Reading Berks Conference of Churches

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
231370483
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Wyomissing, PA, USA
Phone
4849265804
Rating
70
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Affiliation
Christianity

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$323,541
Expenses
$310,584
Assets
$27,132
Liabilities
$23,647

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

13 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • LISA WEAVER (BOARD VICE PRESIDENT)
  • NANCY LENNERT (BOARD PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • MERLE SMUCKER (SUPV. CHAPLAIN-JAIL): $79,565 total reported compensation
  • KERRY HICKS (SUPV. CHAPLAIN-BERKS HEIM): $61,531 total reported compensation
  • MICHAEL KAUCHER (CHIEF ENGAGEMENT OFFICER): $42,976 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

We bridge connections, identify resources, and discover solutions for communities to be transformed and to thrive.

What it reported doing in 2024

Chaplaincy Services at Berks County Jail A team of paid chaplains coordinate religious services and programs for inmates within Berks County Jail. Services and programs are held in the jail chapel and, at times, on the blocks within the jail for smaller groups. Dozens of volunteers are coordinated and assist in religious services and programs. We also maintain a library of religious and motivational reading materials. These materials are available to inmates by request through the jail communication system or by visiting the library in person. Materials and services are made available to assist inmates in practicing the religion they profess. Chaplains respond to requests from inmates to meet for conversation regarding spiritual and religious needs. Chaplains work closely with jail staff to take the lead in communicating death and hospital notification to inmates regarding their immediate family members outside the jail. We are available to jail staff for conversation and ministry of presence, especially as any challenges come up within the workplace.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 96% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of voting board members are independent and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 82
  • Transparency & Controls: 90
  • Accountability: 21
  • Sustainability: 26
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 91.4%; rating input score 91
  • Program expense ratio: 95.2%; rating input score 95
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th 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: 0%; rating input score 0; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 4 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 4%; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.09; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.87; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 81.6%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 4.7% per year; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 0.2% per year; rating input score 100; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 2.8% per year; rating input score 100; 37th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 91.4% of revenue deployed · 95.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 0 of 5 board members independent · 4 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $296K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $80K · 13 people listed
  • Consistency: 22 of 22 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 11 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 8 filed money-flow records
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 6/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 49/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 1/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 6/100.