VOA Alaska
Accredited Charity
Meets Standards
Accredited Charity
Meets Standards
Standards Legend
- Meets Standards
- Standards Not Met
- Did Not Disclose
- Review In Progress
- Unable to Verify
Standards For Charity Accountability
Governance
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Board Oversight
Oversight of Operations and Staff: Standard 1
Description
Organizations shall have a board of directors that provides adequate oversight of the charity's operations and its staff. Indication of adequate oversight includes, but is not limited to, regularly scheduled appraisals of the CEO's performance, evidence of disbursement controls such as board approval of the budget, fundraising practices, establishment of a conflict of interest policy, and establishment of accounting procedures sufficient to safeguard charity finances.The organization meets this standard.
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Board Size
Number of Board Members: Standard 2
Description
Soliciting organizations shall have a board of directors with a minimum of five voting members.The organization meets this standard.
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Board Meetings
Frequency and Attendance of Board Meetings: Standard 3
Description
An organization shall have a minimum of three evenly spaced meetings per year of the full governing body with a majority in attendance, with face-to-face participation. A conference call of the full board can substitute for one of the three meetings of the governing body. For all meetings, alternative modes of participation are acceptable for those with physical disabilities.The organization meets this standard.
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Board Compensation
Compensated Board Members: Standard 4
Description
Not more than one or 10% (whichever is greater) directly or indirectly compensated person(s) serving as voting member(s) of the board. Compensated members shall not serve as the board's chair or treasurer.The organization meets this standard.
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Conflict of Interest
Conflict of Interest: Standard 5
Description
No transaction(s) in which any board or staff members have material conflicting interests with the charity resulting from any relationship or business affiliation. Factors that will be considered when concluding whether or not a related party transaction constitutes a conflict of interest and if such a conflict is material, include, but are not limited to: any arm's length procedures established by the charity; the size of the transaction relative to like expenses of the charity; whether the interested party participated in the board vote on the transaction; if competitive bids were sought and whether the transaction is one-time, recurring or ongoing.The organization meets this standard.
Measuring Effectiveness
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Effectiveness Policy
Board Policy on Effectiveness: Standard 6
Description
Have a board policy of assessing, no less than every two years, the organization's performance and effectiveness and of determining future actions required to achieve its mission.The organization meets this standard.
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Effectiveness Report
Board Approval of Written Report on Effectiveness: Standard 7
Description
Submit to the organization's governing body, for its approval, a written report that outlines the results of the aforementioned performance and effectiveness assessment and recommendations for future actions.The organization meets this standard.
Finances
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Program Expenses
Program Service Expense Ratio: Standard 8
Description
Spend at least 65% of its total expenses on program activities.The organization meets this standard.
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Fundraising Expenses
Fundraising Expense Ratio: Standard 9
Description
Spending should be no more than 35% of related contributions on fundraising. Related contributions include donations, legacies, and other gifts received as a result of fundraising efforts.The organization meets this standard.
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Accumulating Funds
Ending Net Assets: Standard 10
Description
Avoid accumulating funds that could be used for current program activities. To meet this standard, the charity's unrestricted net assets available for use should not be more than three times the size of the past year's expenses or three times the size of the current year's budget, whichever is higher.The organization meets this standard.
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Audit Report
Financial Statements: Standard 11
Description
Make available to all, on request, complete annual financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. When total annual gross income exceeds $1 million, these statements should be audited in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. For charities whose annual gross income is less than $1 million, a review by a certified public accountant is sufficient to meet this standard. For charities whose annual gross income is less than $250,000, an internally produced, complete financial statement is sufficient to meet this standard.The organization meets this standard.
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Detailed Expense Breakdown
Detailed Functional Breakdown of Expenses: Standard 12
Description
Include in the financial statements a breakdown of expenses (e.g., salaries, travel, postage, etc.) that shows what portion of these expenses was allocated to program, fundraising, and administrative activities. If the charity has more than one major program category, the schedule should provide a breakdown for each category.The organization meets this standard.
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Accurate Expense Reporting
Accuracy of Expenses in Financial Statements: Standard 13
Description
Accurately report the charity's expenses, including any joint cost allocations, in its financial statements. For example, audited or unaudited statements which inaccurately claim zero fundraising expenses or otherwise understate the amount a charity spends on fundraising, and/or overstate the amount it spends on programs will not meet this standard.The organization meets this standard.
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Budget Plan
Budget: Standard 14
Description
Have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year, outlining projected expenses for major program activities, fundraising, and administration.The organization meets this standard.
Fundraising & Info
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Truthful Materials
Misleading Appeals: Standard 15
Description
Have solicitations and informational materials, distributed by any means, that are accurate, truthful and not misleading, both in whole and in part. Appeals that omit a clear description of program(s) for which contributions are sought will not meet this standard. A charity should also be able to substantiate that the timing and nature of its expenditures are in accordance with what is stated, expressed, or implied in the charity's solicitations.The organization meets this standard.
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Annual Report
Annual Report: Standard 16
Description
Have an annual report available to all, on request, that includes: (a) the organization's mission statement, (b) a summary of the past year's program service accomplishments, (c) a roster of the officers and members of the board of directors, (d) financial information that includes (i) total income in the past fiscal year, (ii) expenses in the same program, fundraising and administrative categories as in the financial statements, and (iii) ending net assets.The organization meets this standard.
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Website Disclosures
Web Site Disclosures: Standard 17
Description
Include on any charity websites that solicit contributions, the same information that is recommended for annual reports, as well as the mailing address of the charity and electronic access to its most recent IRS Form 990.The organization meets this standard.
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Donor Privacy
Privacy for Written Appeals & Internet Privacy: Standard 18
Description
Address privacy concerns of donors by (a) providing in written appeals, at least annually, a means (e.g., such as a check off box) for both new and continuing donors to inform the charity if they do not want their name and address shared outside the organization, (b) providing a clear, prominent and easily accessible privacy policy on any of its websites that tells visitors (i) what information, if any, is being collected about them by the charity and how this information will be used, (ii) how to contact the charity to review personal information collected and request corrections, (iii) how to inform the charity (e.g., a check off box) that the visitor does not wish his/her personal information to be shared outside the organization, and (iv) what security measures the charity has in place to protect personal information.The organization meets this standard.
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Cause Marketing Disclosures
Cause Related Marketing: Standard 19
Description
Clearly disclose how the charity benefits from the sale of products or services (i.e., cause-related marketing) that state or imply that a charity will benefit from a consumer sale or transaction. Such promotions should disclose, at the point of solicitation: (a) the actual or anticipated portion of the purchase price that will benefit the charity (e.g., 5 cents will be contributed to abc charity for every xyz company product sold), (b) the duration of the campaign (e.g., the month of October), (c) any maximum or guaranteed minimum contribution amount (e.g., up to a maximum of $200,000).The organization meets this standard.
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Complaints
Complaints: Standard 20
Description
Respond promptly to and act on complaints brought to its attention by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and/or local Better Business Bureaus about fundraising practices, privacy policy violations and/or other issues.The organization meets this standard.
Conclusion
VOA Alaska meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
Purpose
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Year, State Incorporated
1987, AK
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Stated Purpose
To empower Alaskans and uplift thehuman spirit through recovery services, housing, and promoting healthycommunities.
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Also Known As:
Volunteers of America Alaska, Volunteers of America A R C H, Alaska Youth Substance Abuse Program, Volunteers of America
Programs
VOA Alaska's behavioral health professionalseducate and support youth struggling with substance misuse and mental healthconditions, while also providing a safe space for healing. The permanentsupportive housing team uses an evidence based, housing-first approach tonavigate transitional youth to recovery by securing housing and building lifeskills. The public health team is on the front line of prevention, working tostrengthen and promote healthy communities. The Kinship Family Program, themost comprehensive program of its kind in Alaska, serves families taking careof relative children.Public Health & Prevention: Works to strengthen and promote healthycommunities with programs such as Prime for Life, Kinship Care, Camp Hope, andthe Adolescent Substance Misuse Prevention Coalition. VOA Alaska conductsregular drug information classes for youth and adults; create public publiceducation campaigns to encourage healthy behaviors and prevention; distributetobacco quit-kits, drug disposal bags, and other prevention resources; and leada coalition of stakeholders to produce efforts to address substance misuse. - PRIME for Life (PFL) is an evidence-based prevention and intervention programwhich helps people learn to reduce their risks of alcohol and drug relatedproblems throughout life. This important two-day alcohol and drug riskreduction program is designed for people who have begun using alcohol and otherdrugs, or who are part of a group where some alcohol and drug use is likely. - Anchorage Adolescent Substance Misuse Prevention Coalition is a broad-based,multi-sector coalition of community stakeholders invested in preventingadolescent substance misuse in Anchorage through the promotion of healthybehaviors in youth and their families. Youth Behavioral Health: VOA Alaska believes in the power of human connection,and we are guided by our values to support the youth who engage in ourservices.- ASSIST Outpatient serves youth 12-24 years of age who are struggling withsubstance misuse and mental health conditions that have impacted their qualityof life. Services include assessment, appropriate placement with individual andfamily case management and coordination, education, individual, family andgroup therapy. Counseling services are available for (but not limited to)physical or sexual abuse, substance use disorders, anger management, anxiety,assessment and referral, attention deficit disorder (ADD), cognitive behavioraltherapy, community crisis stabilization, community psych support and treatment,co-occuring disorders, crisis intervention, day treatment, depression,dialectical behavioral therapy, disorders, evaluation and assessment, familypeer support services (FPSS), family therapy, group therapy, health andbehavior assessment and intervention, mobile mental health treatment, mooddisorder, positive behavioral interventions and supports, post-traumatic stressdisorder (PTSD), and serious mental illness, multi-systematic therapy, sexualabuse evaluation, tele-health, trauma informed care, trauma therapy, and youthsupport.- School-Based Mental Health provides trauma-informed care for youth strugglingwith mental health conditions, such as ADHD, depression, and anxiety, in fourAnchorage schools: Begich Middle School, Barlett High School, East High School,and Benny Benson. VOA’s mental health clinicians are an integral part of the schoolclimate in which they are based and improve the overall health and wellness ofthe overall school population. Seeking and receiving help is one less source ofstress for these students and their families.- Intensive Outpatient: VOA Alaska’s intensive-outpatient program providesincreased structure and more frequent contact to help youth recover fromchemical dependency. Groups and individual sessions are designed to increasethe awareness of the youth’s substance use disorder and its impact, increasethe youth’s motivation for change, increase interpersonal communication andcoping skills, reduce mental health symptoms, reduce destructive behavior andincrease the ability to identify, express and manage feelings appropriately.All clients are strongly encouraged to attend Alcoholics Anonymous, or similarprograms, as part of their treatment plan. The 12-week program consists of 10to 12 hours of treatment per week in the form of group, family, and individualcounseling. Family support and education is also provided in weekly,multi-family group sessions.- Transitions Program uses the Transition to Independence Processevidence-based model to provide counseling, support, and overall navigationassistance of needed resources. The Transitions team serves all VOA Alaskaenrolled youth between the ages of 14 and 24 years old.Adolescent Residential Center for Help: Serves youth 13-18 years of age withsubstance misuse and mental health conditions requiring 24/7 residential care.Youth are supported in a safe, structured living environment which offers anopportunity to stabilize and engage in effective care. We place strong emphasison building the skills necessary for lasting recovery by maximizing individualstrengths and building healthy, supportive relationships.Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH): The PSH program identifies the mostvulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness between the ages of 18-24years of age and places them into permanent housing with supports. Supportsencompass daily living, case management, and treatment for substance misuse andmental health conditions. Permanent Supportive Housing is an Evidence-BasedPractice that pairs affordable housing with support services and addresseschronic homelessness and instability of those living on the street and who aremost vulnerable and most likely to die without intervention. PSH connectsclients with benefits, community resources, life-skills classes such asbudgeting and cooking, and employment and education counseling. Additionally,clinicians help clients address a number of mental health and substance misuseconcerns. Affordable Housing: VOA Alaska creates and manages low and moderate-incomelevel housing for the homeless, families with children, the elderly, veteransand their families, and people with disabilities, including physical and mentaldisabilities. Providing a safe, stable place for seniors, families and thosewith special needs to live allows us to also offer the services we are knownfor in settings where our clients and residents feel safe and cared for.Kinship Family Program: A one-of-a-kind, statewide program providing resourcesand support for Alaskans caring for their family members' children. Allservices are free and confidential for families who are the primary caregiversof relative children under the age of 18. Some of the resources this programprovides Alaskan families:- Monthly support groups for family members- Case management services- Community resources and referrals- Respite care resources and referrals- Lending library: books and resources for parents and children- Advocacy and supportive informational services- Statewide monthly newsletters full of resources and information- Supplemental financial assistance
For the year ended June 30, 2022, VOA Alaska program expenses were:
| Encouraging positive development | $355,941 |
| Fostering independence | $1,585,461 |
| Promoting self sufficiency | $5,299,672 |
| Program Expenses | $7,241,074 |
Governance & Staff
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CEO
Mrs. Julia Luey, President/CEO
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Board Chair
Mr. Donald Winchester, Partner, Retired
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Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Vend Alaska
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Board Size
13
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Paid Staff Size
113
Fundraising
Method(s) Used:
Invitations to fundraising events, Print advertisements (newspapers, magazines, etc.), Radio, Grant proposals, Internet, Appeals via Social Media (Facebook, etc.).
% of Related Contributions on Fundraising: 3.93%
Tax Status
This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
Financial
The following information is based on VOA Alaska's Audited financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022
| Source of Funds | |
|---|---|
| Government grants | $6,821,899 |
| Program service fees | $1,561,004 |
| Contributions | $596,121 |
| Special events, net of direct benefit costs | $113,750 |
| United Way | $66,148 |
| Contributed services, at fair value | $54,525 |
| Contributions, in-kind goods and materials | $27,056 |
| Other operating income | $26,194 |
| Contributions, in-kind space use | $20,000 |
| Volunteers of America | $19,000 |
| Interest income, net | $15,720 |
| Gain on disposition of fixed assets | $5,500 |
| Combined Federal Campaign | $143 |
| Realized/unrealized loss, net | $-111,032 |
| Total Income | $9,216,028 |
Breakdown of Expenses
| Total Income | $9,216,028 |
| Total Expenses: | $8,795,550 |
| Program Expenses | $7,241,074 |
| Fundraising Expenses | $303,116 |
| Administrative Expenses | $1,251,360 |
| Other Expenses | $0 |
| Income in Excess of Expenses | $420,478 |
| Beginning Net Assets | $8,851,258 |
| Other Changes In Net Assets | $0 |
| Ending Net Assets | $9,271,736 |
| Total Liabilities | $938,786 |
| Total Assets | $10,210,522 |
An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau ® is a registered service mark of International Association of Better Business Bureaus.
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