Kalamazoo Literacy Council

What it reported doing in 2024

Adult tutoring program: the klc offers free literacy tutoring and free educational materials to adults who have been evaluated by the klc. The organization administers assessments to determine the reading level of students. The klc then matches a trained tutor with an adult student to engage in weekly two-hour tutoring sessions. The klc also administers pre- and post-tests to measure progress toward workforce, educational and personal goals. The klc provides tutor training for qualified volunteers in the laubach method. Presently, the klc recruits, trains and equips volunteers to tutor adults and has approximately 173 active tutors assisting 453 adults in need of literacy education in the community with 111 of the tutors and students being paired. The tutors commit to 14-hours of training and a minimum of a year of service. The council provided free educational materials and services to 173 tutors and 453 learners; and has established 15 literacy centers in area non-profits to serve additional students along with a virtual learning center. Esl of southwest Michigan: this program provides four levels of esl instruction, including language, speaking, listening, and basic literacy. It is the largest esl program in southwest Michigan, serving more than 150 learners from more than 45 countries. Adult learing action network for the learning network of greater kalamazoo: this network is a group of nearly 30 adult education, workforce development, english as a second language (esl), literacy agencies, and community organizations that meets monthly to determine adult literacy priorities, identify and expand resources, and align services and programs in the county. It has provided a collective voice for adult literacy since its inception in september 2010 and is the primary forum for shaping community-level goals for adult literacy in kalamazoo county. The kalamazoo literacy council (klc) serves as its facilitating agency.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 67.5%; rating input score 68
• Program expense ratio: 78.9%; rating input score 79
• Fundraising efficiency: $11.84 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 92.9%; rating input score 93; 19th 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd 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: 14.5%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.11; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.1; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 19.6% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 18.9% per year; rating input score 100; 84th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 19% per year; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings