Florida Rural Legal Services Inc

“The return is reviewed in detail with management and the audit committee of the board of directors prior to filing. The 990 is then made available to the entire board of directors.”

“All officers and directors annually disclose any conflicts of interest via a conflict of interst questionnaire. The questionnaries are reviewed by the executive director. Any actual or potential conflicts of interest are brought to the attention of the board president. A board or committee member should disclose to the board or committee if there are any circumstances creating an actual or potential conflict of interest on their part with regard to any matter coming before the board or committee. Those circumstances include situations in which a director or committee member has a significant direct or indirect financial interest in legal matters, a professional interest in a legal matter, an obligation to a client, relative by blood or marriage, is principal or representative in a legal matter, supporter of a legal matter, either financially or as a participant in legal matter. Recusal from voting is required only in circumstances in which the board or committee member has a current conflict of interest due to their current participation or relationship with the matter in question. Such member may nevertheless participate in any discussion on the matter after they have made full disclosure of their potential or actual conflict of interest.”

“The evaluation committee of the board of directors reviewed the compensation of the executive director. The committee used its own observations of the executive director and relied on comments and feedback from staff in order to evaluate their overall performance. The committee also reviewed comparability data of other similar organizations to ensure the compensation was within a reasonable range. The evaluation committee then made a recommendation to the full board of directors who then approves the compensation of the executive director. The decisions and determinations are documented in the paper evaluations of the evaluation committee members and the board minutes. A personnel action form was then provided to finance to be implemented.”

“Financial statements, governing documents, and conflict of interest policies are not required disclosures pursuant to internal revenue code section 6104. These documents are not available to the public at this time.”

“Florida rural legal services, inc. (frls) was founded in 1966 and is unique in its history and provision of holistic services as well as our services to farmworkers; the office of economic opportunity spearheaded the war on poverty, funded a two-year demonstration and research project to provide legal services to farmworkers in six south florida counties. The project, originally named the south florida migrant services, was extremely successful, and to this day, frls continues as the only legal services organization in florida providing services to migrant farmworkers throughout the state of florida, which is a highlight to our history of over 55 years of service. Frls' mission is accomplished through a three-prong advocacy approach with a focus on holistic services, including front line legal assistance through our program wide hotline and migrant farmworker helpline services, through our advocacy and through our community outreach and education which mobilizes our poverty prevention services and eliminates barriers to accessing free civil legal aid in communities throughout 13 central and south-central florida counties. Frls also provides statewide services to migrant farmworkers, and we are proud of our progress and expansion of our critical statewide migrant farmworker services. Florida rural legal services, inc (frls) provides comprehensive and holistic services to individuals and families who need assistance with homelessness prevention (including eviction and foreclosure prevention, fair housing and land loss prevention), consumer protection, employment rights and public benefits, family protection and domestic violence, immigration services (including green card renewal, naturalization and u visa and t visa services), individual/civil rights and through our medical-legal partnership services grant. Frls' assistance to low income and vulnerable individuals including seniors, veterans and those facing tax controversies (including tax liens) is a critical part of our mission to empower low-income individuals, families, and communities by providing access to justice. Our partners, generous donors and the private attorneys who dedicate their services, to expand our reach of justice to the individuals and communities we serve. Frls provided legal assistance to over 6,000 clients in 2022. Frls also provided over 20,000 persons with information regarding their legal rights. Frls has seven offices: four regional offices and three satellite offices and approximately 100 staff, including approximately 50 advocates. In 2019 and 2020, flrs expanded our migrant farmworker services by establishing a statewide toll-free helpline in august 2020 for farmworkers across the state to eliminate barriers to accessing our services. We also expanded our satellite office in immokalee, establishing it as the headquarters for frls' statewide services to migrant farmworkers. Frls has also expanded our belle glade office and services significantly, addressing the significant poverty and need for increased free civil legal aid, increasing advocates and staff in the glades by over 50%. Frls remains one of the only programs in the country founded and focused on ensuring access to free legal assistance to rural communities and migrant farmworkers.”

“The process has not changed from prior year.”