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31 COLLEGE PL STE 221B
Asheville NC 28801-2787
Asheville NC | IRS ruling year: 1993 | EIN: 58-1696409
TO INCREASE COMPREHENSIVE LITERACY AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS THROUGH SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION BY TRAINED TUTORS AND ACCESS TO LITERACY RESOURCES.
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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: 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 As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for Literacy Together is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations.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.
Literacy Together 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.
Learn more
Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Not ApplicableBoard Composition - 14/14 - 35/35 ptsBoard Composition - 14/14 - 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 - 18.55% - 15/15 ptsLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 18.55% - 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 - 72.15% - 25/25 ptsProgram Expense Ratio - 72.15% - 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
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 (Literacy Together) or EIN (581696409) 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.
Literacy Together reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Fundraising Capacity
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
We were unable to hold our annual fundraiser which accounts for roughly 20% of our revenue.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
Due to social distancing requirements we were unable to provide any of our usual program activities in person.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
We shifted all of our in person activities such as volunteer orientations, tutor training, and student/tutor sessions to an online format.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
The virtual program we began offering for the first time this past year was a success and we will continue to offer it moving forward.
Not Currently Scored
Literacy Together 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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Literacy Together reported its largest program on its FY 2020 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
THE ORGANIZATION DEVELOPS AND IMPLEMENTS TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT INCREASE LITERACY AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS AMONG PERSONS THROUGHOUT BUNCOMBE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. WORK AND PROMOTI ... (More)
THE ORGANIZATION DEVELOPS AND IMPLEMENTS TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT INCREASE LITERACY AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS AMONG PERSONS THROUGHOUT BUNCOMBE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. WORK AND PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDE BASIC CHILD AND ADULT LITERACY EDUCATION, ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE EDUCATION THAT SUPPORTS CULTURAL INTEGRATION, AND BOOK GIFTING FOR PRE- KINDERGARTEN BABIES AND CHILDREN. (Less)
Literacy Together has earned a 95% 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
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.
We serve students regardless of age, race, gender, or background through four programs; Adult Literacy English for Speakers of Other Languages, Youth Literacy, and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Paper surveys, Case management notes, Suggestion box/email
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, 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, Our funders, Our community partners
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 are contributing to systemic change in education. The efforts of this intensive after-school reading initiative pilot targeted children of color who are most impacted by the opportunity gap. Asheville City Schools had the fifth-largest achievement gap in the nation (source: Carolina Public Press, Feb. 2019). We are also training young adults of color to serve as tutors, providing work experience, pay, and the opportunity to mentor younger children of color. Studies have demonstrated that students taught by those who share their identities and look like them benefit both academically and emotionally (source: Teach for America, June 2019). This program contributes to closing the gap in existing systems and serves as a model for the school system locally.
Equity Practices - Data Available - 93/100 ptsEquity Practices - Data Available - 93/100 pts
70% of beacon score
This organization's score of 93 is a passing score. The organization reported that it is implementing 8 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 (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. | |
Literacy Together 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 mission of Literacy Together is to transform lives and communities through the power of literacy.
Vision - 10/10 ptsVision - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
Our vision is for a just and equitable community in which literacy is accessible and achievable by all.
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: We are committed to doing more of what we do well. We are currently expanding our English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and Youth Literacy programs.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: In order to eliminate the ongoing waiting list we have had for the ESOL program, we have hired an ESOL Program Associate who will support the program director in various aspects of the program.
Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).
Goal Three: Our Youth Literacy program focuses on youth of color from low-income homes who are behind grade level in reading, writing, and spelling.
Goal Type: This goal reflects our commitment to further our advocacy work for our organization and or cause area.
Leadership Development - 15/15 ptsLeadership Development - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
Literacy Together currently has on staff member participating in Leadership Asheville, a 9-month program designed to develop, connect, and engage citizens from cross-sectors of the community, including business, nonprofit, education, and government. The primary aim of the Leadership Asheville Program is to strengthen participants’ knowledge of, commitment to, and involvement in collaborative community leadership.
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
Approximately 15 non-profit and community agencies refer students in need of literacy and English language instruction to Literacy Together, including Family Preservation Services, Asheville Housing Authority, Catholic Charities, Green Opportunities, OnTrack WNC, Verner Early Learning Center, and Pisgah Legal Services. A-B Tech is a major partner for cross-referrals as well as co-enrollment of students able to take a formal class from A-B Tech, supplemented by a volunteer tutor. In addition, Literacy Together has formed a collaboration with UNC Asheville and A-BTech to become an official federal Work-Study site. Additionally, over the past year Literacy Together has formed new partnerships with two after-school centers primarily serving youth of color. Our Youth Literacy program will deliver free tutoring from trained volunteer tutors. We are a partner in United Way's United for Youth Network.
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.
Over the last year, due to COVID, we moved all of our in-person activities online. Everything from volunteer orientations, tutor training, student/tutor sessions to board meetings and job interviews.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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