2011-11-15T08:33:30-06:00 2010-12-31 O'CONNOR DAVIES MUNNS & DOBBINS LLP 500 MAMARONECK AVENUE - SUITE 301 HARRISON NY 105281633 990 2010-01-01 263283639 IN OUR BACKYARDS INC INOU 9174644515 41 E 11TH STREET 3RD FLOOR NEW YORK NY 10003 BRANDON WHITNEY 9174644515 2011-11-14 1 BARBARA BEL 9143818900 2010 2016-03-07 17:11:31Z X BRANDON WHITNEY 41 E 11TH STREET 3RD FLOOR NEW YORK NY 10003 422979 0 X WWW.IOBY.ORG X 2008 NY THE IOBY MISSION IS TO CONNECT DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS TO LOCAL ENVIRONMENT PROJECTS IN NEED OF SUPPORT, REMOVING BARRIERS AND FOSTERING ENVIRONMENTAL KNOWLEDGE AND ACTION FOR CHANGE.IOBY (EYE-OH-BE) OFFERS AN INNOVATIVE, DECENTRALIZED ONLINE PLATFORM (IOBY.ORG) BASED ON THE PROVEN MODEL OF MICRO-PHILANTHROPY TO CONNECT PEOPLE IN CITIES WHO CARE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES TO THE LOCAL LEADERS OF EXISTING UNDER-RESOURCED PROJECTS IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS. WE BELIEVE THAT BY CONNECTING THESE GROUPS OF PEOPLE WE ARE BUILDING STRONGER URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS AND A STRONGER ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT. THUS, IOBY PUTS ENVIRONMENTALISM IN ITS PLACE: IN OUR BACKYARDS. 10 10 2 20 0 0 91269 407877 0 0 150 0 0 15102 91419 422979 0 0 0 0 0 154297 0 0 22646 0 97583 0 251880 91419 171099 53179 328976 0 16046 53179 312930 X THE IOBY MISSION IS TO CONNECT DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS TO LOCAL ENVIRONMENT PROJECTS IN NEED OF SUPPORT, REMOVING BARRIERS AND FOSTERING ENVIRONMENTAL KNOWLEDGE AND ACTION FOR CHANGE. 1 0 3402 0 23989 PROJECT ADVOCACYTHIS PROGRAM COMPRISES ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES, PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES WE DESIGN AND MANAGE IN ORDER TO BRING IN PROJECTS AND BRING IN DONORS. THIS ALSO INCLUDES ALL OUR EVENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS TO KEEP DONORS INVOLVED AND UP TO DATE WITH PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVE SUPPORTED, AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE THE WORK OF OUR PROJECTS TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY OF INTERESTED ENVIRONMENTALISTS, COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS AND NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS. WE HAVE BUILT RELATIONSHIPS WITH HUNDREDS OF LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS AND NONPROFITS AND HAVE RECEIVED WELL OVER 150 PROJECT APPLICATIONS FROM ACROSS NYC AS A RESULT OF THIS WORK. OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS HAVE ALSO BROUGHT IN WELL OVER 500 DONORS TO IOBY PROJECTS AND CONNECTED OUR MESSAGE WITH THOUSANDS OF POTENTIAL PROJECT LEADERS AND/OR DONORS 13520 0 0 PROJECT SUPPORTTHIS PROGRAM COMPRISES ALL OF THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE FOR PROJECTS USING THE IOBY PLATFORM. IN ADDITION TO THE FREE USE OF OUR WEBSITE AND ITS TOOLS, PROJECT LEADERS BENEFIT FROM OPTIONAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE IOBY TEAM IN THE FORM OF WORKSHOPS AND ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTATIONS ON: PROJECT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT; SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS; PARTICIPATION IN OUR DIGITAL STORYTELLING PROJECT; AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, GRASSROOTS FUNDRAISING. THIS PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDES ALL ASPECTS OF THE LIMITED FORM OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP THAT WE OFFER TO PROJECTS AND MANAGEMENT OF NECESSARY PURCHASING AND/OR FUNDS DISBURSEMENT AFTER PROJECTS ARE FULLY FUNDED, AS WELL AS SUBSEQUENT REPORTING. TO DATE, WE HAVE WORKED WITH OVER 150 PROJECTS AND 36 PROJECTS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY FUNDED AND COMPLETED 18518 0 50000 ONLINE PLATFORMTHIS PROGRAM IS THE FUNCTIONAL HEART OF OUR ORGANIZATION AND THE CORE OF OUR UNIQUE MODEL; IT ENABLES MOST OTHER ASPECTS OF OUR WORK. WE DESIGN, BUILD AND MAINTAIN A WEBSITE (IOBY.ORG) FOCUSED ON MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE PROJECT LEADERS WE SERVE AND THE DONORS THAT SUPPORT THEIR WORK. THIS PLATFORM IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING THROUGH ITERATIONS AND ENHANCED BY FEEDBACK FROM BOTH PROJECT LEADERS AND DONORS. 121146 121146 156586 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 10 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 NY X X X BRANDON WHITNEY 9174644515 41 E 11TH STREET 3RD FLOOR NEW YORK NY 10003 ERIN BARNES 55.00 X 68500 0 5842 BRANDON WHITNEY 55.00 X 63500 0 5842 CASSIE FLYNN 5.00 X 0 0 0 BRANDI COLANDER 5.00 X 0 0 0 BEN STEIN 5.00 X 0 0 0 ANTONIA BOWRING 5.00 X 0 0 0 IRENE BOLAND 5.00 X 0 0 0 BILL BROWNING 5.00 X 0 0 0 EMILY ENDERLE 5.00 X 0 0 0 ARIF ULLAH 5.00 X 0 0 0 132000 0 11684 0 0 0 0 0 407877 38000 407877 13201 0 13201 13201 OTHER 900099 1901 1901 1901 422979 0 0 15102 132000 75885 39542 16573 11685 6660 3506 1519 10612 6101 3179 1332 9875 9875 25119 14773 10346 3280 2363 917 32301 32301 974 197 682 95 1800 1800 DIRECT PROGRAM EXPENSES 12950 11567 1383 OTHER 5941 4961 515 465 POSTAGE AND SUPPLIES 2618 468 941 1209 DUES AND SUBSCRIPTION 1368 269 1029 70 UTILITIES 1357 1041 316 251880 156586 72648 22646 53179 273128 55000 848 53179 328976 16046 0 16046 X 53179 -14591 327521 53179 312930 53179 328976 X 171099 88652 X X 0 1 1 X 0 X 91269 409778 501047 91269 409778 501047 501047 150 150 13201 13201 514398 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 0 422979 251880 171099 88652 88652 259751 422979 0 422979 0 422979 251880 0 251880 0 251880 X 3 38000 FMV 0 0 0 NEW PROGRAM SERVICES FORM 990, PART III, LINE 2 PROGRAMMATICALLY, WE HAVE THREE GOALS BY WHICH WE PURSUE OUR MISSION AND WE OPERATIONALIZE EACH THROUGH A SET OF OBJECTIVES. BRIEFLY WE AIM TO: (1) SUPPORT THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE GRASSROOTS ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT IN URBAN AREAS, (2) PROMOTE DIRECT ENGAGEMENT WITH LOCAL PROJECTS AS A WAY TO GAIN ENVIRONMENTAL KNOWLEDGE, AND (3) TELL THE COLLECTIVE STORY OF GRASSROOTS ENVIRONMENTAL WORK IN URBAN AREAS. THE FIRST GOAL IS FOCUSED ON GRASSROOTS GROUPS THAT NEED SUPPORT AND THE SECOND ON PEOPLE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED. OUR PLATFORM CONNECTS THESE PEOPLE AND LEVERAGES THE RESOURCES OF THE LATTER TO THE FORMER. WE HIGHLIGHT SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS SO THAT DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS CAN FOLLOW THE IMPACT OF THEIR SUPPORT AND SO THAT WE CAN TELL LARGER STORY OF THE URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT. TO ACHIEVE GOAL ONE, WE LEVERAGE THE TOOLS OF MICROPHILANTHROPY AND DIGITAL MEDIA IN AN ONLINE PLATFORM (IOBY.ORG) TO UNDER-RESOURCED GRASSROOTS WORKING FOR POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO MEET OUR CAN APPLY TO GET FREE ACCESS TO A PROJECT PROFILE PAGE WHERE THEY POST UPDATES, SHARE TEXT, PHOTOS AND VIDEOS OF THEIR AND ACCESS TO ONLINE TOOLS TO ORGANIZE VOLUNTEERS, CONNECT TO MAJOR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, RAISE MONEY. TO ACHIEVE GOAL TWO, WE MOVE PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND WHO CARE ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS TO ACTION BY ENCOURAGING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL-SCALE CHARITABLE GIVING AND COMMUNITY SERVICE. WE BELIEVE DIRECT LOCAL ENGAGEMENT CAN BE THE LENS THROUGH WHICH THEY UNDERSTAND OTHER LARGER ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. THIS ACHIEVES SEVERAL OUTCOMES. FIRST, IT ENCOURAGES CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. SECOND, IT MAKES THE CONCEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT LOCAL, TANGIBLE, APPROACHABLE AND SOLVABLE. THIRD, UNLIKE THE PURCHASE OF A GREEN PRODUCT THAT LEADS TO GREEN CONSUMERISM, THIS TYPE OF ACTION CREATES ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. FINALLY, IT BUILDS A NEW FORCE IN PHILANTHROPIC GIVING. TO FIND NEW PROJECT GROUPS, DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS WE COLLABORATE WITH EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS, TABLE AT EVENTS, ORGANIZE WORKSHOPS ON GRASSROOTS FUNDRAISING, GIVE PRESENTATIONS TO LOCAL LEADERS AND HOST ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS ON TOPICS SUCH AS WORKING IN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. AS PROJECTS ARE FUNDED AND COMPLETED IN NYC NEIGHBORHOODS, GROUPS, VOLUNTEERS AND DONORS POST UPDATES AND REPORTS ON THE PROJECT PROFILE PAGE FOR OTHERS TO SEE AND SHARE. TO ACHIEVE GOAL THREE, OUR PLATFORM SERVES AS A DATABASE OF THIS CROWD-SOURCED INFORMATION ON BEST IDEAS IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL WORK AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TECHNIQUES. WE SPOTLIGHT, THROUGH OUR DIGITAL STORYTELLING PROJECT, THE BEST PROJECTS AROUND THE CITY. THESE SHORT, DOCUMENTARY FILM STYLE VIDEOS ARE PRODUCED BY IOBY BUT FILMED BY THE GROUPS GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THEIR OWN STORY WHILE GIVING DONORS THE EXPERIENCE OF A SITE VISIT. BECAUSE 2010 WAS OUR FIRST FULLY OPERATIONAL YEAR WITH STAFF, ALL OUR EFFORTS HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON BUILDING THE ORGANIZATION'S CAPACITY TO ACHIEVE OUR MISSION. THIS YEAR WE TESTED SEVERAL PROJECT AND DONOR ACQUISITION PROGRAMS AND SEVERAL MORE DONOR CULTIVATION AND PROJECT SUPPORT INITIATIVES. WE TESTED OUR GROUPS ABILITY TO RAISE FUNDS THEMSELVES BY HOSTING SHORT WORKSHOPS ON GRASSROOTS FUNDRAISING AND PROVIDING DIRECT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO PROJECT GROUPS OVER THE PHONE OR IN PERSON TO DEVELOP A FUNDRAISING PLAN FOR THEIR PROJECTS CAMPAIGNS. THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS, WE HAVE CO-DESIGNED THE IOBY GIVING CARD, DEVELOPED OUR DIGITAL STORYTELLING STARTER KIT AND RUN SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL MATCHING CAMPAIGNS. SINCE LAUNCHING OUR BETA SITE, IOBY HAS DIRECTED MORE THAN $45,000 IN MICRO-DONATIONS TO GRASSROOTS PROJECTS IN NYC THROUGH OUR PLATFORM. MICRO-DONORS THROUGH IOBY HAVE FULLY FUNDED 36 PROJECTS IN BROOKLYN, QUEENS, MANHATTAN AND THE BRONX. PROJECTS HAVE BEEN IN AREAS SUCH AS -WASTE REDUCTION THROUGH RECYCLING AND COMPOSTING INITIATIVES; -CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH GREEN JOBS TRAINING, THE PROTECTION OF OPEN SPACE AND INSTALLING SMALL-SCALE ALTERNATIVE POWER AND ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS; -HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS THROUGH CLASSROOM GARDENS, CSAS, URBAN FARMS, BEEHIVES AND COMMUNITY GARDENS; -PROTECTION OF WILDLIFE THROUGH THE EDUCATION PROGRAMS ABOUT AND THE PROTECTION OF NATIVE FLORA AND FAUNA; AND -PROTECTION OF WATERSHEDS THROUGH THE INCREASING OF PERMEABLE SPACE AND THE USE OF RAINWATER CAPTURE. AS OUR ORGANIZATION GROWS, WE ARE FOCUSED ON CONTINUALLY IMPROVING OUR MODEL TO MORE EFFECTIVELY PURSUE OUR MISSION. WE ARE ALSO FOCUSED ON RESULTS. BROADLY, WE EXPECT TO SEE THE FOLLOWING SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOMES AS A RESULT OF OUR WORK: STRONGER GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS; MORE LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION; HIGHER PARTICIPATION RATES IN GRASSROOTS WORK; TANGIBLE, VISIBLE LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE IN NYCS FIVE BOROUGHS; AND HIGHER VISIBILITY AND STRONGER PARTNERSHIPS FOR GRASSROOTS WORK. SPECIFICALLY, WE EXPECT TO SEE THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INDICATORS SHOW US THAT OUR WORK IS SUCCESSFUL. TO PROVE THAT WE ARE MEETING THE NEEDS OF GRASSROOTS GROUPS, WE EXPECT TO SEE THE INCREASE IN PROJECTS POSTED ON IOBY; PROJECTS FROM NEW ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS; FUNDED PROJECTS; DIVERSITY IN PROJECT SCOPE, GEOGRAPHY, AND SIZE; DIVERSITY AMONG THOSE WHO APPLY TO POST PROJECTS (LANGUAGE, GEOGRAPHY, INCOME, EDUCATION, 501(C)3 STATUS); USE OF ONLINE TOOLSETS; AND RELIANCE ON CROWD-SOURCED INFORMATION. AS WE CREATE A SERVICE DESIGN THAT MEETS DONOR AND VOLUNTEER NEEDS, WE EXPECT TO SEE AN INCREASE IN NEW DONORS, DONATION SIZE AND FREQUENCY, NEW VOLUNTEERS RECRUITED, REPEAT DONORS/VOLUNTEERS, FRIEND-TO-FRIEND RECRUITS, FIRST-TIME PARTICIPANTS IN PROJECTS, AND DEEPER ENGAGEMENT AFTER INITIAL DONOR/VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE. FINALLY, AS WE WORK TO TELL THE STORY OF URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL WORK, WE EXPECT TO SEE AN INCREASE IN LEVELS OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT INDICATORS (SUCH AS REDUCED EMISSIONS, INCREASED OPEN SPACE, WASTE DIVERTED FROM LANDFILLS, TREES PLANTED, ETC); COLLABORATION AMONG GROUPS; SITE TRAFFIC AND MEDIA COVERAGE; AND CLICK-THROUGH RATES, VIEWS, DONOR CONVERSION RATES, ETC. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11 AFTER PREPARATION, THE FORM 990 IS CIRCULATED ELECTRONICALLY TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMPRISED OF THE CHAIR, SECRETARY, AND TREASURER AND THE THREE COFOUNDERS. UPON CONSENT OF THIS COMMITTEE, THE FORM IS FILED WITH THE IRS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE FORM 990 IS ELECTRONICALLY CIRCULATED TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, ALONG WITH THE YEAR'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND THE REPORT OF OUR INDEPENDENT AUDITOR. AT THE NEXT MEETING OF THE BOARD, PAPER COPIES OF ALL THESE DOCUMENTS ARE REVIEWED WITH THE ENTIRE BOARD, INCLUDING ALL VOTING MEMBERS. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12 THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR IOBY, SHOULD ENSURE LEGAL AND ETHICAL INTEGRITY, AND SHOULD ALWAYS WORK IN THE ORGANIZATION'S BEST INTEREST. A MEMBER WITH A CONFLICT OF INTEREST IS REQUIRED TO ANNOUCE IT AND RECUSE HIMSELF/HERSELF FROM THE RELEVANT DECISION-MAKING PROCESS. A WRITTEN CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY, WHISTLEBLOWER POLICY, AND DOCUMENT RETENTION AND DESTRUCTION POLICY WERE ALL IMPLEMENTED IN THE ORGANIZATION IN 2011. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15 IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH THE COMPENSTATION OF THE ORGANIZATIONS CEO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND OFFICERS, IOBY USED COMPARABLE FORM 990S FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, COMPENSATION SURVEYS AND STUDIES, AND APRROVAL BY THE BOARD OR COMPENSATION COMMITTEE. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 WE MAKE OUR FORM 990 AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, ALONG WITH OUR ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THROUGH OUR WEBSITE (HTTP://IOBY.ORG/ABOUT/TRANSPARENCY). WE ALSO PROVIDE COPIES BY WRITTEN REQUEST OR PHONE INQUIRY OR BY PHYSICAL INSPECTION AT OUR OFFICE. CHANGES IN NET ASSETS OR FUND BALANCES: FORM 990, PART XI, LINE 5: PRIOR PERIOD ADJUSTMENTS: 88,652. IN 2010, THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ASSUMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OVERSIGHT OF THE AUDIT OF ITS FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND THE SELECTION OF AN INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANT. IN 2011, IT WILL BE THE NEWLY INSTITUTED FINANCE COMMITTEE. THE 2009 TAX RETURN FILED ON FORM 990-EZ UNINTENTIONALLY EXCLUDED $90,000 OF GRANT REVENUE AND 1,348 OF EXPENSES THAT PERTAINED TO 2009. THIS AMOUNT HAS BEEN INCLUDED AS A PRIOR PERIOD ADJUSTMENT WITH THE FILING OF FORM 990 FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2010.