Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central California

What it reported doing in 2024

High school bigs: many rural and economically depressed communities lack an adequate pool of volunteers who have the time and/or resources to serve as a mentor. To overcome this obstacle, we offer a site based program that utilizes high school students to serve as mentors (bigs) to elementary aged children (littles). The highschool bigs program operates once each week for approximately 90 minutes on an elementary school site under the supervision of a match support specialist from bbbs of central California. Both the high school and elementary students are referred to school administrators from among students they feel would benefit. We offered this program at 14 elementary school sites, serving a total of 560 students. Community based matches: children between ages of 6 - 18 who are facing adversity are provided one-to-one mentoring by a rigorously screened, vetted and trained adult volunteer. Matches are carefully monitored and supported by professional staff. Mentors commit to spend a minimum of 3-4 hours per week for at least one year. The average length of a match exceeds 22 months; while for some it is the beginning of a life long relationship. Our evidence-based program produces overwhelming positive effects on children by developing improved attitudes toward school, achieving higher grades and improving relationships with adults and peers. They are less likely to skip school, skip a class, use illegal drugs or alcohol or hit someone. Mentors provide emotional support to their mentees by coaching them in how to better cope and express their emotions in a healthy manner. During the current fiscal year, 107 children were served in this program. Lunch buddy/site based mentoring: adult site based mentors meet the same rigorous background checks and standards as do those participating in our community based program. The biggest difference is that they meet and spend time with their mentee (little), typically once each week for approximately one hour, at a school site or community center rather than out in the community. This is an alternative for those who wish to participate but can't make the time commitment required of the community based mentors. During the current fiscal year, we supported 2 site based matches.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 65%; rating input score 65
• Program expense ratio: 82.9%; rating input score 83
• Fundraising efficiency: $30.87 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 70; 70th 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: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Limited
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 6 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 86
  • 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: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 21.9%; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.94; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 11.1% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 9.8% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 19% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings