614 Columbia Road Dorchester, MA 02125 |
[P] (617) 822-3075 [F] (617) 822-3073 |
www.thecityschool.org [email protected] Seth Kirshenbaum |
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INCORPORATED: 1995
Printable Profile (Summary / Full) EIN 02-0532474 |
![]() LAST UPDATED: 02/23/2017 |
Organization DBA |
The City School |
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Former Names | -- |
Organization received a competitive grant from the Boston Foundation in the past five years | Yes |
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Mission StatementMORE »The City School develops and strengthens youth to become effective leaders for social justice.
We work with young people ages 14-19 living in Boston and its surrounding suburbs who are emerging leaders and have a passion for social justice. Our community intentionally crosses lines of race, class, gender, and neighborhood. |
Mission StatementThe City School develops and strengthens youth to become effective leaders for social justice.
We work with young people ages 14-19 living in Boston and its surrounding suburbs who are emerging leaders and have a passion for social justice. Our community intentionally crosses lines of race, class, gender, and neighborhood. |
Fiscal Year | July 01, 2013 to June 30, 2014 |
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Projected Income | $588,390.00 |
Projected Expense | $581,889.00 |
For more details regarding the organization's financial information, select the financial tab and review available comments.
The City School was born over twenty-five years ago in 1987 when a group of students from Milton Academy asked to learn about issues of race, poverty and inequality that they felt were missing from the school’s curriculum. In response, a teacher (Todd Fry, our founder) began offering weekend service learning trips into Boston for his students. He called these trips Youth Outreach Weekends. From 1987 to 1994 these trips happened monthly.
In 1995, a partnership between Milton Academy, Boston Latin School and Cathedral High School (a private, public and religious school) launched The City School and housed it in the South End at Cathedral High School. The name comes from the idea that the City of Boston is our classroom. This was the first year of our flagship Summer Leadership Program. Starting in 1995 and the eighteen summers since then, we bring together 60 high school age youth from across Greater Boston to build community, learn, and take action for change.
As our Youth Outreach Weekend and Summer Leadership Program alumni grew, we began offering other programs including:
As our programs grew, we needed a larger space. In 2000-2001, we raised $1.4 million through a successful capital campaign. In 2002, we moved into a newly built office and program space in Dorchester that we continue to call home today.
In 2010, The City School completed a five year strategic plan in which we are currently in our second year. This plan focused our programs into what we now call Pathways of Change, which more closely connects our summer and year round programming, strengthens our impact and connect young people to social change careers. The above programs continue to take place, and are now led by youth program graduates who have become leaders in one of three pathways: Education, Organizing and Advocacy, or Organizational Leadership.
Strategic Priority 1: Grow and strengthen our program model
Year 1 Cost $0 Adopting summer program model to academic year
Year 2 Cost $70,000 Additional program staff, participant stipends
Year 3 Cost $70,000 Sustaining growth in staff and participants
Strategic Priority 2: Strengthen performance management systems
Year 1 Cost $10,000 Refining and improving upon evaluation tools and systems
Year 2 Cost $10,000 Implementation of data driven recommendations
Year 3 Cost $10,000 Implementation of data driven recommendations
Strategic Priority 3: Strengthen our financial sustainability
Year 1 Cost $10,000 Re-craft our donor development plan
Year 2 Cost $20,000 Implement plan
Year 3 Cost $20,000 Implement plan
There are many unique aspects of our work, two of which stand out. First, our community intentionally crosses lines of race, class, gender and neighborhood. We do this because we believe youth who learn across difference become adults who lead across difference, and effective leaders for social justice create comprehensive solutions to complex problems. Second, our “ladder of leadership” program model means 90% of our programming is youth led. The depth of learning and impact for youth participants is significantly increased when youth are taught and led by their peers. More importantly for The City School, the young people doing the leading gain experience and practice on a weekly basis increasing their effectiveness as leaders for social justice.
Each summer we mentor, train and support at least 60 core youth participants in our flagship Summer Leadership Program. They then spend the academic year educating and organizing over 1,000 of their peers, many of whom become the following summer’s participants. Additionally they help run a number of organizations in the Greater Boston area, including our own in areas of fundraising, finance, administration, event planning and as board members. Together, our year round programming combine to create our Career Pathways to Change – in the areas of Education, Organizing and Advocacy, and Organizational Leadership. Many of our graduates go on to college studies and careers to become teachers, youth workers, lawyers, government officials, community organizers, and nonprofit leaders.
Currently, we hold ourselves accountable for ensuring that 60 youth become effective leaders for social justice each year. We define and measure this with indicators and measurement tools in four key areas: understanding and critical thinking about social justice, proficiency in core leadership skills, capacity to build relationships across race, class and age, and internalization of positive youth development approach toward one’s life and future. Key Performance Indicators from the past year are as follows:
Social Justice Education: 91% scored proficient or higher on their understanding of and critical thinking about social justice issues;
Relationships Across Difference: 82% built two trusting relationships with youth of a different race or class AND two trusting relationships with adults;
Leadership Skills: 70% scored proficient or higher in all five of our core leadership skills;
Positive Youth Development: 91% have a plan for their future.
GREATER BOSTON REGION, MA
City of Boston- Citywide (Indiv. neighborhoods also listed)
No
Pathways of Change offers three career pathways for youth to develop as educators, organizers and advocates, and organizational leaders. Each pathway is rooted in training and mentorship, and supports participants (first as youth and later as adults) to become effective leaders for social justice. Community Educators learn skills such as facilitation, issue-based research, and curriculum development. Youth in this pathway lead community courses that focus on issues such as the criminal justice system or poverty and wealth inequality.
Youth Organizers learn basic community organizing skills such as campaign mapping, public speaking, and understanding the legislative process. Youth who choose this pathway lead city and statewide campaigns for change.
Organizational Leaders help run our organization. Youth learn and participate in financial management, fundraising, event planning, and serve on our Board. Through this pathway youth learn how to maintain a thriving organization.
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Budget | $160,000.00 |
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Category | Youth Development, General/Other Youth Leadership |
Population Served | Adolescents Only (13-19 years) |
Program Short-Term Success | Youth become skilled and knowledgeable about themselves and the world, and begin taking steps to change both for the better. Additionally, youth are supported to be healthy individuals with a direction and plan for their future. |
Program Long-Term Success | Youth become effective leaders for social justice who are leading in their communities. |
Program Success Monitored By | The City School uses a number of evaluation tools developed in partnership with The Black Ministerial Alliance's Boston Capacity Tank. These tools tools measuring skills, knowledge, relationships and positive youth development outcomes in first and second year participants. Tools include surveys, interviews, observations and peer assessments. To strengthen our positive youth development data, we are partnering with Boston After School and Beyond and piloting their ACT Framework evaluation process (Achieving, Connecting, Thriving) using the PEAR assessment tool. |
Examples of Program Success | The City School's Key Performance Indicators 2012
Relationships Across Difference
• 82% built two trusting relationships with youth of a different race or class AND two trusting relationships with adults Social Justice Education • 91% scored proficient or higher on their understanding of and critical thinking about social justice issues Leadership Skills • 70% scored proficient or higher in all five of our core leadership skills Positive Youth Development • 91% have a plan for their future |
The Social Justice Education Institute (SJEI) is a program for youth leaders, educators, civic leaders, youth workers, administrators and others who want to strengthen the power of youth and explore ways to get young people to challenge themselves to take ownership of their own education. SJEI helps build transformative learning communities and teaches strategies to educators, youth workers, administrators and others to inspire young people to own their education, take leadership in the classroom, develop the skill to work across difference and focus on social justice in their communities. In education systems where people are being pressured to create curricula that teach to standardized tests, we build community by asking critical questions, engaging in honest, meaningful discussion among youth and adults. The Social Justice Education Institute is the culmination of over nineteen years of The City School's history -- building powerful learning communities where young people are engaged in experiential education. |
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Budget | $50,000.00 |
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Category | Youth Development, General/Other Youth Leadership |
Population Served | Adolescents Only (13-19 years) Adults |
Program Short-Term Success | Participants will gain concrete knowledge and pedagogical tools to use as educators and community workers. Examples of this include increased skill in facilitation, curriculum design, conflict resolution, communication and group decision making. |
Program Long-Term Success | The long-term success of SJEI is to support educators of all ages to implement a social justice framework and pedagogy in their classrooms, schools and programs. This framework and pedagogy is designed to foster critical thinking and analysis in students about oneself and society. |
Program Success Monitored By | Success is measured by a system of evaluation tools developed exclusively for The City School's program model. |
Examples of Program Success | We measure and track success for partner schools and individual leaders young and old. We have many testimonies of success. Here is a recent quote from a teacher we worked with:
"You do important work at the City School, work that more educators need to be aware of. It is my hope that I will have more students like "Lisa" that are equipped to lead their peers, to assist their teachers, and to help us all reach a place of mutual respect, understanding and transformation. After teaching and learning with "Lisa", I am perhaps more hopeful now than I have ever been that we can, indeed, make the necessary change happen if young people such as her are leading the way. Thank you for giving "Lisa" the foundation to be a powerful change agent. I have been able to push conversations and ideas far past students’ original boundaries, and further than I ever would have been able to if it were only me."
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In 2014, The City School will run our 20th annual Summer Leadership Program ("SLP"). SLP is our flagship program and the one in which most young people first come to us. It brings together a diverse group of 75-125 high school age youth for community and classroom learning over six and half weeks. The program begins each summer with an overnight retreat where participants engage in discussions on race, class, gender, sexual orientation and age. This retreat is life changing. After the retreat, youth participate in a creative and exploratory research seminar, a related internship in a community based organization, a youth created project to make positive change in our community, as well as diversity and leadership training. Through SLP, youth gain a greater understanding of their relationship to one another and their broader community as well as a basic exploration of social justice education, organizing, advocacy and organizational leadership. |
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Budget | $204,000.00 |
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Category | Youth Development, General/Other Youth Leadership |
Population Served | Adolescents Only (13-19 years) |
Program Short-Term Success | Youth become skilled and knowledgeable about themselves and the world, and begin taking steps to change both for the better. Additionally, youth are supported to be healthy individuals with a direction and plan for their future. |
Program Long-Term Success | Youth become effective leaders for social justice who are actively leading in their communities. |
Program Success Monitored By | The City School uses a number of evaluation tools developed in partnership with The Black Ministerial Alliance's Boston Capacity Tank. These tools tools measuring skills, knowledge, relationships and positive youth development outcomes in first and second year participants. Tools include surveys, interviews, observations and peer assessments. To strengthen our positive youth development data, we are partnering with Boston After School and Beyond and piloting their ACT Framework evaluation process (Achieving, Connecting, Thriving) using the PEAR assessment tool. |
Examples of Program Success | The City School's Key Performance Indicators 2012
Relationships Across Difference
• 82% built two trusting relationships with youth of a different race or class AND two trusting relationships with adults Social Justice Education • 91% scored proficient or higher on their understanding of and critical thinking about social justice issues Leadership Skills • 70% scored proficient or higher in all five of our core leadership skills Positive Youth Development • 91% have a plan for their future |
Programs at The City School combine academic learning, work experience, leadership development and building communities across difference. Our model works to ensure that teenagers develop “21st Century” skills including leadership, communication, empathy, team work, emotional regulation and critical thinking skills. Our programs are primarily youth led, with adult staff serving in supportive mentoring roles. Youth leaders analyze the world around them, and develop the tools to take action and create change in themselves and our communities. Pathways to Change includes three career pathways of Education, Organizing and Advocacy, and Organizational Leadership. Most young people begin their journey with us through our flagship Summer Leadership Program which brings together a diverse group of 70 to 80 students for community and classroom learning over six and half weeks. Youth participate in a creative and exploratory academic seminar, a related internship in a community based organization, a youth led project and diversity and leadership training. Seminars include topics such as Economics, Environmental Justice, Immigration, Political Arts and Violence and Healing. During the school year, youth then move into a more intensive career pathway programming: Community Education: Young people become community educators, learning group facilitation, research, and curriculum development. Students provide programming to schools and organizations such as running Prison Empowerment Projects-workshops that explore the criminal justice system followed by visits to a prison to talk directly with people in prison; and take part in Rose from Concrete, a young women’s leadership group.
Organizing and Advocacy: Youth learn organizing and advocacy skills such as campaign mapping, research, public speaking, member recruitment and academic study in areas such as the legislative process. They then design campaigns to create larger systemic changes within schools and our community. Over the past three years youth in this pathway have led the Statewide Youth Jobs Coalition – which has successfully restored $12 million to the State budget in each of the past two years for youth jobs funding. Organizational Leadership: Youth support City School adult staff to learn and share in grant writing, event planning, administrative tasks, and run weekly after school programming as well as manage all youth and adult hiring for our Summer Leadership Program. |
CEO/Executive Director | Ms. Ruby Reyes |
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CEO Term Start | Sept 2009 |
CEO Email | [email protected] |
CEO Experience | Ruby Reyes - Co-Executive Director since September 2009. Ruby started out as a Development Associate at The City School in 2005, and after much success in this role, was promoted by our Board to Co-Executive Director in 2009. She holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Communications from Emerson College. Previously she served as a College Counselor at Brighton High School and Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. |
Co-CEO | Mr. Seth Kirshenbaum |
Co-CEO Term Start | Sept 2009 |
Co-CEO Email | [email protected] |
Co-CEO Experience | Seth Kirshenbaum, Co-Executive Director since September 2009 – Seth joined the organization in 2003, serving in multiple roles including Bookkeeper, Operations Manager, Program Coordinator and Program Director. He holds a Masters of Education from Harvard University. Previously, he served as Founding Director of Beantown Society, a youth development program in Jamaica Plain. |
Name | Start | End |
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Mrs. Miriam Messinger | Jan 2001 | June 2008 |
Mr. Todd Fry | June 1995 | Jan 2001 |
Name | Title | Experience/Biography |
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Mr. Royal Nunes | Program Director |
Royal Nunes ’05,Program Director since February 2013 – Joined the organization as participant and then youth staff member in 2005, transitioned to youth worker in training in 2007, and program coordinator in 2008. Promoted in February 2013 to Program Director. Royal grew up and continues to live down the street from our agency. |
Ms. Tara Venkatraman | Program Director |
Tara Venkatraman,Program Director since September 2011 – Participated in The City School’s programming while in high school at Milton Academy. Graduated Harvard College in June 2011, joining our staff after that summer. |
Award | Awarding Organization | Year |
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Boston Neighborhood Fellow - Beatriz Rivera (staff) | The Philanthropic Initiative | 2012 |
Boston Neighborhood Fellow - Royal Nunes (staff) | The Philanthropic Initiative | 2011 |
Special Recognition Award for Community Activism of Royal Nunes | Massachusetts Office of Victim Assistance | 2008 |
Innovative Youth Services Agency of the Year | Boston Center for Youth and Families | 2007 |
Youth Worker of the Year Award - Hector Negron | Boston Center for Youth and Families | 2007 |
Humanitarian Award | Pine Street Inn | 2004 |
Boston Neighborhood Fellow - Todd Fry (founder) | The Philanthropic Initiative | 1999 |
Volunteer Organization of the Year | Shattuck Shelter | 1996 |
Volunteer Appreciation Award | Boston Family Shelter | 1994 |
Tribute to Teens Award | Teens as Community Resources | 1989 |
Affiliation | Year |
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-- | -- |
Member of state association of nonprofits? | No |
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Name of state association | -- |
External Assessment or Accreditation | Year |
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-- | -- |
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Number of Full Time Staff | 4 |
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Number of Part Time Staff | 10 |
Number of Volunteers | 50 |
Number of Contract Staff | 8 |
Staff Retention Rate % | 100% |
Ethnicity | African American/Black: 8 Asian American/Pacific Islander: 2 Caucasian: 6 Hispanic/Latino: 6 Native American/American Indian: 0 Other: 0 Other (if specified): -- |
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Gender | Female: 10 Male: 11 Not Specified 1 |
Organization has Fundraising Plan? | Yes |
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Organization has Strategic Plan? | Yes |
Years Strategic Plan Considers | 5 |
Management Succession Plan | Under Development |
Business Continuity of Operations Plan | No |
Organization Policies And Procedures | Yes |
Nondiscrimination Policy | Yes |
Whistle Blower Policy | Yes |
Document Destruction Policy | No |
Directors and Officers Insurance Policy | Yes |
State Charitable Solicitations Permit | Yes |
State Registration | -- |
-- |
Management Reports to Board? | Yes |
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CEO Formal Evaluation and Frequency | Yes Annually |
Senior Management Formal Evaluation and Frequency | Yes Bi-Annually |
Non Management Formal Evaluation and Frequency | Yes Quarterly |
Board Chair | Ms. Priyanka Sharma |
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Board Chair Company Affiliation | World Education, Inc. |
Board Chair Term | July 2013 - June 2015 |
Board Co-Chair | Ms. Titania Nguyen |
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Board Co-Chair Company Affiliation | high school student |
Board Co-Chair Term | Oct 2012 - June 2014 |
Name | Company Affiliations | Status |
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Mr. Thomas Bonner | State Street Bank | Voting |
Mr. Lewis Bryant | Buckingham, Browne and Nichols | Voting |
Ms. Laura Diamond | student | Voting |
Ms. Susan Eckstein | Boston University | Voting |
Ms. Irvienne Goldstein | ABCD Health Services | Voting |
Ms. Colleen Hovey | Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. | Voting |
Ms. Pauline Nguyen | Lawyer | Voting |
Ms. Titania Nguyen | Student | Voting |
Ms. Oluwayemisi Olorunwunmi | student | Voting |
Mr. Bhavin Patel | technology consultant | Voting |
Ms. Cynthia Peters | World Education, Inc. | Voting |
Mr. Juan Ramos | Union of Concerned Scientists | Voting |
Ms. Priyanka Sharma | World Education, Inc. | Voting |
Mr. Purcell Won | State Street Corporation | Voting |
Name | Company Affiliations | Status |
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-- | -- | -- |
Name | Company Affiliations | Status |
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Ms. Laura Diamond | student | Voting |
Titania Nguyen | Milton Academy | Voting |
Ms. Oluwayemisi Olorunwunmi | student | Voting |
Name | Company Affiliations | Status |
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-- | -- | -- |
Ethnicity | African American/Black: 3 Asian American/Pacific Islander: 5 Caucasian: 5 Hispanic/Latino: 1 Native American/American Indian: 0 Other: 0 Other (if specified): -- |
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Gender | Female: 9 Male: 5 Not Specified 0 |
Board Term Lengths | 3 |
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Board Term Limits | 2 |
Board Meeting Attendance % | 90% |
Written Board Selection Criteria | Yes |
Written Conflict Of Interest Policy | Yes |
Percentage of Monetary Contributions | 100% |
Percentage of In-Kind Contributions | 100% |
Constituency Includes Client Representation | Yes |
Youth Board Members are fully integrated into our Board Governance structure, including participation and leadership of committees and of the board as a whole. We have youth co-chair and co-vice chair positions.
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Fiscal Year | July 01, 2013 to June 30, 2014 |
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Projected Income | $588,390.00 |
Projected Expense | $581,889.00 |
Form 990s | |
Audit Documents |
2016 The City School Financial Statements FY16 2015 The City School Financial Statements FY15 2014 The City School Financial Statements FY14 2013 The City School Financial Statements FY13 2012 The City School Financial Statements FY12 |
IRS Letter of Exemption |
Fiscal Year | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
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Total Revenue | $630,652 | $546,869 | $689,082 |
Total Expenses | $567,331 | $608,727 | $600,887 |
Fiscal Year | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
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Foundation and Corporation Contributions |
-- | -- | -- |
Government Contributions | $0 | $0 | $18,600 |
Federal | -- | -- | -- |
State | -- | -- | -- |
Local | -- | -- | -- |
Unspecified | -- | -- | $18,600 |
Individual Contributions | $236,093 | $257,708 | $430,018 |
Indirect Public Support | -- | -- | -- |
Earned Revenue | $283,637 | $140,413 | $136,546 |
Investment Income, Net of Losses | -- | $20 | $31 |
Membership Dues | -- | -- | -- |
Special Events | $22,058 | -- | $4,955 |
Revenue In-Kind | $83,540 | $138,690 | $88,707 |
Other | $5,324 | $10,038 | $10,225 |
Fiscal Year | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
---|---|---|---|
Program Expense | $444,318 | $491,028 | $454,753 |
Administration Expense | $84,674 | $68,720 | $71,205 |
Fundraising Expense | $38,339 | $48,979 | $74,929 |
Payments to Affiliates | -- | -- | -- |
Total Revenue/Total Expenses | 1.11 | 0.90 | 1.15 |
Program Expense/Total Expenses | 78% | 81% | 76% |
Fundraising Expense/Contributed Revenue | 15% | 19% | 17% |
Fiscal Year | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
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Total Assets | $849,345 | $826,948 | $892,353 |
Current Assets | $301,330 | $261,691 | $307,455 |
Long-Term Liabilities | $44,891 | $44,891 | $69,536 |
Current Liabilities | $37,395 | $78,319 | $57,221 |
Total Net Assets | $767,059 | $703,738 | $765,596 |
Fiscal Year | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
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1st (Source and Amount) |
-- -- |
-- -- |
-- -- |
2nd (Source and Amount) |
-- -- |
-- -- |
-- -- |
3rd (Source and Amount) |
-- -- |
-- -- |
-- -- |
Endowment Value | -- |
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Spending Policy | -- |
Percentage(If selected) | -- |
Credit Line | No |
Reserve Fund | No |
How many months does reserve cover? | -- |
Are you currently in a Capital Campaign? | No |
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Capital Campaign Purpose | -- |
Campaign Goal | -- |
Capital Campaign Dates | - |
Capital Campaign Raised-to-Date Amount | -- |
Capital Campaign Anticipated in Next 5 Years? | -- |
Fiscal Year | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
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Current Ratio: Current Assets/Current Liabilities | 8.06 | 3.34 | 5.37 |
Fiscal Year | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
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Long-term Liabilities/Total Assets | 5% | 5% | 8% |
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