West Palm Beach Library Foundation

What it reported doing in 2024

Dog tales: this program invites children of all ages and reading levels to read aloud to trained therapy dogs with the goal of helping struggling or reluctant readers develop their reading skills but also grow their confidence. Dog tales creates a non-threatening reading environment where children don't feel embarrassed if they stumble over a word or read slowly. This program strives to instill a love of reading in the youngest members of our community. Let's read is a program established in 2003 which trains volunteers to bring story-times to west palm beach's title 1 classrooms. During the school year, let's read volunteers share stories and rhymes, distribute library cards, encourage library use, and support reading at home. Each week, approximately 1,000 children are reached by the let's read program. The library has given 33,000 gift books to let's read students, building the home libraries of vulnerable youth. Summer learning and reading is a two-month program in june and july providing a safe, easily accessible learning environment to enable children to maintain and build their skills in reading, writing, science, and math. Students are instructed by state-certified teachers and subjects covered are tailored to each grade level. This program builds excitement about literacy and reading by preparing children to start the new school year well-fed, healthy, mentally active, and ready to learn. The program also provides gift books for upwards of 3,000 children to foster a love of reading and help build home libraries. Studio 411 was launched in 2018 as a comprehensive space for creatives to experience a range of arts programs on our second floor. Studio 411 enhances the library's programming by allowing artists to share their techniques and by strengthening the connection between the arts community and our patrons. Programming in studio 411 includes hands-on art classes in various mediums, art lectures, studio time for artists to work independently and creative training for creative entrepreneurs, among others. The technology and innovation center, opened in 2022, was created to empower teen and adult patrons with creativity and collaboration through state-of-the-art equipment. A specialized staff member provides assistance and training with media production in: virtual reality, media digitization, drawing and animation, music and podcasting, and 3d design & printing. These services and the specialized equipment available empowers creativity for patrons in areas such as job training, employment coaching or preparation, entrepreneurship, boosting students and job seekers with the teaching of technology skills, and learning high-tech skills to improve their life opportunities. Wellness classes are an integral part of providing a sense of community to our patrons, with opportunities for every age which range from taking foreign language classes or creative writing workshops, to yoga classes for new mothers and their newborns and toddlers. Patrons enjoy diverse programming for all ages that fosters an environment perfect for making new connections with others in their community.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 87.9%; rating input score 88
• Program expense ratio: 77.3%; rating input score 77
• Fundraising efficiency: $11.54 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 42; 42nd 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: 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
  • 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: Fail
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -11.4%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 7.11; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 23%; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 9.9% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 8.3% per year; rating input score 100; 60th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 9.1% per year; rating input score 100; 56th percentile among comparable filings