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PO BOX 1301
Monument CO 80132-1301
Mail donations to:
PO Box 1301
Monument CO 80132
Monument CO | IRS ruling year: 1988 | EIN: 74-2501356
Tri-Lakes Cares is a community-based, volunteer-supported, resource center whose purpose is to improve people's lives through emergency, self-sufficiency and relief ... (More)
Tri-Lakes Cares is a community-based, volunteer-supported, resource center whose purpose is to improve people's lives through emergency, self-sufficiency and relief programs. Since 1984, we have been meeting our clients' most basic needs while helping them move towards self-sufficiency. As the only food pantry and human services organization located in and serving northern El Paso County, Colorado, we are a critical resource for those in need. (Less)
Great
This charity's score is 90%, 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: 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.
Date Published | Form 990 FYE | Overall Score | Overall Rating |
Rating Version: 2.1 | |||
6/1/2022 | 2020 | 88.65 | |
3/1/2021 | 2019 | 85.18 | |
7/1/2019 | 2018 | 85.49 | |
8/1/2018 | 2017 | 89.28 | |
12/1/2017 | 2016 | 94.69 | |
10/1/2017 | 2016 | 93.98 | |
This organization received multiple star ratings within this fiscal year, due to an update to its Accountability and Transparency data and/or the receipt of an amended Form 990. |
The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for Tri Lakes Cares is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations.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.
Tri Lakes Cares has earned a 89% 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
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has these governance practices in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990
Independent Voting Board Members ... (More) 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. Our analysts check the Form 990 to determine if the independent Board members are a voting majority and also at least five in number. (Less) | |
No Material Diversion of Assets ... (More) A diversion of assets – any unauthorized conversion or use of the organization's assets other than for the organization's authorized purposes, including but not limited to embezzlement or theft – can seriously call into question a charity's financial integrity. We check the charity's last two Forms 990 to see if the charity has reported any diversion of assets. If the charity does report a diversion, then we check to see if it complied with the Form 990 instructions by describing what happened and its corrective action. This metric will be assigned to one of the following categories:
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Audited Financials Prepared by Independent Accountant ... (More) Audited financial statements provide important information about financial accountability and accuracy. They should be prepared by an independent accountant with oversight from an audit committee. (It is not necessary that the audit committee be a separate committee. Often at smaller charities, it falls within the responsibilities of the finance committee or the executive committee.) The committee provides an important oversight layer between the management of the organization, which is responsible for the financial information reported, and the independent accountant, who reviews the financials and issues an opinion based on its findings. We check the charity's Form 990 reporting to see if it meets this criteria.
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Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From Related Parties ... (More) Making loans to related parties such as key officers, staff, or Board members, is not standard practice in the sector as it may divert the charity's funds away from its charitable mission and can lead to real and perceived conflict-of-interest problems. This practice is discouraged by sector trade groups which point to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act when they call for charities to refrain from making loans to directors and executives. And the IRS is concerned enough with the practice that it requires charities to disclose on their Form 990 any loans to or from current and former officers, directors, trustees, key employees, and other "disqualified persons." Furthermore, some state laws go so far as to prohibit loans to board members and officers. And although employees and trustees are permitted to make loans to charities, this practice can also result in real and/or perceived conflict of interest problems for the charity. Furthermore, it is problematic because it is an indicator that the organization is not financially secure. (Less) | |
Documents Board Meeting Minutes ... (More) An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference. Charities are not required to make their Board meeting minutes available to the public. As such, we are not able to review and critique their minutes. For this performance metric, we are checking to see if the charity reports on its Form 990 that it does keep those minutes. In the future, we will also track and rate whether or not a charity keeps minutes for its committee meetings. (Less) | |
Distributes 990 to Board Before Filing ... (More) Providing copies of the Form to the governing body in advance of filing is considered a best practice, as it allows for thorough review by the individuals charged with overseeing the organization. The Form 990 asks the charity to disclose whether or not it has followed this best practice. If the charity has not distributed its Form 990 to the board before filing, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
Does not Compensate Board Members ... (More) The IRS requires that any compensation paid to members of the charity's governing body be listed on the Form 990. Furthermore, all members of the governing body need to be listed whether or not they are compensated. It is not unusual for some members of the board to have compensation listed. The executive director of the organization frequently has a seat on the board, for instance, and is compensated for being a full time staff member. However, it is rare for a charity to compensate individuals only for serving on its Board of Directors. Although this sort of board compensation is not illegal, it is not considered a best practice. (Less) |
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization has these policies in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
Conflict of Interest ... (More) Such a 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 or director of the organization. Charities are not required to share their conflict of interest policies with the public. Although we can not evaluate the substance of its policy, we can tell you if the charity has one in place based on the information it reports on its Form 990. If the charity does not have a Conflict of Interest policy, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
Whistleblower ... (More) This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report any financial mismanagement. Here we are reporting on the existence of a policy as reported by the charity on its Form 990. (Less) | |
Records Retention and Destruction ... (More) Such a policy establishes guidelines for handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promotes data integrity. Here we are reporting on the existence of a policy as reported by the charity on its Form 990. If the charity does not have a Records Retention and Destruction Policy, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
CEO Compensation Process ... (More) This process indicates that the organization has a documented policy that it follows year after year. The policy should indicate that an objective and independent review process of the CEO's compensation has been conducted which includes benchmarking against comparable organizations. We check to be sure that the charity has reported on its Form 990 its process for determining its CEO pay. (Less) | |
Donor Privacy ... (More) Donors can be reluctant to contribute to a charity when their name, address, or other basic information may become part of donor lists that are exchanged or sold, resulting in an influx of charitable solicitations from other organizations. Our analysts check the charity's website to see if the organization has a donor privacy policy in place and what it does and does not cover. Privacy policies are assigned to one of the following categories:
The privacy policy must be specific to donor information. A general website policy which references "visitor" or "user" personal information will not suffice. A policy that refers to donor information collected on the website is also not sufficient as the policy must be comprehensive and applicable to both online and offline donors. The existence of a privacy policy of any type does not prohibit the charity itself from contacting the donor for informational, educational, or solicitation purposes. (Less) |
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization makes this information easily accessible.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
CEO Salary Listed on 990 ... (More) Charities are required to list their CEO's name and compensation on the Form 990. Our analysts check to be sure that the charities complied with the Form 990 instructions and included this information in their filing. (Less) | |
Board of Directors Listed on Website ... (More) Our analysts check to see if the charity lists Board members on its website. Publishing this information enables donors and other stakeholders to ascertain the make up of the charity's governing body. This enables stakeholders to report concerns to the Board. Charity Navigator does not cross-check the Board members listed on the website with that reported on the Form 990, because the latter often isn't available until more than a year after the charity's fiscal year ends. In that time, the charity's Board members may have changed, and the charity typically reflects those more recent changes on the website. (Less) | |
Key Staff Listed on Website ... (More) It is important for donors and other stakeholders to know who runs the organization day-to-day. Charity Navigator does not cross-check the leadership listed on the website with that reported on the Form 990 because the latter often isn't available until more than a year after the charity's fiscal year ends. In that time, the charity's leadership may have changed and the charity typically reflects those more recent changes on the website. In other words, since the Form 990 isn't especially timely, it can not be used to verify the leadership information published on the charity's site. (Less) | |
Audited Financial Statements Listed on Website ... (More) We check the charity's website to see if it has published its audited financial statements for the fiscal year represented by the most recently filed IRS Form 990. It is important for donors to have easy access to this financial report to help determine if the organization is managing its financial resources well. We currently rate charities on whether or not they publish their audit on their website. (Less) | |
Form 990 Available on Website ... (More) We check the charity's website to see if it has published its most recently filed IRS Form 990 (a direct link to the charity's 990 on an external site is sufficient). It is important for donors to have easy access to this financial report to help determine if the organization is managing its financial resources well. (Less) |
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990).
Part of our goal in rating the financial performance of charities is to help donors assess the financial capacity and sustainability of a charity. As do organizations in other sectors, charities must be mindful of their management of total liabilites in relation to their total assets. This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and or long term sustainability. Dividing a charity's total liabilities by its total assets yields this percentage.
Source: IRS Form 990
Determines how long a charity could sustain its level of spending using its net available assets, or working capital, as reported on its most recently filed Form 990. We include in a charity's working capital unrestricted and temporarily restricted net assets, and exclude permanently restricted net assets. Dividing these net available assets in the most recent year by a charity's average total expenses, yields the working capital ratio. We calculate the charity's average total expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
The amount spent to raise $1 in charitable contributions. To calculate a charity's fundraising efficiency, we divide its average fundraising expenses by the average total contributions it receives. We calculate the charity's average expenses and average contributions over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
As reported by charities on their IRS Form 990, this measure reflects what percent of its total budget a charity spends on overhead, administrative staff and associated costs, and organizational meetings. Dividing a charity's average administrative expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
This measure reflects what a charity spends to raise money. Fundraising expenses can include campaign printing, publicity, mailing, and staffing and costs incurred in soliciting donations, memberships, and grants. Dividing a charity's average fundraising expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
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. Dividing a charity's average program expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Organizations that demonstrate consistent annual growth in program expenses are able to outpace inflation and thus sustain their programs year to year. These organizations also supply givers with greater confidence by maintaining broad public support for their programs. We compute the average annual growth of program expenses using the following formula: [(Yn/Y0)(1/n)]-1, where Y0 is a charity's program expenses in the first year of the interval analyzed, Yn is the charity's program expenses in the most recent year, and n is the interval of years passed between Y0 and Yn.
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 this organizations key compensated staff members as identified by our analysts. 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
Haley Chapin, Executive Director
$90,202 (6.10% of Total Expenses)
Current CEO and Board Chair can be found in the Leadership & Adaptability report below.
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:
Supplying money, goods or services to the poor (BMF activity code: 560)
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 (Tri Lakes Cares) or EIN (742501356) 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.
Tri Lakes Cares reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Fundraising Capacity
Revenue
Staffing
Administrative Capacity
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
TLC suffered from budgeted revenue loss due to our cancelled signature fundraising event, A Taste of Tri-Lakes Cares, which was scheduled for May 6, 2020. The expected loss is $29,480 from ticket sales, donations, silent auction proceeds, and pledged sponsorships. Empty Bowls Dinner & Silent Auction, which is co-hosted by Monument Hill Kiwanis and Tri-Lakes Cares, normally held in October each year, was cancelled as well. This cancellation resulted in the loss of approximately $30,000 in expected revenue. Other local events by community partners have also had a negative impact with a loss of revenue to TLC. Events have been cancelled which, in turn, reduces or eliminates financial support. The Tri-Lakes Women’s Club cancelled their Spring Show in May and the Tri-Lakes Cruisier recently cancelled their August Car Show. Both events generate income for these organizations, thereby reducing their financial support of TLC.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
TLC made a concerted effort to reduce the number of individuals in the office at the same time, prioritizing staff whose presence on-site is necessary to the functioning of the organization. All staff that were able to perform their duties while working remotely did so until very recently and were provided with the necessary technology and equipment to make their jobs possible. Serving clients remains among TLC’s top priorities, and Case Managers ensure that clients continue to receive all of TLC’s services including food, financial assistance, referrals, etc., while maintaining social distancing. Case Managers communicate with clients, vendors, and community partners via phone calls, text, email, and virtual calls, working seamlessly and safely to continue serving as a safety net for those in need. If clients are unable to communicate through these forms of technology, they can access and fill out paper forms located in a secure lockbox outside TLC’s front door.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
In early March 2020, the Leadership Team at Tri-Lakes Cares started assessing the potential for increased requests for help as the COVID-19 crisis expanded to a global pandemic. In order to keep staff, volunteers and clients safe and healthy while meeting the changing and increasing needs of clients impacted by COVID-19, TLC re-evaluated and restructured the way to continue to provide services and resources to the local community. Staff members have developed and implemented creative solutions and procedures to ensure that they can efficiently meet the changing needs of clients. All forms of financial assistance are still available with Case Management handled completely remotely via email and telephone. The Help Yourself Market is currently only available through requests on the grocery forms, but clients can still select which categories to choose, i.e. bread, produce, dairy, etc.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
Since the pandemic began, clients have mostly been submitting paperwork electronically. However, many have run into obstacles with technology issues such as lacking a scanner and/or printer to complete the forms and return them. Also, some found the process confusing and had difficulties completing forms. Tri-Lakes Cares has worked to reduce barriers by condensing our paperwork requirements into a simpler and more user-friendly format. We have also streamlined our intake process through our website where fillable digital forms can be completed and documents can be uploaded into a secure portal. This has made it easier for clients to access our services. Additionally, we started scheduling grocery pick-ups to minimize traffic at our building. We will continue this format as the scheduled appointments have been more convenient for our clients by significantly reducing wait times for being served.
Not Currently Scored
Tri Lakes Cares 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.
Learn More
Tri Lakes Cares reported its three largest programs on its FY 2020 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
Pantry Food and Sundries
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
Self Sufficiency Programs
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
Housing and Utilities
Tri Lakes Cares 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
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 economically-disadvantaged people who are struggling to make ends meet in increasingly difficult economic times.
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 and remedy poor client service experiences, 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, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time, It is hard to come up with good questions to ask people, It is difficult to get honest feedback from our clients, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback
Briefly describe a recent change that your organization made in response to feedback from the people you serve.
In 2017, following review of surveys regarding use of various pantry programs, it was noted that "senior groceries" and TEFAP, were not being utilized to full capacity. In addition, the food received through the Help Yourself market and the Supplemental Pantry covered nearly all requested needs. Consequently, both the senior groceries and the TEFAP programs were discontinued, with more resources put into the remaining pantry programs.
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.
Tri Lakes Cares 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
TRI-LAKES CARES IS A COMMUNITY BASED, VOLUNTEER SUPPORTED, RESOURCE CENTER WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO IMPROVE PEOPLE'S LIVES THROUGH EMERGENCY, RELIEF, AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAMS.
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
“TLC’s vision is to provide a safety-net created by a compassionate team of neighbors helping neighbors.”
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Provide well-rounded and diverse programs that focus on meeting basic necessities such as food, medical care and financial assistance for housing, utilities, car repairs, medical bills, etc.
Goal Type: New program(s) based on observed changes in needs among our constituencies/communities served.
Goal Two: Provide clients with the opportunity to participate in programs that will increase self-sufficiency, including the Getting Ahead Program, budget counseling and post-secondary education assistance
Goal Type: Focus on core programs to achieve mission and scale back on programs not seen as core.
Goal Three: Use our monetary resources in the most fiscally responsible way possible
Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
Our staff have attended approximately 1000 hours of training over 18 months. This includes numerous professional skills building trainings, leadership training on diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as all-staff training on recognizing unconscious biases. Staff are also encouraged to identify training opportunities through their own networks for which they can improve their understanding of relevant subject matter to their profession or improve specific skills. Staff are additionally trained on the various systems our organization uses to manage client's data and track outcomes as well as being able to maximize the use of our donor database.
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
Community Building
Our Executive Directors participates in numerous state and local level boards, including FEMA, CCAA, and others. Our leadership team also attends numerous networking events throughout the community. We regularly promote our client services, contributors, and volunteer opportunities through eblasts and social media. We partner with numerous organizations throughout the community to provide a variety of services for out clients.
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
In early March 2020, the Leadership Team at Tri-Lakes Cares started assessing the potential for increased requests for help as the COVID-19 crisis expanded to a global pandemic and as federal, state and county governments began issuing guidelines and directives to encourage social distancing. Recognizing the need for TLC to be nimble in its responsiveness and to still be able to serve clients in a timely and responsible manner, new protocols were implemented in the beginning of March. Staff members have developed and implemented creative solutions and procedures to ensure that they can efficiently meet the changing needs of clients. To meet the rapid changes in protocols and procedures, staff and volunteers are thoroughly trained and be ready to serve clients on each client services day. Extra payroll dollars have been allocated to cover increased working hours and technology upgrades, as many staff members transitioned to working remotely.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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