Springboard Non-Profit Consumer Credit Management Inc.

“Prior to filing, springboard's form 990 is reviewed internally by the ceo, as well as by an independent certified public accounting firm. Once these reviews are complete, one of two procedures is followed: a. Copies of the form 990 are given to the board members for review prior to the annual meeting. At the annual meeting, form 990 is discussed and any questions or comments are addressed; or b. A copy of the form 990 is given to each board member with a notice that informs the board member they shall have a week to review the form 990 and to submit any questions or comments to the ceo. These questions or comments are then addressed and circulated to the board members, unless the board chair requests that a board meeting be convened at which any and all questions or comments can be addressed.”

“Each board member is required to complete a conflict form annually. The form contains the company's conflicts policy, as well as an area in which the board member discloses any and all organizations in which the member is a board member, committee member or an employee. Additionally, the member is required to certify that, except as described in the form, they are not and have not in the past year been: 1.) a participant, directly or indirectly, in any arrangement, agreement, investment, or other activity with any vendor, supplier, or other party doing business with springboard which has resulted or could result in personal benefit to them. 2.) a recipient, directly or indirectly, of any salary payments or loans or gifts of any kind or any free service or discounts or other fees from or on behalf of any person or organization engaged in any transaction with springboard. Key employees review the employee conflicts of interest policy annually and are required to annually certify that they have reported in writing any circumstance that, since their last execution of the policy, did or may have involved a conflict of interest in the conduct of springboard's business, or may have created the appearance of involving a conflict or impropriety. The key employee is also required to attach to the signed policy a copy of the writing disclosing the potential conflict.”

“The compensation process for officers and key employees is periodically established by a board compensation committee. This committee takes into consideration a number of factors including: (1) an independent compensation study obtained by the company; (2) the 990s of other similar organizations; (3) internally completed compensation studies. Annual compensation and any merit increases justified by performance are recommended by the employee's direct supervisor; however, they are subject to final approval by the ceo, provided they are within the compensation ranges established by the committee.”

“The organization's exempt application with the supporting documentation and the annual return are made available to the public by written request.”

“All review and process for the oversight of the audit of its financial statements and selection of an independent auditor remains consistent between years.”

“Established in 1974, springboard nonprofit consumer credit management, inc., dba credit.org, is a nonprofit community service organization whose mission is to strengthen communities and empower consumers by offering educational services that promote financial literacy, quality financial counseling, debt management solutions, and pathways to affordable housing. Credit.org serves all community segments regardless of an individual's economic status or ability to pay. The agency is governed by a voluntary and diverse community-based board of directors and is accredited by the council on accreditation, a nationally recognized independent accrediting body signifying the highest standards for industry governance, fiscal integrity, counselor certification, and service delivery policies. Credit.org's target population is predominantly low-to-moderate income ("lmi") level households. In 2024, approximately 67% of organization's clients were lmi individuals and families. In addition, approximately 50% of the agency's counseled clients identified as racial and ethnic minorities. During their counseling session, 4% of clients chose not to provide their race and/or ethnicity. These figures do not include pre-bankruptcy counseling, pre-discharge debtor education or workshops where demographic information is not requested. In 2024, credit.org provided direct services to 46,406 consumers, including 10,363, in financial literacy and education programs; 4,168 in housing counseling; 3,168 in credit counseling and debt management programs; 4,707 in web-based homebuyer education courses and one-on-one advisory sessions to address the individual's unique housing goals; and 24,000 in homeowners' assistance programs for the states of connecticut and massachusetts. Public awareness and educational materials credit.org promotes and seeks to raise public awareness of its counseling services and the availability of its financial literacy programs and materials through various forms of media, including printed materials and the internet. In 2024, these efforts resulted in 315,108 visitors to credit.org's website, of which 99.5% were new users and 0.5% were returning visitors. Credit.org had over 197,049 visitors accessing its educational blog content, tools, and various other financial resources, with another 335,363 total page views of the educational courses landing page. In furtherance of its exempt charitable mission, credit.org undertook the following activities: item a - counseling and education credit.org's counseling and educational services include budget counseling; educational programs, seminars, and materials for financially distressed consumers to assist with money management, debt education, and understanding credit; pre-bankruptcy counseling; pre-discharge debtor education; reverse mortgage and housing counseling; foreclosure prevention housing counseling; and general credit and debt counseling. Credit.org's services are free, except for pre-bankruptcy counseling, pre-discharge debtor education, pre-purchase homebuyer education, credit report reviews, student debt counseling, some homebuyer education courses and reverse mortgage counseling for which there are minimal charges. Credit.org coaches/counselors have the discretion to waive or reduce related charges through consideration of an individual's personal financial situation and ability to pay based on the budget analysis reviewed by the counselor. In 2024, credit.org waived or reduced fees totaling $1,622 for 12 pre-bankruptcy counseling sessions and 28 pre-discharge debtor education clients. "housing counseling" credit.org is approved by the u.s. Department of housing and urban development as a comprehensive housing counseling agency that provides pre-purchase/first-time homebuyer education, landlord/tenant rental counseling post-home buyer counseling and reverse mortgage counseling. "budget and debt counseling" credit.org provides general financial literacy counseling designed to help”