Agros International

“Form 990 is reviewed by management, and members of the Finance Committee before it is filed with the IRS in a detailed manner.”

“All directors and key employees are required to annually review and sign the conflict of interest statement. There have not been any conflicts.”

“The compensation for the Executive Director/President position is set by the board of directors, all of whom are independent, using data on compensation rates for comparable positions, the advice of professionals in the field, and with consideration for budget constraints and equity among positions within the organization. The position of Executive Vice President was added in FY17, as an officer of the corporation. Compensation is approved by the President, in accordance with comparable positions and competitive labor market conditions.”

“The organization's Form 990 is available on its website, www.agros.org, and public websites including www.Guidestar.org. The Form 1023 application for recognition of exemption was filed in 1984. The organization does not have a copy and is unable to make it available upon request. It did not have a copy on July 15, 1987, and is therefore exempt from the requirement to make it available which went into effect at that time. The governing documents, financial statements and conflict of interest policy are available on request.”

“Agros served 403 families in 9 villages and 3 countries with integrated programs in four core opportunity areas: land ownership, market-led agriculture, financial empowerment, and health & well-being. Every community realized meaningful improvementssuch as agricultural production increases, building community infrastructure, and increased food securityin each opportunity area. Bella Vista and Piedra de Horeb, two Agros villages in Honduras, graduated into prosperous self-governance. All the families in both villages own their own homes and agricultural businesses. Everyone has access to basic services like health care, education, and financial services. Many of the families have found financial stability in a unique investment: tilapia. Other investment areas include coffee and livestock. Agros met the needs of families in Nicaragua despite political and economic turmoil that derailed the work of many other nonprofits. Under these adverse conditions, we implemented a specialized three-pronged approach. First, our programs continued uninterrupted through the crisis. While many non-Agros farming families had difficulties maintaining their production or accessing credit, families in Agros communities maintained and diversified their agribusiness production, created stronger market linkages, and continued profitable business. Second, we increased our focus on food security by creating a food bank of basic grains and teaching workshops on backyard gardens and livestock production, helping to keep families healthy during the peak of the crisis. Finally, we hosted health fairs for Agros families and their neighbors. These fairs gave families access to prescriptions, ultrasounds, bloodwork, and other medical services not otherwise available. Program service expenses includes approximately $460,000 of wages and benefits paid to employees in Central America who do not receive a US Form W-2. The wages are included in Part I line 15 and Part IX line 7 and 8.”

“The audit committee selects the independent accountant for performance of the annual audit of Agros International's financial statements, oversees the audit, and meets independently with the auditors at the end of the audit. This process has not changed from the prior year.”