Junior State of America
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Junior State of America
EIN: 94-6050452
as of September 2023
as of September 18, 2023
Mission
Junior State of America, a student-led organization, prepares a diverse community of high school students to participate effectively in our democracy. We offer hands-on civic programs designed to activate the talents of young people, instill values of respect and understanding, and inspire them to be a new generation of American leaders.
Ruling year
1941
Chief Executive Officer
Jodi Wiseley
Main address
P.O. Box 70933
Oakland, CA 94612 USA
Formerly known as
The Junior Statesmen Foundation
EIN
94-6050452
Secondary education
Alumni relations
Youth organizing
Civics for youth
Community service for youth
Population served
Children and youth
Students
NTEE code
Citizenship Programs, Youth Development (O54)
Youth Development Programs (O50)
IRS subsection
501(c)(3) Public Charity
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Tax forms
Communication
Programs and results
Reports and documents
Download annual reports Download other documentsWhat we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
JSA School Chapters
JSA Chapters are school-sponsored extracurricular clubs that typically meet weekly to plan and implement voter registration drives, candidate forums, political fairs, debates and community service projects. Student leaders gain valuable skills as they build and run clubs. School administrators and faculty recognize that JSA chapters augment the social studies curricula and enhance civic engagement for the entire school community.
Regional Conventions
JSA conventions are held three times a year: Fall State Convention, Winter Congress, and Spring State Convention. Student leaders, elected by their peers, run every aspect of JSA conventions, from inviting guest speakers, to conducting debates. Round table discussions, policy simulations, and other hands-on activities help students critically examine the political landscape. The Winter Congress Convention features a special weekend-long simulation of Congressional sessions where students experience first-hand "how a bill becomes a law.” Past topics have included the death penalty, abortion, the legalization of marijuana, the "DREAM” act and others.
JSA Summer Institutes
JSA Summer Institutes provide a behind-the-scenes look at local politics and state government in action. These programs offer students an opportunity to explore and debate today’s hot-button issues with elected officials and fellow high school students. Students have the opportunity to meet and question top politicians, journalists, key lobbyists and others influential in the civic sector. Currently, JSA offers three summer institutes - the Gene A. Burd Institute of Media & Politics, the Young Women's Leadership Institute, and the Civic Immersion Program.
Where we work
External reviews
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of conferences held
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Adolescents, At-risk youth
Related Program
Regional Conventions
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of conference attendees
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The mission of JSA is to educate and prepare high school students to be active participants and effective, ethical leaders in our democratic society. The student-led Junior State of America empowers a diverse community of passionate young leaders to learn together, think critically, advocate opinions thoughtfully, respect opposing views and promote the common good.
JSA programming seeks to have a positive impact on the following student outcomes:
(1) Increase in civic knowledge
(2) Increase in civic engagement
(3) Enhanced leadership and communication skills
(4) Enhanced self-esteem and self-efficacy
All of these are fundamental factors that align with our mission of educating and preparing high school students for life-long involvement and responsible leadership in a democratic society.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
JSA programming educates students on the importance and benefits of civic involvement while giving them hands-on opportunities to engage with government in their communities. JSA programs build a peer-to-peer network across the socioeconomic spectrum as students come together throughout the year to interact, identify community needs, plan service projects, debate, campaign and legislate. Students challenge one another to think critically, advocate their own opinions, develop respect for opposing views and learn how to rise above self-interest to promote the overall public good.
Ultimately, the long term goal of is to train the next generation of civic leaders, instilling them with the skills to be effective advocates for their communities. JSA promotes civil discourse in politics and policy. While our actual political leaders operate in a world defined by gridlock, partisan rancor and personal politics, JSA students learn to deliberate, campaign and legislate effectively and civilly. Youth emerge from the program instilled with passion and tolerance and equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence for a lifetime of responsible leadership in a democratic society.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Since its founding in 1934, more than 500,000 student members have become active, informed citizens through JSA. The Junior Statesmen Foundation maintains a committed and talented staff to ensure the ongoing success of programs throughout the United States.
JSA is unique because from its inception it has been a truly student-run enterprise. Chapters elect their own presidents, and students elect their regional leaders and the national Board of Governors. The student-run aspect is the cornerstone of the JSA experience, imbuing the participants with transferable leadership, management and communication skills, beyond the debate and advocacy that is the most visible aspect of the experience. Annual business and program plans have to be developed, approved and implemented; project time-lines must be set and adhered to; budgets must be determined and managed efficiently. JSA students emerge from this process with professional skills and competencies that their non-JSA peers will likely not realize until after their college years. The professional staff of the Junior Statesmen Foundation provides support and guidance to these student leaders, but the students themselves set the overall tone and agenda for events. It is truly a program that is designed for the students and by the students.
JSA's vast network can be extremely beneficial, particularly for underserved students who may often feel disconnected from their more affluent peers. Through participation in our programs, students meet and interact with other students from all across the nation. They form bonds that extend well into college and their professional lives. Access to JSA's alumni network is also an extremely valuable tool, and can benefit the students throughout their future careers. Prominent JSA alumni can be found in all fields, and the JSA brand is well-known for producing high-quality leaders.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
To measure the impact of JSA, an end-of-the-year survey was distributed to all JSA students in May 2013. Over 1,200 students responded. Selected results include the following:
77% said that JSA increased their knowledge of how government works.
80% said that JSA increased their knowledge of domestic issues.
76% said that JSA increased their knowledge of foreign affairs.
73% said that JSA improved their ability to speak up in class.
76% said that JSA improved their ability to read and understand current events.
79% said that they are likely to contact or visit someone in government.
93% said that they are likely to do volunteer work for a charity.
96% said that they are likely to vote on a regular basis.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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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 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
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, 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 demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), 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, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to get honest feedback from the people we serve, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback
Financials
Financial documents
Download audited financialsRevenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2022 info
1.91
Months of cash in 2022 info
2.1
Fringe rate in 2022 info
1%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Financial data
Junior State of America
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Oct 01 - Sep 30
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.
Fiscal Year: Oct 01 - Sep 30
This snapshot of Junior State of America’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.
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Business model indicators
| Profitability info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | $512,243 | $268,380 | -$12,928 | $706,286 | -$271,445 |
| As % of expenses | 9.4% | 4.8% | -0.4% | 34.7% | -7.3% |
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | $502,226 | $262,637 | -$18,671 | $670,081 | -$342,445 |
| As % of expenses | 9.2% | 4.7% | -0.6% | 32.3% | -9.0% |
| Revenue composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $5,993,123 | $6,549,180 | $2,807,078 | $3,043,639 | $2,982,832 |
| Total revenue, % change over prior year | 7.2% | 9.3% | -57.1% | 8.4% | -2.0% |
| Program services revenue | 72.6% | 63.2% | 57.2% | 9.1% | 34.3% |
| Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Investment income | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Government grants | 7.5% | 6.8% | 7.7% | 13.3% | 26.6% |
| All other grants and contributions | 19.5% | 29.7% | 34.8% | 74.0% | 37.1% |
| Other revenue | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 3.5% | 1.9% |
| Expense composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses before depreciation | $5,464,426 | $5,590,262 | $3,190,721 | $2,037,444 | $3,713,063 |
| Total expenses, % change over prior year | -0.1% | 2.3% | -42.9% | -36.1% | 82.2% |
| Personnel | 34.8% | 35.4% | 46.7% | 65.4% | 49.2% |
| Professional fees | 1.0% | 2.2% | 5.0% | 10.7% | 1.1% |
| Occupancy | 2.6% | 2.8% | 5.0% | 6.0% | 1.7% |
| Interest | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.8% | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Pass-through | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| All other expenses | 61.1% | 59.4% | 42.5% | 16.8% | 47.4% |
| Full cost components (estimated) info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses (after depreciation) | $5,474,443 | $5,596,005 | $3,196,464 | $2,073,649 | $3,784,063 |
| One month of savings | $455,369 | $465,855 | $265,893 | $169,787 | $309,422 |
| Debt principal payment | $100,000 | $275,000 | $0 | $0 | $330,000 |
| Fixed asset additions | $17,229 | $0 | $0 | $100,000 | $113,000 |
| Total full costs (estimated) | $6,047,041 | $6,336,860 | $3,462,357 | $2,343,436 | $4,536,485 |
Capital structure indicators
| Liquidity info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Months of cash | 2.5 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 6.4 | 2.1 |
| Months of cash and investments | 3.8 | 4.5 | 7.6 | 14.8 | 5.1 |
| Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | -1.6 | -1.0 | -1.8 | 1.1 | -0.5 |
| Balance sheet composition info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | $1,153,182 | $1,486,078 | $797,064 | $1,081,186 | $635,096 |
| Investments | $585,719 | $606,488 | $1,223,747 | $1,435,208 | $942,809 |
| Receivables | $133,181 | $176,197 | $46,683 | $501,950 | $125,743 |
| Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $213,805 | $213,805 | $155,009 | $255,009 | $230,751 |
| Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 93.3% | 96.0% | 98.1% | 73.9% | 52.9% |
| Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 82.6% | 43.6% | 53.4% | 34.0% | 44.0% |
| Unrestricted net assets | -$723,355 | -$460,718 | -$479,389 | $190,692 | -$151,753 |
| Temporarily restricted net assets | $426,746 | $1,790,548 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Permanently restricted net assets | $636,356 | $0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total restricted net assets | $1,063,102 | $1,790,548 | $1,474,591 | $1,875,377 | $1,230,630 |
| Total net assets | $339,747 | $1,329,830 | $995,202 | $2,066,069 | $1,078,877 |
Key data checks
| Key data checks info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material data errors | No | No | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
Chief Executive Officer
Jodi Wiseley
In addition to serving as the CEO of the Junior State of America Foundation, Rachel Kaganoff Stern serves on the Board of the Sanford Public Policy School at Duke University and on the board of HATCH, a non-profit ecosystem that consists of two annual Summits, year-round mentorship programs, and a global network that connects to accelerate solutions for positive impact.
She spent five years as a board member and member of the Executive Committee of the Alliance for College Ready Schools, and served for eleven years on the Women in Leadership Steering Committee at Princeton University. She is the former Co-Chair of the Women’s Political Committee, a Los Angeles-based political action committee that raises money for Democratic women candidates for office. She was a long-time member of the Board of Planned Parenthood’s Advocacy Project.
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
Junior State of America
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
Junior State of America
Highest paid employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
Junior State of America
Board of directorsas of 08/31/2023
Board of directors data
Vivian Tsai
TIAA
Beth Freeman
James W. Lintott
Sterling Foundation Management LLC, Washington, DC
Jeff Harris
Tom Warden
CLARA Analytics
Beth Freeman
United States District Judge for the Northern District of California
Vivian Tsai
TIAA’s Education Savings
Shayna M. van Hoften
Hanson Bridgett LLP
Laura Ansell
Brand Alloy
Larry Klane
Pivot Investment Partners
Doug Wertheimer
Industry Capital
Vishal Goradia
Indrani's Light Foundation
Gabriel Stempinski
New Leaf Consulting
Niraj Antani
Ohio State Senator
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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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 ? Yes -
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? Not applicable
Organizational demographics
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
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 08/31/2023GuideStar 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
- 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 analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- 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.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- 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 measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- 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.
Contractors
Fiscal year endingGuideStar Pro Reports
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- Letter of Determination
- Officer and/or Employee data for 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018
- Contractor and/or Paid Preparer data for 2022, 2021, 2020
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