LITERACY NETWORK OF SOUTH BERKSHIRE INC
Life transforming programs for adult learners, especially immigrants.
LITERACY NETWORK OF SOUTH BERKSHIRE INC
EIN: 04-3252289
as of September 2023
as of September 18, 2023
Mission
The mission of Literacy Network is to transform the lives of adult learners, both immigrant and US born, through the power of literacy, education, and advocacy.
Ruling year
1995
Executive Director
Ms. Leigh Doherty
Main address
32 Park Street
Lee, MA 01238 USA
EIN
04-3252289
Equal opportunity in education
Bilingual education
Adult education
Reading promotion
Immigrant services
Population served
Adults
LGBTQ people
People of Middle Eastern descent
People of Asian descent
People of African descent
NTEE code
Adult, Continuing Education (B60)
Remedial Reading, Reading Encouragement (B92)
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 reportsWhat we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
LitNet serves the large population of immigrants who live and work in Berkshire County. According to the American Community Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau, between 2009 and 2014, the number of South Berkshire residents who spoke a language other than English at home increased by almost 30%. About 3,000 individuals in LitNet's primary service area speak a language other than English at home.
In the past year, students enrolled with the Literacy Network ranged in age from 20-71. They were of limited income and came from 30 different countries and spoke at least 18 different languages collectively. The majority of LitNet students are from Central and South America; however, we also have students from Western, Central, and Eastern Europe as well as China, Japan, India, and Southeast Asia. Some LitNet students have learning disabilities and have been unsuccessful in more traditional learning environments.
Currently, more than 90% of LitNet's students are studying ESOL
High School Equivalency
About 5% of LitNet's students are working to receive their high school equivalency certificate,
Citizenship Test Preparation
About 3% of LitNet's students are pursuing their American citizenship.
Adult Basic Education
About 2% of LitNet' students are practicing basic reading skills.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
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 bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, 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 tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
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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
Financials
Financial documents
Download audited financialsRevenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2021 info
72.89
Months of cash in 2021 info
14.8
Fringe rate in 2021 info
8%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Financial data
LITERACY NETWORK OF SOUTH BERKSHIRE INC
Revenue & expensesFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
LITERACY NETWORK OF SOUTH BERKSHIRE INC
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
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: Jan 01 - Dec 31
This snapshot of LITERACY NETWORK OF SOUTH BERKSHIRE INC’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 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | $72,290 | $18,986 | $67,152 | $91,088 | $122,178 |
| As % of expenses | 43.7% | 9.9% | 35.5% | 69.8% | 55.9% |
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | $71,314 | $18,823 | $67,152 | $91,088 | $122,178 |
| As % of expenses | 42.8% | 9.8% | 35.5% | 69.8% | 55.9% |
| Revenue composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $221,652 | $274,170 | $216,562 | $194,307 | $282,676 |
| Total revenue, % change over prior year | 0.0% | 23.7% | -21.0% | -10.3% | 45.5% |
| Program services revenue | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Investment income | 1.0% | 2.3% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 1.9% |
| Government grants | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| All other grants and contributions | 93.2% | 95.4% | 91.7% | 87.0% | 93.8% |
| Other revenue | 5.8% | 2.2% | 5.5% | 10.3% | 4.3% |
| Expense composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses before depreciation | $165,565 | $191,242 | $188,901 | $130,471 | $218,507 |
| Total expenses, % change over prior year | 0.0% | 15.5% | -1.2% | -30.9% | 67.5% |
| Personnel | 73.8% | 72.3% | 69.7% | 64.9% | 66.4% |
| Professional fees | 4.5% | 5.7% | 6.7% | 14.4% | 7.8% |
| Occupancy | 5.9% | 5.1% | 5.4% | 7.2% | 0.0% |
| Interest | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Pass-through | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| All other expenses | 15.7% | 16.9% | 18.2% | 13.5% | 24.5% |
| Full cost components (estimated) info | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses (after depreciation) | $166,541 | $191,405 | $188,901 | $130,471 | $218,507 |
| One month of savings | $13,797 | $15,937 | $15,742 | $10,873 | $18,209 |
| Debt principal payment | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed asset additions | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total full costs (estimated) | $180,338 | $207,342 | $204,643 | $141,344 | $236,716 |
Capital structure indicators
| Liquidity info | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Months of cash | 29.0 | 29.3 | 33.7 | 57.2 | 14.8 |
| Months of cash and investments | 29.0 | 29.3 | 33.7 | 57.2 | 40.5 |
| Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 28.5 | 25.9 | 30.4 | 52.5 | 38.0 |
| Balance sheet composition info | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | $400,129 | $466,262 | $530,541 | $622,167 | $268,654 |
| Investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $468,056 |
| Receivables | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $20,000 |
| Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $11,485 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 98.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 0.3% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Unrestricted net assets | $393,234 | $412,057 | $479,209 | $570,297 | $692,474 |
| Temporarily restricted net assets | $6,170 | $51,150 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Permanently restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total restricted net assets | $6,170 | $51,150 | $51,025 | $47,712 | $54,549 |
| Total net assets | $399,404 | $463,207 | $530,234 | $618,009 | $747,023 |
Key data checks
| Key data checks info | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material data errors | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
Executive Director
Ms. Leigh Doherty
LitNet provides free, individualized, one-on-one instruction in reading, high school equivalency test preparation, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), and citizenship test preparation. Our professional staff and trained team of volunteer tutors offer generalized educational support and promote access to a network of community resources.
We provide scholarships to qualified candidates which cover the costs of the naturalization process. The Matthew and Hannah Keator Family Scholarship for New Americans is Berkshire County’s first scholarship program to support immigrants in their pursuit of U.S. citizenship.
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
LITERACY NETWORK OF SOUTH BERKSHIRE INC
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
There are no highest paid employees recorded for this organization.
LITERACY NETWORK OF SOUTH BERKSHIRE INC
Board of directorsas of 06/15/2023
Board of directors data
Ms. Merle Kailas
MK Group Productions
Term: 2016 - 2023
Eric Federer
Leslie Murray
Pamela Breslin
Lynn Campana
Lorena Dus
Berkshire Immigrant Center
Catheryn Chacon
Ernst & Young
George Ambriz
Berkshire Community College
Camilo Manrique
BaneCare Management
Lenore Sundberg
Janice Toran
Carole Hyatt
Matthew Freitag
Lee Bank
John Toole
Toole Insurance Agency
John Reynolds
Leslie Kozupsky
Donna Morelli
Community Legal Aid
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? No
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
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/21/2023GuideStar 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 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 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.
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