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Pleasant Hill CA | IRS ruling year: 2014 | EIN: 46-5220565
Our Guiding Principle
Our guiding principle is unity. We honor the essential unity of all by making sure that no one suffers from want when there is a means of aidin ... (More)
Our Guiding Principle
Our guiding principle is unity. We honor the essential unity of all by making sure that no one suffers from want when there is a means of aiding them.
Mission
At White Pony Express our mission is to eliminate hunger and poverty by delivering the abundance all around us to those in need.
Vision
Our vision is to build on the generous nature of Americans so that a consciousness is born wherein it becomes natural for all to help one another. When that consciousness is widespread, there will be no more hunger and no more poverty. (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: 35% Accountability & Finance, 50% Impact & Results, 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!
White Pony Express 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 2021, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us.
Learn more
Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Not ApplicableBoard Composition - 10/11 - 35/35 ptsBoard Composition - 10/11 - 35/35 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 - N/A - 0/0 ptsIndependent Audit or Financial Review - N/A - 0/0 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 - 5/5 ptsConflict of Interest Policy - Listed - 5/5 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 - 5/5 ptsBoard Meeting Minutes - Documented - 5/5 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 - 5/5 ptsDocument Retention and Destruction - Listed - 5/5 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 - 5/5 ptsWhistleblower Policy - Listed - 5/5 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 - 5/5 ptsWebsite - Listed - 5/5 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 - 4.19% - 15/15 ptsLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 4.19% - 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 - 95.00% - 25/25 ptsProgram Expense Ratio - 95.00% - 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
No Data Available
Revenue and expense data is not available for this organization. This data is only available if this charity has at least one year of electronically-filed Form 990 data filed within the last six years.
No Data Available
Key Persons data is currently unavailable for this organization. This data is only available if this charity has at least one year of electronically-filed Form 990 data filed within the last six years.
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 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 (White Pony Express) or EIN (465220565) 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.
White Pony Express reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Staffing
Administrative Capacity
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
We applied for and were approved for PPP loans in 2020 and 2021, which allowed us to continue to employ a full staff and shift payroll dollars to operations.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
During COVID demand for our food rescue services more than doubled from processing and distributing 7,000 lbs of fresh, nutritious food to an average of 15,000 pounds of food per day. In addition, when schools closed we 'lost' our School Pantry Program. A WPE School Pantry is like a grocery store at school, where hungry families can shop for fresh food free of charge with warm fellowship, recipe-sharing, and solidarity – no questions asked. With schools closed due to the pandemic, we had to find another way to get our rescued food to hungry families, most of whom are low-income Latinx and African Americans.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
Since COVID started, WPE has nearly tripled its food rescue and delivery services, providing over 4.5 million pounds of fresh, healthy food annually. Through the efforts of our deeply dedicated team, we added a second large volunteer shift each day, allowing us to add 30 agencies to our food distribution schedule. Unfortunately, we still have 30 agencies on our waiting list. The supply is there, the demand is there, and we are working around the clock; we are only limited by our program’s operational capacity. In addition, WPE quickly adapted its School Pantry Program from an onsite, in-school program to a COVID-safe outdoor, drive-through model. WPE mapped our recipient's locations and created six, centrally located outdoor sites. This allowed WPE to continue to deliver 600-800 pounds of fresh food twice weekly.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
WPE is known throughout Contra Costa County for its flexibility and responsiveness. However, more than a dozen agencies remained on our waitlist during the explosive growth we experienced during COVID. To better meet the community's needs, we started an innovative program that will create a new collection and distribution system for smaller, more frequent donations we have been unable to pick up due to our capacity limitations. Using the Food Rescue Hero app (think GrubHub for food rescue), our Food Rescue DIRECT program will signal when food donors have excess food and an available “food runner” volunteer will pick up and deliver it directly to a matching food recipient organization. This new program will help thousands of food-insecure people, providing WPE with a new food donation model and exponentially expanding our volunteer base. The idea has resonated with the community and we plan to fully launch it in 2022.
White Pony Express has earned a 100% for the Impact & Results beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon estimates the actual impact a charity has on the lives of those it serves, and determines whether it is making good use of donor resources to achieve that impact.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot Applicable
Program
White Pony Express Food Rescue
Activities
The nonprofit collects, warehouses and distributes food to front-line organizations like food pantries and soup kitchens.
Program Type
Food Distribution
Beneficiaries Served
Program Geography
Time Period of Data
1/1/20 to 12/31/20
Outcomes: Changes in the lives of those served by a nonprofit. They can be caused by the nonprofit.
Costs: The money spent by a nonprofit and its partners and beneficiaries.
Impact: Outcome caused by a nonprofit relative to its cost.
Cost-effectiveness: A judgment as to whether the cost was a good use of resources to cause the outcome.
Outcome Metric
A meal provided to a person in need
Outcome Data Source
Ratings are based on data the nonprofit itself collects on its work. We use the most recent year with sufficient data. Typically, this data allows us to calculate direct changes in participants' lives, such as increased income.
Outcome data collected during the program. The nonprofit submitted data on the amount of food it provides.
Method for Attributing Outcomes
We don't know if the observed changes were caused by the nonprofit's program or something else happening at the same time (e.g., a participant got a raise). To determine causation, we take the outcomes we observe and subtract an estimate of the outcomes that would have happened even without the program (i.e., counterfactual outcomes).
We assume that the distribution of a meal from one nonprofit's food distribution program does not diminish the amount of food distributed by any other (neighboring) food distribution program. This “counterfactual” assumption about the amount of food distributed in the absence of the nonprofit’s food distribution program implies that the benefit of a meal to a beneficiary in need constitutes a net gain; the gain is not offset by reductions in food provided to other beneficiaries in need. We therefore set the counterfactual to zero.
Cost Data Source
After estimating the program's outcomes, we need to determine how much it cost to achieve those outcomes. All monetary costs are counted, whether they are borne by a nonprofit service deliverer or by the nonprofit’s public and private partners.
Program cost data reported by the nonprofit. Partner and beneficiary costs reported by the nonprofit or estimated by Charity Navigator.
Cost Calculation
$1,466,427 program costs + $2,343,418 partner costs + $0 beneficiary costs = $3,809,845 total costs
We calculate impact, defined as the change in outcomes attributable to a program divided by the cost to achieve those outcomes.
Impact Calculation
$3,809,845 total costs / 3,465,630 meals provided = roughly $1 provides a meal to a person in need.
Benchmark for Rating
Impact & Results scores of food distribution programs are based on the cost of a meal relative to the cost that a food-secure person incurs to buy a meal in that county. Programs receive an Impact & Results score of 100 if they are less than 75% the cost of a meal and a score of 80 if they are less than 125%. If a nonprofit reports impact but doesn't meet the benchmark for cost-effectiveness, it earns a score of 65.
Determination
Highly cost-effective
No 990 Program Data Found
White Pony Express 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
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.
Our 80+ regular recipient agencies serve a wide range of demographics and include shelters, community centers, senior living facilities, foster youth programs, homes for people with disabilities, NS under-sourced schools. These agencies serve homeless people, low-income families, seniors, refugees, undocumented individuals, those afflicted with COVID-19, and other vulnerable people.
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Paper surveys, Case management notes
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?
Our staff, Our board, Our community partners
What challenges does your organization face in collecting feedback from the people you serve?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Briefly describe a recent change that your organization made in response to feedback from the people you serve.
The Neighbors Helping Neighbors (NHN) program will help thousands of food insecure people by providing us with a new food donation model. Since COVID started, WPE has nearly tripled our food rescue and delivery services, providing over 4,500,000 pounds of fresh, healthy food. Through the efforts of our deeply dedicated team, we added a second large volunteer shift each day, allowing us to add 30 agencies to our food distribution schedule. Unfortunately, we still have 10 agencies on our waiting list. The supply is there, the demand is there, and we are working around the clock. We are only limited by our program’s operational capacity. NHN creates an innovative, decentralized system for food distribution that will increase our ability to connect and serve the community.
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.
White Pony Express 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
Our Guiding Principle Our guiding principle is unity. We honor the essential unity of all by making sure that no one suffers from want when there is a means of aiding, embracing, and serving all of us that are in need. Mission: At White Pony Express our mission is to eliminate hunger and poverty by delivering the abundance all around us to those in need.
Vision - 10/10 ptsVision - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
Our vision is to build on the generous nature of Americans, so that a consciousness is born wherein it becomes natural for all to help one another. When that consciousness is widespread, there will be no more hunger and no more poverty.
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 inaugurate the Food Rescue Direct program and engage at least 200, active users, on the innovative food rescue app by 2023.
Goal Type: New program(s) based on observed changes in needs among our constituencies/communities served.
Goal Two: To increase efficiency through integrated data and improved technology, including deploying a new CRM by 2023.
Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).
Goal Three: To increase multi-year donations to sustain WPE’s growth trajectory.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Leadership Development - 15/15 ptsLeadership Development - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
In the last 18 months, the organization has funded two critical positions: the first-ever, full-time executive director and the first-ever, full-time chief operations officer. In addition, we have added a new board member and replaced a retiring board member.
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
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Policy Advocacy
WPE is involved in a number of external mobilization efforts, including: - Participation in the informal non-profit executive directors round table, which meets monthly; - Speaking engagements, including the recent (10/25/21) Interfaith Food Conference at which our Founder and Executive Director were presenters - Participation in the United Nations' Food Systems Game Changers Lab ahead of the first-ever UN Food Summit - Aggressive marketing of both WPE and food rescue through social media, advertising, and conference attendance - Support for CA Senate Bill 1383, which will require food establishments to give 20% of their leftover food to food recovery operations beginning in 2022
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.
Since COVID started, WPE has nearly tripled its food rescue and delivery services, providing over 4.5 million pounds of fresh, healthy food annually. Through the efforts of our deeply dedicated team, we added a second large volunteer shift each day, allowing us to add 30 agencies to our food distribution schedule. Our School Pantry program was also adversely affected. A WPE School Pantry is like a grocery store at school, where hungry families can shop for fresh food free of charge with warm fellowship, recipe-sharing, and solidarity – no questions asked. With schools closed due to the pandemic, we lost our primary delivery channel to reach the people in need. We quickly mapped our recipient's locations and negotiated with schools, the county, and other organizations to establish six outdoor, COVID-safe sites, which our recipients could drive through to receive 600-800 pounds of fresh food twice weekly.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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