2014-10-15T15:13:28-05:00 2014-06-30 631133963 Haynes Downard LLP 2121 2nd Avenue North Suite 400 Birmingham AL 35203 990 2013-07-01 631106040 Better Basics Inc BETT 2059442928 211 Summit Parkway No 108 Birmingham AL 35209 James Bruno Treasurer 2059442928 2014-10-13 1 J Max Campbell Jr P00743822 2052543380 2014-10-13 2013 2015-11-30 17:44:51Z Karen Kapp 211 Summit Parkway No 108 Birmingham AL 35209 2046158 0 X www.betterbasics.org X 1994 AL To make a positive difference in the lives of children and their families by advancing literacy through enrichment and intervention programs. 20 20 99 988 0 0 1513370 1741196 196558 228132 2179 -1781 28895 44025 1741002 2011572 0 0 0 0 792835 971702 44000 30000 135574 486968 614520 1323803 1616222 417199 395350 1590319 2010403 41380 59915 1548939 1950488 X To make a positive difference in the lives of children and their families by advancing literacy through enrichment and intervention programs. 0 0 424694 16340 Better Basics operated three afterschool centers at public schools in Fairfield, AL during the 2013-2014 school year. At the HOPE 21st Century Community Learning Centers we are creating lasting change in the lives of our students, their families, and the community by delivering high-quality afterschool programming that focuses on enriching experiences that empower students to succeed. The HOPE Centers eliminate the disparity in access to academic enrichment that at-risk students often face. A caring and well-trained staff conducts daily activities designed to improve academic achievement in reading and math while encouraging the development of good character. In the 2013-2014 school year, 168 students participated in the program. 280512 51600 The Reading Intervention program provides focused, research-based instruction to struggling readers and targets students that read below grade level. In order to improve students' reading skills, a qualified and trained Better Basics teacher works with students in small groups, three times per week, to provide individual attention to struggling readers. In conjunction with the teacher led small group instruction, volunteers also provide additional students one-on-one mentoring in reading on a weekly basis. In the 2013-2014 school year, our Reading Intervention program was delivered both during and after the school day. Our trained staff of 21 teachers and more than 69 volunteers served 379 students. On average, participating students increased their reading skills and comprehension by five book levels. 198486 The MORE program encourages fourth-grade students to read for pleasure by providing students access to a library of books. Children are encouraged to participate in the program and are rewarded with books and other incentive prizes. Teachers allow students to read selections from the MORE library and to complete book reports to help improve reading comprehension. Students earn a book for every book report that is completed. Often, a MORE prize book is the first book a student has ever owned. In the 2013-2014 school year, 1,818 fourth-grade students were served in the Better Basics MORE program. Classroom volunteers report that students read more than 22,600 books, and students were rewarded with 22,618 books for their home libraries. Volunteers provided 4,680 hours of support to students in the MORE program. 438126 160193 The Schoolwide Enrichment program enhances the classroom experience through educational and cultural presentations delivered at participating schools. Many schools are being forced to eliminate their fine arts programs due to budgetary constraints, and participation in the Schoolwide Enrichment program provides these schools with a means to offer quality programming to their students in an affordable way. Exposure to culturally diverse programs has been shown to improve vocabulary, stimulate imaginations, and encourage creative use of language. Schools can choose from a wide range of cultural and academic programs. In the 2013-2014 school year, the Schoolwide Enrichment program served a total of 13,818 students in 29 schools. A total of 236 arts and educational programs were presented to students across central Alabama.Our second-grade programs, Ready 2 Read and Wise Words, inspire students to read for pleasure by providing libraries of high-interest books for classroom use. By developing a daily habit of reading, students gain creativity and critical thinking skills, thus, creating success in school. These programs utilize prizes to motivate students to reach reading milestones. Volunteers visit classrooms twice per month to read to students and distribute prizes. More than 2,400 students participated in the Ready 2 Read/Wise Words program in the 2013-2014 school year. Students from 122 high-need classrooms read more than 106,000 books and were rewarded with more than 7,080 incentive prizes.Better Basics organized Birmingham Reads during the 2013-2014 fiscal year as a project to encourage the Birmingham community to volunteer and donate to local elementary schools. The Birmingham Reads project is designed to provide quality reading materials to students in our community. The 2014 Birmingham Reads project provided a new book for every student in kindergarten through fifth-grade in Birmingham City Schools. A grand total of 13,971 students received new books to take home. More than 600 community volunteers visited classrooms and read the new books to students. A community book drive was also held in conjunction with Birmingham Reads Day and collected books to be distributed in low-income communities through the other Better Basics programs. In 2014, approximately 40,000 books were collected through this book drive.The Summer Learning program is designed to alleviate summer learning loss among at risk students. During the summer months, Better Basics partners with community organizations to deliver high-quality reading and math enrichment programming to keep students' minds active in anticipation of the upcoming academic year. Our camps keep students' minds engaged through high-interest experiential learning activities tailored by a certified teacher to the needs of strategic students. During the summer of 2014, Better Basics provided 172 students with creative and informative lessons at six host-agency sites located in Birmingham. Students gained an average of three months in reading and math achievement in our six week camps. The Dolly Parton Imagination Library, Better Basics' newest program delivers age-appropriate books to children, aged birth to five years old, to encourage healthy reading habits at an early age. Many students enter kindergarten having little experience reading and a low-vocabulary not often prepared for the first year of school. The Imagination Library encourages family literacy by giving parents and guardians the tools necessary for creating a healthy reading environment at home. By sending monthly books directly to the homes of low-income families, the Imagination Library ensures that all families have access to high-quality books, regardless of income. Better Basics provided more than 13,000 books to children beginning in January 2014. 438126 160193 1341818 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 30 0 1 99 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 X 20 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 AL X X X Debbie Dziedzic 2059442928 211 Summit Parkway Suite 108 Birmingham AL 35209 John Brown Director 1.00 X 0 0 0 Ragan Cain Director 1.00 X 0 0 0 Eligah Dane Clark Director 1.00 X 0 0 0 Milton Davis Director 1.00 X 0 0 0 Shirley Fagan Director 1.00 X 0 0 0 Crystal Lent Hunnicutt Director 1.00 X 0 0 0 Frank James Director 1.00 X 0 0 0 Darryl Jones Director 1.00 X 0 0 0 Denise Mathews Director 1.00 X 0 0 0 Malcolm MillerJr Director 1.00 X 0 0 0 Anoop Mishra Director 1.00 X 0 0 0 Kym Prewitt Director 1.00 X 0 0 0 Dr Thomas Rains Director 1.00 X 0 0 0 Valerie Ramsbacher Director 1.00 X 0 0 0 Deborah Voltz Director 1.00 X 0 0 0 Linda White Director 1.00 X 0 0 0 Tamula Yelling Director 1.00 X 0 0 0 Kevin Sutton President 2.00 X X 0 0 0 David Barringer Vice President 2.00 X X 0 0 0 James Bruno Treasurer 2.00 X 0 0 0 Karen Kapp Executive Director 40.00 X 68810 0 0 68810 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 161465 736794 842937 107675 1741196 Program service fees 611710 228132 228132 228132 2517 2517 4298 -4298 -4298 -4298 74313 30288 44025 44025 2011572 223834 0 46542 68810 59865 5464 3481 800059 680443 57686 61930 25411 19574 2391 3446 77422 66367 5281 5774 11095 11095 30000 30000 2170 2170 7318 5449 811 1058 21644 19837 489 1318 23013 22820 193 13121 13121 Distribution of donated 147398 146390 1008 Enrichment activities 120606 120606 Rent and utilities 84994 65072 17981 1941 Program supplies 66360 64013 537 1810 116801 71382 22773 22646 1616222 1341818 138830 135574 1016833 1414632 364236 371318 106 9500 85687 39585 255249 143634 116086 111615 56382 7371 7371 1590319 2010403 3308 4319 5000 3000 33072 52596 41380 59915 X 912840 963880 636099 986608 1548939 1950488 1590319 2010403 395350 6199 0 X X 0 1 X 1 0 X 1112983 1023477 1118582 1512359 1734513 6501914 1112983 1023477 1118582 1512359 1734513 6501914 6501914 2671 2602 2870 2179 2517 12839 6514753 0.99800 0.99750 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 255249 143634 111615 111615 Vacation payable 4052 Accrued payroll 48544 52596 X 2017771 6199 6199 2011572 0 2011572 1616222 0 1616222 0 1616222 Part X, Line 2: As of June 30, 2014, the Organization has no uncertain tax positions that qualify for recognition or disclosure in the financial statements. X X X X X X 1 Swatek Azbell Howe & Ross 105 Tallapoosa Street Ste 307 Montgomery AL 36104 Government Affairs and Strategic Management 0 250000 30000 220000 250000 30000 220000 AL 20 in '14 Celebration 74313 74313 30288 74313 74313 30288 30288 44025 X 26049 Valued at cost X 16433 Valued at cost X Program suppl 0 9477 Valued at cost X Fundraising s 0 986 Valued at cost 0 1 0 Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 11 The Finance Committee, Operations Director and Executive Director review and approve the Form 990. Board memebers are provided a copy before it is filed with the IRS. Board members are asked to confirm their receipt of the document. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 12c Each staff member is given a copy of the personnel policies and procedures manual which includes the conflict of interest policy. Staff members are required to sign a conflict of interest policy upon hire and once per year during a scheduled staff meeting. Each year in January, board members are required to sign a Conflict of Interest Policy Affirmation and Disclosure Statement. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 15 Compensation for the Executive Director is reviewed by the Operations Committee and approved by the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors during April of each year. Board meeting minutes and notifications of board decisions are kept on record to substantiate any changes in compensation. The Operations Committee and/or Executive Committee of the Board of Directors reviews the pay scale annually for all other employees. Comparability data for all positions is gathered from salary reports of non-profit organizations across the state as well as from salary reports of organizations (both non-profit and for profit) within the Birmingham area. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, line 19 The organization makes its Form 990 and audited financial statements available to the public through the websites guidestar.com and betterbasics.org. The organization's governing documents, etc. are available upon request. Form 990, Page 12, Line C The organization has not changed its process for oversight of the audit from the prior year.