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Education : Youth Education Programs and Services

Better Basics

Empowering Children - Reducing Illiteracy - Improving the Community

four stars

90.95

1231 2nd Avenue South Birmingham, AL 35233
tel: (205) 944-2928   Web Site
EIN: 63-1106040

Board Leadership
Andrew Nix
President

CEO
Kristi Bradford
Executive Director

 
 
  Score
(out of 100) 		Rating
Overall Score & Rating 90.95 four stars
  Financial 87.21 three stars
  Accountability & Transparency 100.00 four stars
This rating was published 04/01/2020 and includes data from FY2019, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?

Better Basics' mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of children and their families by advancing literacy through enrichment and intervention programs. Incorporated in 1994, we currently provide our services to schools in Birmingham City and surrounding school systems. During the 2019-2020 school year, Better Basics served over 23,000 children, gave away over 47,000 books to at-risk children, and deployed over 1000 volunteers.

Better Basics' mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of children and their families by advancing literacy through enrichment and intervention programs. Incorporated in 1994, we currently provide our services to schools in Birmingham City and surrounding school systems. During the 2019-2020 school year, Better Basics served over 23,000 children, gave away over 47,000 books to at-risk children, and deployed over 1000 volunteers.

Impact Information

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GuideStar is Charity Navigator's trusted partner in sharing information on how this organization seeks impact.  GuideStar has recognized this organization with a Platinum Seal of Transparency for voluntarily and publicly sharing information about how they measure their progress and results.  Learn More about Impact Information.
Reported Results
Total in 2018
Number of children served
23,288
Number of books distributed
47,143
Number of volunteers
1,008
This organization has earned a GuideStar's Platinum Seal of Transparency by voluntarily sharing the measures of progress and results they use to pursue their mission. Organizations earn Platinum Seals by selecting from a catalog of over 900 expert recognized metrics or by creating a new metric that best fits their work. This information is reported by the organization and displayed publicly on their GuideStar Nonprofit Profile. With over 1.6 million Nonprofit Profiles, 9 million annual visitors and over 200 data partners, GuideStar is the world's leading source of information about nonprofit organizations. A nonprofit itself, GuideStar is dedicated to providing better data for better decisions for a better world.
This impact information is current as of August 2020, when it was provided to us by GuideStar. At this time, Impact information published on this organization's page has no effect on its rating per our methodology.

Learn more about how we calculate the overall score and rating.

Financial

three stars

87.21

Accountability & Transparency

four stars

100.00

This rating was published 04/01/2020 and includes data from FY2019, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?
Overall Rating Chart
  Program Expenses
(Percent of the charity's total expenses spent on the programs
and services it delivers)		 84.0%
  Administrative Expenses 7.4%
  Fundraising Expenses 8.4%
  Fundraising Efficiency $0.10
  Working Capital Ratio (years) 1.75
  Program Expenses Growth -13.7%
  Liabilities to Assets 1.2%
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by Better Basics on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by Better Basics on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
Information Provided on the Form 990  
  Independent Voting Board Members
  No Material diversion of assets
  Audited financials prepared by independent accountant
  Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From related parties
  Documents Board Meeting Minutes
  Provided copy of Form 990 to organization's governing body in advance of filing
  Conflict of Interest Policy
  Whistleblower Policy
  Records Retention and Destruction Policy
  CEO listed with salary
  Process for determining CEO compensation
  Board Listed / Board Members Not Compensated
Is the following information easily accessible on the charity's website?  
  Donor Privacy Policy
  Board Members Listed
  Audited Financials
  Form 990
  Key staff listed

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
Better Basics (AL) 90.95 four stars
Reading Partners (CA) 87.60 three stars
Literary Arts (OR) 86.10 three stars
Reach Out and Read of Greater New York (NY) 87.30 three stars
Page Ahead Children's Literacy Program (WA) 97.98 four stars

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

REVENUE  
Contributions  
   Contributions, Gifts & Grants $492,362
   Federated Campaigns $169,717
   Membership Dues $0
   Fundraising Events $0
   Related Organizations $0
   Government Grants $351,697
Total Contributions $1,013,776
   Program Service Revenue $162,935
Total Primary Revenue $1,176,711
   Other Revenue $84,587
TOTAL REVENUE $1,261,298
   
EXPENSES  
   Program Expenses $964,971
   Administrative Expenses $116,168
   Fundraising Expenses $124,924
TOTAL FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES $1,206,063
   
Payments to Affiliates $0
Excess (or Deficit) for the year $55,235
   
Net Assets $2,402,737

Program names and associated costs are listed for the top programs as reported on the charity's most recently filed Form 990. The top programs displayed will include the largest three programs, or those programs covering at least 60% of the charity's total expenses, whichever comes first.

Program Name Amount Spent % of Program Expenses
Hope Centers $293,140 30.4%
Reading Intervention Program $253,264 26.2%
Summer Brain Gain $112,626 11.7%

Ratings History
Better Basics has received 9 consecutive 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator.

Form 990 FYE Date Published Overall Score Overall Rating
CN 2.1
2019-06 04/01/2020 90.95 four stars
2018-06 02/01/2020 92.38 four stars
2018-06 04/01/2019 91.36 four stars
2017-06 05/01/2018 92.38 four stars
2016-06 05/01/2017 95.05 four stars
2015-06 06/01/2016 97.97 four stars
 
CN 2.0
2014-06 08/01/2015 98.09 four stars
2013-06 11/01/2014 91.86 four stars
2013-06 06/01/2014 90.47 four stars
2012-06 06/01/2013 91.47 four stars
2011-06 07/01/2012 90.90 four stars
2010-06 09/20/2011 79.21 two stars
 
CN 1.0
2010-06 06/01/2011 74.71 two stars
2009-06 07/01/2010 68.16 one star
2008-06 09/01/2009 62.12 one star
2007-06 06/01/2008 63.77 one star
2006-06 05/01/2007 85.42 three stars
2005-06 06/01/2006 90.96 four stars
2004-06 04/01/2005 90.67 four stars

The data displayed on this tab is provided by the IRS in the form of Publication 78 and the Business Master File (BMF).

EIN 63-1106040
Name in IRS Master File BETTER BASICS INC
NTEE Code I21
NTEE Classification Delinquency Prevention
NTEE Type Crime, Legal-Related
Classification Educational Organization
Subsection 501(c)(3)  (View the list of codes)
Activities (59) Other school related activities
(328) Combat juvenile delinquency
Foundation Status Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public   170(b)(1)(A)(vi)
Deductibility Contributions are deductible
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).
Group Name [Not Applicable]
Ruling Date July, 1994
Filing Requirement 990 (all other) or 990EZ return
Fiscal Year End June
IRS Forms 990
(provided courtesy of Foundation Center)		 (Log In or Register Now to View Forms 990!)
  • June, 2018
  • June, 2017
  • June, 2016
  • June, 2015
  • June, 2014
Compensation % of Expenses Paid to Title
$82,981 6.88% Kristi Bradford Executive Director

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
Better Basics (AL) 90.95 four stars
Open Books (IL) 86.65 three stars
Reach Out and Read of Greater New York (NY) 87.30 three stars
Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA (TX) 86.31 three stars
Readworks (NY) 92.74 four stars

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

This charity has an official representative registered with Charity Navigator.

Charity Contact Info

Better Basics
1231 2nd Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35233
tel: (205) 944-2928
fax: (205) 945-8159
EIN: 63-1106040

Visit Web Site

Board Leadership

Andrew Nix
President

CEO

Kristi Bradford
Executive Director

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