Listen and Talk

What it reported doing in 2024

Outreach - Listen and Talk recognizes that the unique needs of a DHH student require attention across all stages, ages, and grade levels. Our Itinerant Teachers of the Deaf and Audiologist(s) provide consultation, coaching for professionals, and direct services to DHH students across the Puget Sound region. Listen and Talk's LSL coaching, specialized LSL education services, student assessments, and IEP development enhance classroom success for DHH students and support their teaching teams in their local schools. Audiology Support - The Audiology Team at the Harry Levinson Memorial Audiology Center at Listen and Talk collaborates with clinical audiologists and provides technological support to optimize children's access to sound and speech, with intentional equipment monitoring and regular hearing assessments that guide individualized services. With a sound booth onsite at Listen and Talk's Kirkland facility, hearing levels, speech understanding, and the functionality of hearing technology are all confirmed through a defined assessment protocol. This information helps educate families, inform providers, and guide the development of effective services for each child and family. Listen and Talk has successfully used a portable audiometer to support timely access to audiological information for students and their families and teaching teams. Research - Listen and Talk knows that with the use of appropriate hearing technology and evidence-informed, family-focused practices, children who are deaf or hard of hearing can communicate and learn through listening and spoken language. Our teams and families participate in research that advances best practices, optimizes outcomes, and promotes the improvement of listening and spoken language services. We value our professional and family partners in these efforts and actively work with teams at WWU and UW in research efforts. Listen and Talk's research leadership leads efforts to influence best practices through contributions to the greater body of knowledge related to services and outcomes for DHH children and youth who rely on listening and spoken language. Listen and Talk has presented their findings at national conferences. Mentorship - Listen and Talk staff offers professional development to expand the number of specialists trained in listening and spoken language for children and youth with hearing loss. This important support can be offered locally or virtually to ensure that distance does not pose an access barrier. Listen and Talk providers receive mentoring during the 3-5 year process to receive their Listening and Spoken Language Specialist certification. Two team members achieved their LSLS certifications during FY25.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 80%; rating input score 80
• Program expense ratio: 79.1%; rating input score 79
• Fundraising efficiency: $1.66 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• 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: 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: -3.9%; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.72; rating input score 57; 57th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.35; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 25.6%; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 8.4% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 8.4% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 18.5% per year; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings