Assistance League of San Luis Obispo Co

What it reported doing in 2025

Assistance leagues philanthropic program, operation school bell, provides new school appropriate clothing to students in need, kindergarten through 12th grades in all ten (10) school districts in san luis obispo county. Students are referred by school personnel and social service agencies. Shelters refer families to their childrens school for referrals. Clothing appointments are scheduled and students are treated to a retail shopping experience at local retail stores. Clothing appointments begin in the fall and continue through the school year. Kindergarten through 5th grade students each receive $175 in shopping credit. 6th through 12th grade students receive $225 in shopping credit. The shopping credit is used strictly for purchasing school appropriate clothing and shoes. Retail stores honor our tax-exempt status and provide additional discounts. Our member volunteers supervise the shopping. In addition, each student and their pre-school siblings are able to select a book of their choice of grade appropriate literature. Each student also receives a tote filled with grade appropriate school supplies. During the 2025-26 school year, 2,002 students received the services of operation school bell throug allocated school referrals. In addition, 122 students were served through a collaboration with the paso robles rotary club, the independent grape growers paso robles, and the san luis obispo rotary de tolosa. In all, 2,124 students received clothing and school supplies through operation school bell. Access career education grant (ace) was established in 2023/24 in collaboration with cuesta college. The grant is intented to provide funding for required tools and materials to cuesta college students in need who are enrolled in career education/trades progams. The grant monies provides necessary funding for the required tools and materials, beyond tuition.this grant year, $6,400 was divided among 50 cuesta college students in career progams from architechture to welding.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 92.1%; rating input score 92
• Program expense ratio: 87.1%; rating input score 87
• Fundraising efficiency: $9.49 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 7 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -5.7%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.39; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.36; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 9.9% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 8.8% per year; rating input score 100; 56th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 9.9% per year; rating input score 100; 55th percentile among comparable filings