The Black Organizing Project Inc

“The executive director works with the preparer to complete the form then reviews the final version. This version is sent to the treasurer for additional review and then to all other board members.”

“During most of 2014, BOP fell under and abided by the governance policies of its fiscal sponsor. See General Note at the top of Schedule O. Officers, directors, board members, and key employees are instructed to disclose at the time that they arise any interest that might be in conflict with their service to BOP. In addition, the Chair and Executive Director annually query these same persons regarding any existing conflicts.”

“The executive director's compensation was originally determined by the policies of the fiscal sponsor and its board. (See the general note at the beginning of Schedule O.) Executive compensation was set by BOP's independent board for the first time in 2015. At that time, the board used a published comparison of regional nonprofit compensation as a standard, deliberated without the executive director present, and documented its decision in the formal minutes of the meeting. Future determination of compensation for directors, officers, and key employees will follow this same procedure.”

“Governing documents, conflict of interest policy, and financial statements are available upon request.”

“During the year, BOP's books and records were in two parts and in the possession of two different persons. From January to December they were primarily in the possession of BOP's fiscal sponsor, Center for Third World Organizing (CTWO) and its administrative director Nancy Benavides. Her name and contact information is reported in Part VI of the Form 990. Beginning in October, some funds were transferred directly to BOP, and BOP began carrying out certain specific transactions, maintaining books for those transactions. As of January 2015 the books were fully in possession of BOP's executive director, Jacqueline Snodgrass, 1035 W Grand Ave, Oakland CA 94607.”

“General Note: BOP received its 501(c)(3) exemption approval in July 2014 retroactive to May 2013. During 2014, BOP was fiscally sponsored by a separate public charity, The Center for Third World Organizing (CTWO), FEIN 52-1211059. CTWO did not report BOP transactions on its 2014 Form 990, but it acted as the employer and contractor of record for employees and independent contractors doing BOP work and as the formal recipient of all grants prior to July 2014 and some grants through December 2014. CTWO also maintained BOP's accounting records, with the exception of some limited transactions during the final quarter of 2014. In January 2014, BOP took over its own accounting, became the employer of record for its staff, began holding all of its own funds, and became the direct recipient of all contributed support.”

“Correction of beginning balance: Unrestricted net assets on the 2013 Form 990 (BOP's initial filing) were overstated by $8,350. BOP began its existence as a project of its fiscal sponsor and received all data for 2013 from the fiscal sponsor. BOP gained its independence for 2013 only retroactively in 2014, and did not integrate all accounting into its own systems until the beginning of 2015. The final reconciliation of fiscal-sponsor accounts after the end of 2014 clarified what funds pertained to the newly independent BOP. The ending balance-sheet balances shown in this 2014 filing are correct; in the 2013 filing both assets and unrestricted net assets were overstated. See the general note at the beginning of Schedule O.”