Craft Emergency Relief Fund Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Outreach, marketing & advocacy cerf+ maintains an active list of over 35,448 individuals, organizations, and arts businesses that receive email alerts before, during, and after a disaster. Cerf+ also sends e-newsletters on a regular basis to ensure that artists receive up-to-date information, including grant opportunities, educational resources, and federal and state assistance packages. Our increased social media engagement resulted in 13,900+ instagram followers (+1200), 8,300+ facebook followers (+100), and 687 linkedin (+126) followers. Cerf+ continues to play an active role as a steering committee member of the national coalition for arts' preparedness and emergency response (ncaper). Over the past year, ncaper has shifted focus back to response supporting groups during disaster events. We serve on the steering committee of the Vermont arts & culture disaster and resilience network, an initiative led by arts and culture organizations from across the state committed to deepening emergency preparedness and resilience within the arts and culture sector. Cerf+ participates in many nationwide cohorts of arts service organizations such as the living traditions network, a nationwide network of organizations and culture bearers focused on sharing and developing resources to support folk & traditional artists. And the heritage emergency national task force (hentf), sponsored by the smithsonian institution and fema, continues to increase recognition for our specialized expertise in artists disaster preparedness and recovery. We also participate in the national volunteer organizations active in disaster, appalachian funders network, world craft council, the cultural advocacy group and other national network/cohorts. These relationships are vital to inform and be informed around leading trends and evolving practices related to supporting individual artists. Cerf+ website and online content we continue to update our website with new content on a regular basis. After each major disaster in an area that affected a significant number of craft artists, cerf+ created a website banner that links to an updated disaster relief page with disaster response & recovery resources. Our website has been the go-to destination for artists seeking emergency resources. Cerf+ completed a comprehensive update of both content and graphics for all studio protector materials and developed a detailed guide to emergency preparedness for artists. Cerf+ greatly expanded its other resources page to include information about grants and trainings that other organizations offer to artists as well. We also maintain a "disaster resource hub," which provides alerts, information, and resources on specific disaster events. Other additions to the site include new craft artist interviews and stories as well as new content related to our get ready grant program created by recipients of those grants. We also updated the emergency relief information pages to include spanish translation. Our website is now included on many state, regional, and national arts agencies- and organizations' websites and blogs with disaster-specific information. Finally, we continued writing blog articles, which feature craft artists, organizations, and other topics relevant to our audience.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 84.3%; rating input score 84
• Program expense ratio: 88.3%; rating input score 88
• Fundraising efficiency: $21.1 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Missing
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 99.7%; rating input score 100; 40th 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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 5.8%; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.73; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.05; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 4.4%; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 17.3% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 13.1% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 11.2% per year; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings