PLATINUM2024

Kids Ranch Inc

Building Caring, Capable, and Confident Kids

aka Kids Ranch   |   BARABOO, WI   |  http://www.thekidsranch.org

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Mission

Kids Ranch builds caring, capable, and confident kids, ages 6 - 11, by providing low- or no-cost literacy tutoring, mental wellness counseling, and a summer day camp experience for children who are struggling with adverse life experiences.

Ruling year info

1999

Executive Director

Kristie Gander

Main address

PO BOX 219

BARABOO, WI 53913 USA

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EIN

39-1944952

NTEE code info

Youth Centers, Clubs, (includes Boys/Girls Clubs)- Multipurpose (O20)

Remedial Reading, Reading Encouragement (B92)

Counseling Support Groups (F60)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

The life situations of many children can be very challenging. They come from families that live in chronic poverty; they've suffered the loss of one, or in some cases, both parents through death, abandonment, or incarceration; many live with the chaos and pain of addiction in their families; some are homeless or hungry. Other problems children may experience are depression, anxiety, undiagnosed learning disabilities, anger problems, grief and trauma. These adverse childhood experiences influence a child's ability to thrive, or even survive, in school. When school resources are stretched thin, and parents don't have the capacity to help, where can a struggling child find a trusted place to learn reading skills, resiliency, and coping tools? How can a child build the confidence to rise above adverse experiences? The Kids Ranch mission is to be that trusted place. Kids Ranch builds caring, capable and confident kids.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Literacy Program

Literacy Program (Sept-May)
Children ages 6-11 receive phonics-based reading instruction from a trained volunteer reading instructor at an in-school or after-school literacy intervention program twice a week. The evidence-based reading instruction effectively helps children build strong foundational reading and decoding skills, which is the launching pad that allows them to progress from “basic” and “minimal” reading skills to “proficient” and even “advanced.” This program is offered for free or at a discounted cost.

Population(s) Served
At-risk youth

During the summer months, our focus is a beautiful 50-acre ranch in rural Sauk County Wisconsin. Children from four local school districts, as well as from the nearby Ho-Chunk Nation, enjoy a two-week day camp. Camp includes horse therapy, art therapy, hands-on nature experiences, gardening, music, and FUN, along with continued literacy tutoring and mental wellness counseling. Groups are deliberately small in order to offer personal attention and support. No more than 24 children attend each of the five 8-day sessions offered during the summer.

The Kids Ranch summer camp staff includes a summer camp coordinator and a naturalist in addition to our education coordinator and family therapist. Volunteer tutors and junior counselors also assure each child has a positive camp experience.

Population(s) Served
At-risk youth
Children and youth

We were fortunate to recently expand the mental wellness component of the Kids Ranch program to include year-round assessment and counseling for the children we serve. Our family therapist teaches tools and skills for reducing stress and managing inner conflict in order to develop self- soothing behaviors and self-care skills. She also assists families in getting medical attention, appropriate diagnoses, and treatment when needed.

Population(s) Served
At-risk youth
Children and youth

Where we work

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of students who demonstrate improved overall literacy

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Children, At-risk youth, Low-income people

Related Program

Literacy Program

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Limited programming in 2021-22. 100% of children who participated in literacy tutoring the entire year showed improvement, with an average of one complete grade level gained.

Total dollars received in contributions

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Children, At-risk youth, Low-income people

Type of Metric

Input - describing resources we use

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of volunteers

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Children, At-risk youth, Low-income people

Related Program

Literacy Program

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Service groups helped us clean up and repair the ranch grounds, in addition to the literacy tutors and volunteer drivers that assisted us. All volunteers, either recurring or one time, are counted.

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

Kids Ranch seeks out and serves struggling children, ages 6-11, in Sauk County, Wisconsin. Our mission is to build caring, capable, and confident kids by helping them overcome illiteracy, low self-esteem, and adverse childhood experiences. Kids Ranch uses a combination of literacy tutoring, mental wellness counseling, contact with caring community volunteers, and fun outdoor activities to help children develop the skills they need to face life challenges and build respect for themselves and others.

We serve children who have suffered adverse childhood experiences such as incarcerated or absent parents, death of a loved one, poverty, learning disabilities, homelessness, bullying. Our volunteer tutors help them learn to read, because difficult life circumstances often contribute to problems at school. Our therapist counsels with children and their parents, helping them get diagnoses and treatment for ADHD, autism, depression, etc. The Kids Ranch summer day camp experience gives these children time to be free from a difficult home life, in a safe wholesome environment, with an atmosphere of acceptance. They learn how to garden and to be responsible for their choices, they receive horse and art therapy to give them stability, and they get a chance to breathe.

Kids Ranch aims to bring hope to children. Life has been beating them down. They have been marginalized, abused, neglected, bullied. Their self-esteem is damaged. So often children who grow up in these types of circumstances continue the cycle into their adult life and with their own children. Kids Ranch programs are designed to give them the resiliency and the confidence to break that cycle.

The Kids Ranch school-year program provides literacy tutoring and mental wellness counseling for children ages 6-11. Students from four different school districts are paired with volunteer tutors 1-2 times a week, 40 minutes per session. The tutors, trained by our licensed education coordinator, utilize an alternative multi-sensory reading curriculum, “Synthesizing Phonics,” that engages kids who aren’t thriving in the classroom. The children receive healthy snacks when they arrive at the tutoring center. They are awarded incentives for cooperation and progress. Literacy centers are set up in four different communities, utilizing local churches or school buildings.

Kids Ranch mental wellness encounters with the children occur in both individual and group settings. Our goal is to teach them tools and skills for reducing stress and managing inner conflict, to develop self-soothing behaviors and self-care skills. Some of the self-care techniques the children learn are mindful breathing, progressive relaxation exercises, the importance of physical exercise, mood management through cognitive change, problem solving skills, reframing situations to look for what they can change,or strengths they can build from their current situation. We seek to help the child discover that he or she is powerful and capable of choosing positive thoughts and behaviors. We teach them to work toward accepting what has happened in the past, and to reach for what can be in the future. Our family therapist also assists children and their parents obtain medical treatment as needed.

During the summer months, children are connected with nature and with caring adults at our beautiful 50-acre ranch in rural Rock Springs, Wisconsin. Children from the four school districts, as well as from the nearby Ho-Chunk Nation, enjoy a two-week day camp. Camp includes horse therapy, art therapy, hands-on nature experiences, gardening, and music, along with continued literacy tutoring and mental wellness counseling. Groups are deliberately small in order to offer personal attention. No more than 25 children attend each of the five sessions offered during the summer.

INTERNAL STRENGTHS

Staff and Board Expertise

The Kids Ranch Executive Director, hired in January 2020, has a bachelor’s degree in business management, with an emphasis on organizational effectiveness.

Our Education Coordinator and co-founder is a certified teacher. She has championed the Synthesizing Phonics reading program for over twenty years.

Our mental wellness therapist is a specialist in childhood trauma and abuse; PTSD; depression; learning disabilities; cognitive-behavioral therapy. She has thirty-five years of clinical experience in family and child therapy.

Two administrative assistants and a bookkeeper provide support for all operations.

Summer camp staff includes a naturalist educator and a camp coordinator with extensive service working with youth.

The Kids Ranch Board includes five current or retired educators, a financial planner, a social worker, an attorney, and an artist.

Finances

In 2015, the Ranch property was sold to MGN Properties LLC. 75% of the proceeds were invested in CDs. This savings gives Kids Ranch a financial cushion, with 50% of a typical year’s expenses in the bank. We now lease the Ranch property for $1.00 annually.

Kids Ranch fundraising efforts are ongoing throughout the year. Our strategies include regular presentations to local civic organizations, businesses, and churches; awareness-raising campaigns using social media; donation solicitation to individuals; and applying for local, state, and federal grants. Our fundraising sources are: 43% from grants and foundations; 25% from civic organizations, churches, and businesses; 25% from individuals; 7% from United Way/United Funds.

In 2018, 3.8% of Kids Ranch expenses were allocated to administrative expenses.


EXTERNAL STRENGTHS

Partnerships

Kids Ranch has always been a grassroots organization, relying heavily on an army of community volunteers. The beautiful Kids Ranch facility in Rock Springs (where the summer day camp program takes place) was built entirely by volunteers and donated materials over the course of three years. Volunteers continue to maintain the property to this day.
50% of our financial support comes from donations from local churches, civic organizations, businesses, and individuals.

We rely on 40 volunteer tutors for our year-round literacy program. Each volunteer is trained in the Synthesizing Phonics curriculum. They work with 1-3 students each week, 40 minutes per session.

Kids Ranch works closely with four local school districts and the nearby Ho-Chunk Nation to identify struggling children and to track their progress.

FUTURE RESOURCES

Beginning June 2020, the Kids Ranch Executive Director will be working with consultant Lori Kranczer of Everyday Planned Giving LLC. Together they will be setting up a legacy giving program for Kids Ranch. This new fundraising vehicle is expected to provide financial stability for years to come.

Kids Ranch Inc. was founded in 1998 by the late Anne Rakos, a child and family therapist who saw a growing need for programs that support children who are at-risk due to poverty, abuse, death of family member, or learning difficulty. Her vision was to create an organization that used a combination of fun activities, contact with concerned community volunteers, and education to help children develop the skills they need to face life challenges and build respect for themselves and others. 

In 1999, Rakos partnered with Mary Bowers, a first-grade teacher at the time, and together they established tutoring programs for reading within four Wisconsin school districts. They also gathered an army of volunteers to build a beautiful ranch house to provide outdoor opportunities for children. Since its beginning, Kids Ranch has served over 2000 local children.

In 2018 the Kids Ranch Board adopted a comprehensive strategic plan for the first time. Categories include finances, succession planning, marketing & networking, building maintenance, programming, volunteers, and staff.

In 2019 a retired child and family therapist was hired. Ultimately her service may be even more important than the tutoring. She provides weekly counseling for children and their parents. She has written a comprehensive mental wellness curriculum to guide Kids Ranch services for years to come.

We are now preparing to move into the second generation of leadership. During the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown we completely reorganized years worth of paperwork. We updated our website and put more emphasis on social media. Our newly-installed donor management system helps us track the success of our fundraising campaigns. A new Executive Director was hired in 2020, the first Kids Ranch ED with a business degree. Our Education Coordinator is actively evaluating our literacy program with an eye to expanding in surrounding communities. Future staffing will include an education coordinator in each community. The legacy giving program now in development will bring future financial stability

Kids Ranch is preparing to celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2023. We are gathering photos, history, anecdotes, and stories from volunteers, staff, students, and donors. We expect to publish a book about the impact of this organization.

There will always be children who need Kids Ranch.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.
  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback

Financials

Kids Ranch Inc
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

Kids Ranch Inc

Board of directors
as of 01/24/2024
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Doug Mering

Andrew Hager

Ameriprise

Erica Lehr-Reuber

Sauk Prairie School District

Doug Mering

Retired

Jackie Bodette

Retired

Gregg Steinhaus

Fairway Mortgage

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 6/20/2023

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or Straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

Transgender Identity

Sexual orientation

Disability

No data

Equity strategies

Last updated: 03/01/2023

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.