort to adapt service delivery methods and content. VYP worked closely with existing grant makers to shift awarded funding to meet the exponentially increasing needs of veterans managing PTS(D), anxiety, loneliness and other concerns affecting their mental and physical well-being during the pandemic. Pivoting to live, online platforms, VYP was able to meet veterans, their families and communities as well as active duty service members, first responders, health care workers, and caregivers where they were during uncertain times. Additionally, VYP launched training to assist with the de-escalation and management of compassion fatigue and added this offering to existing live online offerings and ultimately secured the funding and technology necessary to establish an online studio for streamlined delivery of classes and trainings.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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