Craven Smart Start Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Child Care Resource & Referral PSC:3104 Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) is aligned with the North Carolina CCR&R System to provide CCR&R services that meet NC CCR&R Council-specific outputs and outcomes. Services may include technical assistance, training for childcare providers, consumer education, and/or consumer referral. Services that are provided in this activity include: (1) Technical assistance: Technical assistance in the form of coaching and modeling provided to early childhood educators working in start-ups, licensed and/or G.S. 110 childcare facilities serving children from birth to five years old. The Technical Assistance activity will focus on improving Participating Facilities' Star Levels, Participating Facilities' Star Rating Education and Program Standards points, and ITERS/ECERS/FCCERS scores. (2) Training for childcare providers: Training for DCDEE credit hours provided on childcare-related topics and coordination of CEU opportunities. (3) Consumer education: Information and/or education to families about quality childcare. 4) Consumer referral: Referring families to local childcare options. This activity will offer a variety of materials to support childcare providers and families of young children in their learning and development. This activity will provide access to child development resources and materials, including, but not limited to, books, manipulatives, reference materials, and curriculum kits. Items for checkout will be available to educators, families with children aged 5 years or younger, college students, early interventionists, etc. Guidance on the appropriate use of the materials may be provided. This activity will also serve as a resource room with access to die cuts, laminating machines, and other supplies. CCR&R is the designated CCR&R Region 2 Lead Agency. Smart Start funds for this activity may be used for meetings and conferences. Smart Start funding may be used to support an early childhood conference and/or a recognition dinner, for other staff as needed.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 84.2%; rating input score 84
• Program expense ratio: 87.6%; rating input score 88
• Fundraising efficiency: $266.51 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 93; 93rd 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; 76th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 84.6%; rating input score 85; 20th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 5 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Fail
  • 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: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 3.9%; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.06; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: Limited
• Officer compensation ratio: 5.7%; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 1% per year; rating input score 100; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 0.2% per year; rating input score 100; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 3% per year; rating input score 100; 29th percentile among comparable filings