SPARE KEY

We help families Bounce and not Break

St. Paul, MN   |  www.sparekey.org

Mission

Spare Key is a Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping families facing a medical crisis by providing them financial assistance so they can focus on their loved ones care and recovery.

Ruling year info

1998

Executive Director

Erich Mische

Main address

101 5th Street East Suite 1100

St. Paul, MN 55101 USA

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Formerly known as

Spare Key

EIN

41-1888767

NTEE code info

Human Service Organizations (P20)

Human Services - Multipurpose and Other N.E.C. (P99)

Emergency Assistance (Food, Clothing, Cash) (P60)

IRS filing requirement

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

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Communication

Blog

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Spare Key has successfully been licensed and registered to serve families in all 50 states and the DIstrict of Columbia to support families facing a medical crisis with our www.HelpMeBounce.org platform. As Spare Key celebrates its 25th Anniversary in 2022 we are excited to have successfully navigated the worst of 2020 and 2021. Our Executive Director's Hope on the River trip to raise funds and awareness for Spare Key in 2020, www.HopeOnTheRIver.com, was the beginning of our efforts to push back against the narrative of the gloom and doom of a global pandemic. In 2021 we continued to push back and achieved nearly all of our strategic goals and objectives for the year. Our goal is to continue to meet the needs of families facing a medical crisis by expanding our capacity to connect families needing assistance with donors looking to help families "Bounce and not Break."

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?

Housing and Housing Related Assistance

Spare Key supports families by providing them with the resources necessary to cover critical expenses while they deal with a loved ones medical crisis.

Population(s) Served
Families
People with diseases and illnesses

Where we work

Awards

Use Your Life Award 2000

Oprah Winfrey

Non-Profit of the Year 2017

Minnesota Mortgage Association

Outstanding Contribution to the Mortgage Industry 2019

Minnesota Mortgage Association

Videos

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 new programs/program sites

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

Adults, Families

Related Program

Housing and Housing Related Assistance

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

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

Charting impact

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

Our goal is to alleviate the emotional, physical and financial stress that a family faces during a significant medical crisis by helping them be heard, seen, and found using our www.HelpMeBounce.org platform.

We have developed a technology platform that harnesses our resources to help families secure the resources they need to address their financial needs. By focusing resources on driving awareness and donors to support families in need we can meet their current and future financial needs.

We use our network of donors, volunteers and technology, as well as our financial resources, to bring awareness to individual family challenges and create a broader network of supporters who will assist them financially to address their critical financial needs.

Spare Key has served over 4,000 families with nearly $4 million in housing and housing related assistance. As of 2020 we are now licensed and registered in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

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 shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?

    Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Paper surveys, Case management notes, Suggestion box/email,

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve,

  • With whom is the organization sharing feedback?

    Our staff, Our board,

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

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time,

Financials

SPARE KEY
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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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lock

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.

SPARE KEY

Board of directors
as of 01/10/2022
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board co-chair

Wendy Pajor

ASI Signage

Term: 2017 - 2023


Board co-chair

Leanna Stefaniak

AtHome Apartments

Term: 2022 - 2024

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 1/10/2022

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male
Sexual orientation
Decline to state
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

No data

Gender identity

No data

 

No data

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data

Equity strategies

Last updated: 01/10/2022

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 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 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.