Action Resources International

What it reported doing in 2024

See Schedule OAction Resources International (ARI) continues to serve as the sponsoring organization for Foster Grandparents of the Wyoming Rockies (FGP), which currently operates in seven Wyoming counties covering an area of just under 36,000 square miles: Albany, Carbon, Sweetwater, Uinta, Lincoln, Sheridan and Johnson. Focus continues in the area of community strengthening activities of K-12 success and school readiness, with a small percentage of complementary activities in child safety, welfare and health. ARI provides infrastructure support and program management oversight including a community-led advisory council; a home base, office space and materials support; and fiscal, personnel and programmatic responsibility for the program. Over 40 FGP volunteers continue to serve this program across the state. Their contributions to the community helped southeast Wyoming prevail over the pandemic and are now poised to help with the remaining long-term social, health and financial impact.The primary focus area of this program is education. It measurably contributes to improved educational outcomes for economically-disadvantaged children, and for children with special and/or exceptional needs. Wyoming is made up of predominantly rural mountain communities that are geographically isolated, location and climate challenged, facing a variety of challenges that affect educational success, while being populated by people who come from varied life experiences that are anchored in a local culture of self-sufficiency, resilience and a great capacity for developing and implementing solutions to complex problems. The cost of living in the project's seven county service areas is high, and the wages available to most community members are low; chronic health challenges, poverty and persistent food insecurity are significant. The geography of Wyoming is a key factor in the story and challenge of daily life here. Wyoming is the tenth largest state by land size, yet has the second lowest population density. The population of the state has declined every year since the economic downturn started a few years ago. Just over 586,000 people lived in the state in 2016; today, there are just under 580,000 residents in a geographic area that could contain all the states of New England and then some. Additionally, Wyoming has an economy which closely follows a boom-and-bust cycle typical where extractive energy resources are key to state revenue. Foster Grandparents of the Wyoming Rockies' 7 counties are divided into 3 distinct service areas: Laramie and Sheridan, for which there is a Project Coordinator each, and the Western Wyoming area which is served long distance. The program as a whole is well positioned to continue to move forward and continue to grow. As a leader in establishing and facilitating partnerships for the advancement of community strengthening and the reduction of educational, social and health disparities, ARI will continue to meet priority work-plan directed outputs and resulting outcomes by all FGP volunteers. ARI will also aid the program staff and coordinators in identifying successes, barriers and opportunities for not only retaining FGP volunteers, but increasing service-learning opportunities for current volunteers and outreach to increase diversity among staff, volunteers and program recipients. ARI provides its own network of collaboration and communication with Wyoming's elder population. In Albany County, ARI's flagship food security program, Feeding Laramie Valley (FLV), works extensively with community elders as advisors, volunteers and program service recipients. Since 2011, FLV has provided locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables every week to a large number of Foster Grandparents through its Shares program, at no charge. FGWR remains committed to the goal of developing and implementing training and outreach that is more inclusive of minority and traditionally disenfranchised populations, and pays careful attention to

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 74.5%; rating input score 75
• Program expense ratio: 71.7%; rating input score 72
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 91.7%; rating input score 92; 12th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 60%; rating input score 60; 12th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -4.1%; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.09; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 6.23; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 14.5%; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 7.1% per year; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 10.3% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 19.7% per year; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings