2012-09-10T11:07:28-05:00 2011-12-31 341945695 SS&G INC 1665 ELK BOULEVARD DES PLAINES IL 600164776 990 2011-01-01 360802950 BETTER GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION INC BETT 3124278330 223 W JACKSON BLVD NO 900 CHICAGO IL 60606 ANDREW SHAW 3124278330 2012-08-27 1 DIRK AHLBECK P00237637 8478244000 2012-08-27 2011 2016-02-24 21:20:13Z X ANDREW SHAW 223 W JACKSON BLVD STE 900 CHICAGO IL 60606 2302369 0 X WWW.BETTERGOV.ORG X 1923 IL PROMOTES INTEGRITY, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOVERNMENT. SEE PART III FOR MORE INFORMATION. 35 35 16 85 0 0 986488 2258067 0 23075 -1492 -8894 -62949 -141417 922047 2130831 0 0 0 0 760974 1284813 0 0 223623 401601 399577 1162575 1684390 -240528 446441 677599 1145419 38808 60187 638791 1085232 X TO PROMOTE INTEGRITY, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOVERNMENT BY EXPOSING WASTE, FRAUD AND CORRUPTION, PROMOTING EFFECTIVE PUBLIC POLICY AND ENAGING THE COMMUNITY. 0 0 716428 INVESTIGATIVE UNIT - THE BGA'S INVESTIGATIVE UNIT LOOKS INTO ALLEGATIONS OF WASTE, FRAUD AND CORRUPTION IN CITY, COUNTY, SUBURBAN AND STATE GOVERNMENT. THE RESULTS OF THESE IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATIONS ARE MADE PUBLIC THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL MEDIA. INVESTIGATIONS INCLUDE ANALYSIS OF GOVERNMENT BUDGETS, CONTRACTS AND PAYROLLS, MONITORING OF EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF GOVERNMENT RESOURCES AND REVIEW OF OPEN, HONEST AND FAIR LEGISLATIVE PROCESSES. THE BGA FILED NEARLY 100 INVESTIGATIONS IN 2011. IN A SIGNIFICANT STEP FOR THE ORGANIZATION, THIS YEAR MARKED THE INITIATION OF THE RESCUING ILLINOIS PROJECT, AN ONGOING SERIES OF IN-DEPTH REPORTS ABOUT IMPROVING AND REFORMING STATE GOVERNMENT AND FOCUSING ON THE STATE'S SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS SUCH AS FAILING PUBLIC PENSIONS SYSTEMS, WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS, AND THE HIGH COST OF TOWNSHIPS. IN ADDITION THE BGA CONTINUES TO PRODUCE DAY-TO-DAY, HARD-HITTING INVESTIGATION. 169374 23075 CITIZEN EDUCATION & COMMUNICATION PROGRAMS (CIVIC ENGAGMENT)- IN 2011 THE BGA CONTINUED THE BUILD OUT OF ITS RENOVATED WEBSITE TO MAKE IT A HUB FOR ALL THINGS GOOD GOVERNMENT. THROUGH THE WEBSITE AND ITS COMPREHENSIVE DIGITAL STRATEGY, THE BGA PRESENTS ITS JOURNALISTIC INVESTIGATIONS, EDUCATES THE PUBLIC ON IMPORTANT GOVERNMENT ISSUES AND TRAINS CITIZENS ON TECHNIQUES FOR MONITORING GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES. NOTABLY IN 2011 THE BGA LAUNCHED THE ACTION CENTER ON ITS WEBSITE WHICH EMPOWERS CITIZENS TO STAY UP TO DATE ON POLICY PRIORITIES AND CONNECT DIRECTLY WITH LAWMAKERS TO ACHIEVE POLICY CAMPAIGNS. 155101 POLICY ADVOCACY - IN ITS FIRST FULL YEAR OF EXISTENCE THE BGA'S POLICY UNIT MADE GREAT STRIDES IN SHAPING THE DISCUSSION, BOTH IN CHICAGO AND IN SPRINGFIELD, ABOUT WAYS TO IMPROVE OUR GOVERNMENT. THE POLICY TEAM WAS AT THE FOREFRONT OF KEY ISSUES, RELAYING THEM TO BGA FOLLOWERS ON THE THINK TANK BLOG AND IN THE MEDIA. IN 2011 THE POLICY UNIT FOCUSED ON STREAMLINING GOVERNMENT, KEEPING THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT FROM BEING DIMINISHED, WRONGFUL CONVICTION REFORM, PUBLIC PENSION REFORM AND GREATER FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY RELATED TO THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS. 83057 CITIZEN WATCHDOG TRAINING PROGRAM - THE BGA'S CITIZEN WATCHDOG TRAINING IS A FREE PROGRAM THAT EMPOWERS CITIZENS TO EXAMINE GOVERNMENT AND DEMAND THE CHANGES THEY WANT TO SEE MADE. IN A SERIES OF FREE TRAINING SESSIONS HELD THROUGH THE STATE, CITIZENS LEARN HOW TO KEEP AN EYE ON GOVERNMENT FROM VETERAN JOURNALISTS AND LEGAL PROFESSIONALS. PRO BONO SPEAKERS TEACH CITIZENS HOW TO UNDERSTAND GOVERNMENT AND HOW TO USE THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT AND OPEN MEETINGS ACT. IN 2011 THE BGA TRAINED OVER 700 PEOPLE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, THE BGA CONTINUED TO EXPAND ITS CITIZEN WATCHDOGS OF EDUCATION PROGRAM, A TRAINING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO EMPOWER PARENTS TO KEEP AN EYE ON THEIR LOCAL CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. FINALLY, THE BGA HELD FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT CLINICS. 83057 1123960 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 19 0 16 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 X 35 35 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 IL X EMMETT MURPHY 3124278330 223 W JACKSON BLVD STE 900 CHICAGO IL 60606 TAMARA ASKEW 1.00 X 0 0 0 FRANCIS BEIDLER III 1.00 X 0 0 0 ERIC BERLIN 1.00 X 0 0 0 ROBERT CARSON 1.00 X 0 0 0 PHIL CLEMENT 1.00 X X 0 0 0 PATRICK COFFEY 1.00 X 0 0 0 PEDRO DEJESUS 1.00 X 0 0 0 PATRICK COLLINS 1.00 X 0 0 0 JOSEPH HASSON 1.00 X 0 0 0 MARGARET DALEY 1.00 X 0 0 0 SAMUEL FIFER 1.00 X 0 0 0 JAN GRAYSON 1.00 X 0 0 0 TED HAWKINS 1.00 X X 0 0 0 H RODERIC HEARD 1.00 X X 0 0 0 SCOTT HODES 1.00 X 0 0 0 GRAHAM GRADY 1.00 X 0 0 0 GARY KLEINRICHERT 1.00 X 0 0 0 LUDWIG KOLMAN 1.00 X 0 0 0 HILL HAMMOCK 1.00 X 0 0 0 DAVID LUNDY 1.00 X X 0 0 0 CRAIG MCCROHON 1.00 X X 0 0 0 STEVE MILLER 1.00 X 0 0 0 HEIDI RUDOLPH 1.00 X 0 0 0 JAMES NEWCOMB 1.00 X 0 0 0 RACHEL NIEWOEHNER 1.00 X 0 0 0 LOIS SCOTT 1.00 X 0 0 0 LISA C SNOW 1.00 X 0 0 0 KRISTOFER SWANSON 1.00 X 0 0 0 LORI YOKOYAMA 1.00 X 0 0 0 DAVID HOFFMAN 1.00 X 0 0 0 MARY LEE CULLEN LEAHY 1.00 X 0 0 0 JACK MODZELEWSKI 1.00 X 0 0 0 JOSE PADILLA 1.00 X 0 0 0 JULIET SORENSEN 1.00 X 0 0 0 ROBIN STEANS 1.00 X 0 0 0 ANDREW SHAW 40.00 X 174175 0 19188 RITA MCLENNON 40.00 X 140475 0 10451 ROBERT REED 40.00 X 111060 0 24958 ROBERT HERGUTH 40.00 X 102650 0 21104 528360 0 75701 4 0 1 0 0 17690 429968 1810409 2258067 TRANSPARENCY CONF. 900099 23075 23075 23075 1307 1307 10201 -10201 -10201 -10201 9845 429968 161217 -151372 -151372 760 120 640 640 MISCELLANEOUS 900099 9315 9315 9315 2130831 23075 0 -150311 352625 154220 89290 109115 718641 586650 104064 27927 131918 100564 21708 9646 81629 57087 14590 9952 2500 2500 34970 34970 17126 2050 4150 10926 80484 52078 17833 10573 27272 2439 23565 1268 34779 25737 5912 3130 7456 3445 2426 1585 2497 64 2108 325 51128 37834 8692 4602 14175 10489 2410 1276 RESEARCH 60579 60579 FUNDRAISING 29778 620 29158 POLICY & GOV'T AFFAIRS 16658 16658 DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS 11978 6069 1769 4140 8197 7997 200 1684390 1123960 336807 223623 74177 127442 332196 583302 111056 277289 9772 29968 153437 79668 61357 73769 85250 47258 3791 6391 677599 1145419 25725 36969 13083 23218 38808 60187 X 516735 807943 122056 277289 638791 1085232 677599 1145419 446441 0 X 0 1 1 X 0 X 173110 177339 976149 986488 2246727 4559813 173110 177339 976149 986488 2246727 4559813 941043 3618770 13259 5751 2461 1225 1307 24003 104644 150445 58773 55396 31260 400518 4984334 23075 0.72600 0.64910 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 7794 0 1 1191 8985 0 EXPLANATION OF OTHER LOBBYING ACTIVITIES: PART II-B, LINE 1I: PROVIDING RESEARCH, REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING CURRENT POLICIES AND LEGISLATION BASED ON BGA INVESTIGATIONS. 4669 246 4423 90228 54972 35256 58540 24450 34090 73769 DEFERRED RENT 23218 23218 2130831 1684390 446441 446441 2496754 194385 161337 355722 2141032 -10201 -10201 2130831 2015112 169385 161337 330722 1684390 0 1684390 DESCRIPTION OF UNCERTAIN TAX POSITIONS UNDER FIN 48: PART X: THE ORGANIZATION IS EXEMPT FROM INCOME TAXES UNDER SECTION 501(C)(3) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE, EXCEPT FOR NET INCOME DERIVED FROM UNRELATED BUSINESS ACTIVITIES. DURING THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2011 AND 2010, THE ORGANIZATION DID NOT HAVE ANY UNRELATED BUSINESS ACTIVITIES. THE ORGANIZATION BELIEVES THAT IT HAS APPROPRIATE SUPPORT FOR ANY TAX POSITIONS TAKEN, INCLUDING ITS TAX EXEMPT STATUS, AND AS SUCH, DOES NOT HAVE ANY UNCERTAIN TAX POSITIONS THAT ARE MATERIAL TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. THE ORGANIZATION'S FEDERAL EXEMPT ORGANIZATION BUSINESS INCOME TAX RETURNS (FORM 990-T) FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2010, 2009, AND 2008 ARE SUBJECT TO EXAMINATION BY THE IRS, GENERALLY FOR THREE YEARS AFTER THEY WERE FILED. PART XII, LINE 2D - OTHER ADJUSTMENTS: SPECIAL EVENTS EXPENSE 161,337. PART XII, LINE 4B - OTHER ADJUSTMENTS: LOSS ON DISPOSAL OF FIXED ASSET -10,201. PART XIII, LINE 2D - OTHER ADJUSTMENTS: SPECIAL EVENTS EXPENSE 161,337. ANNUAL LUCHEON 355060 352910 2150 23410 49322 57554 SPRING AWARDS 60878 56848 4030 11464 13974 2 23875 20210 3665 876 4617 439813 429968 9845 35750 49322 76145 161217 -151372 X 1 1 X X X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ANDREW SHAW 174175 0 0 0 0 0 3600 0 15588 0 193363 0 0 0 RITA MCLENNON 140475 0 0 0 0 0 2800 0 7651 0 150926 0 0 0 PART I, LINE 1A THE SOCIAL CLUB DUES ARE A BENEFIT FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND IS OUTLINED IN HIS CONTRACT. THE ORGANIZATION IS DIRECTLY BILLED BY THE CLUB AND PAYS ALL BILLS DIRECTLY TO THE CLUB. EACH BILL INCLUDES AN ITEMIZED INVOICE THAT THE ORGANIZATION'S ACCOUNTANT MONITORS. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11 THE DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION AND PRESIDENT AND CE0 WILL ENSURE THAT ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND LIFE TRUSTEES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE FORM 990 BEFORE IT IS FILED. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12C THE ORGANIZATION'S BOARD HAS A STANDING COMMITTEE, THE TRUSTEESHIP COMMITTEE, THAT KEEPS AN EVALUATION CHART ON EACH BOARD MEMBER AND OVERSEES ACTIVITIES THAT MIGHT RESULT IN POSSIBLE CONFLICTS. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15 THE COMPENSATION PROCESS INCLUDED THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE APPOINTING A SUB-COMMITTEE TO WORK WITH LEGAL COUNCIL AND TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE SUB-COMMITTEE DID A FULL EVALUATION OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S PERFORMANCE IN THE PROCESS OF RENEGOTIATING THE CONTRACT. THE SUB-COMMITTEE ALSO WORKED WITH A NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT WHO USED EXISTING STUDIES THAT COMPARED NONPROFIT SALARIES FOR PRESIDENT TYPE POSITIONS. THE CONTRACT WAS DISCUSSED AND APPROVED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION OF THE FULL BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE CONTRACT WAS APPROVED IN NOVEMBER 2010. THE COMPENSATION PROCESS INCLUDED THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE APPOINTING A SUB-COMMITTEE TO WORK WITH LEGAL COUNCIL AND TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE SUB-COMMITTEE ALSO WORKED WITH A NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT WHO USED EXISTING STUDIES THAT COMPARED NONPROFIT SALARIES FOR A CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER POSITION. THE COO'S CONTRACT WAS DISCUSSED AND APPROVED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION OF THE FULL BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE CONTRACT WAS APPROVED IN 2009. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 THE ORGANIZATION MAKES ITS BYLAWS AVAILABLE ON ITS WEBSITE AND THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC UPON REQUEST.