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Compassion & Choices

CharityWatch report issued
April 2021

Top-Rated Charity
A-
CharityWatch Grade
Our independent grade based
on a number of factors.
 
76%
Program Percentage
Amount spent on programs
relative to overhead.
 
$12
Cost to Raise $100
Amount spent to raise
$100 of contributions.

Contact Information

Compassion & Choices
8156 S Wadsworth Blvd
Suite E-162
Littleton, CO 80128

Other Names

None

Tax Status

501(c)3

Stated Mission

Improves care, expands options, and empowers everyone to chart their end-of-life journey.

View similar charities
Data based on Fiscal Year Ended 06/30/2020

Program Percentage: 76%

The percentage of Compassion & Choices's cash budget it spends on programs relative to overhead (fundraising, management, and general expenses).

$16,000,000

Calculated Total Expenses

(rounded)

 

Cost to Raise $100: $12

How many dollars Compassion & Choices spends on fundraising to raise each $100 of contributions.

$19,000,000

Calculated Total Contributions

(rounded)

Joint Costs

Compassion & Choices' rating was adjusted for Joint Costs. If you are a donor who considers direct mail, telemarketing, and other Joint Cost solicitations to be true charitable programs, the below efficiency ratios, which were not adjusted for joint costs, may better reflect your goals.

Program % Cost to Raise $100
81% $7
Accounting rules allow charities to report some telemarketing, direct mail, and other solicitation costs as Program expenses. CharityWatch believes that most donors do not consider a charity's solicitation activities to be the Programs they are intending to support with their donations. We therefore adjust such expenses out of a charity's reported Program expense and add it to Fundraising expense prior to calculating its rating.

Government Funding

0% to 24%

Percentage of cash revenue
coming from government sources

 

Financial Documents

Entity Document Type Tax ID
Compassion & Choices and C&C Action Network Audited Combined Financial Statements Multiple
Compassion & Choices IRS Form 990 84-1328829
Entity: Compassion & Choices and C&C Action Network
Document Type: Audited Combined Financial Statements
Tax ID: Multiple
Entity: Compassion & Choices
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 84-1328829

Governance & Transparency

CharityWatch evaluates certain criteria related to a charity's Governance and Transparency. Donors may want to consider a charity's willingness to be open and transparent with CharityWatch to be a good litmus test for determining its commitment to public accountability.
This charity is Top-Rated
What does it mean to be Top-Rated?
 
Compassion & Choices
meets governance benchmarks.
 
Compassion & Choices
meets transparency benchmarks.
Transparency
Provides Financial Information
Audit Accessibility
Governance: Policies
Reports regularly & consistently monitoring & enforcing compliance with a written Conflict of Interest Policy
Reports required, annual disclosure by officers, directors, and key staff of interests that could give rise to conflicts
Reports having a written Whistleblower Policy
Reports having a written Document Retention and Destruction Policy
Governance: Financials
Reports providing copy of tax form to all board members prior to filing it with IRS
Reports that financial statements were audited by an independent accountant
Governance: Board of Directors
Reports at least 5 voting board members
51% or more of voting board members reported as independent
Reports documenting minutes of board and board committee meetings
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy Opt-Out Policy  

  Name Title Compensation
1 Kimberly Callinan Taylor CEO $253,051
2 Patricia Bernstein COO $216,456
3 Thomas David Quash Employee $209,759
1
Name: Kimberly Callinan Taylor
Title: CEO
Compensation: $253,051
2
Name: Patricia Bernstein
Title: COO
Compensation: $216,456
3
Name: Thomas David Quash
Title: Employee
Compensation: $209,759

CharityWatch Analysts perform an in-depth analysis of charities' audited financial statements and IRS tax filings, and often review other documents such as state filings, annual reports, and fundraising contracts during their evaluations. Below are select notes that CharityWatch believes may be of interest to donors.

CharityWatch's rating of Compassion & Choices is for the 501(c)(3) public charity (tax ID #84-1328829).

The rating does not include the financial activities of the related 501(c)(4) tax-exempt, social welfare organization, Compassion & Choices Action Network (tax ID #84-1328830), for which CharityWatch does not provide a separate rating at this time. The Action Network received $68,532 in contributions in fiscal 2020, according to the audited Combining Statements of Revenue and Functional Expenses for the year ended June 30, 2020. "Compassion & Choices Action Network has independently governed chapters which are located throughout the United States," according to Note 1 of the Compassion & Choices fiscal 2020 combined audit. 


CharityWatch separates the ratings for 501(c)(3) & 501(c)(4) organizations, even when they are included together in a combined audit, due to their differing treatments under the IRS tax code. For more information on this topic, please see our sections on Types of Non-Profits, Tax Status, and Treatment of Related Organizations, which can be found on the Our Process page.

For more information about things to consider when donating to organizations that have related public charity and social welfare entities, read "Sorting Out Nonprofit Pairs" in the "Articles & Alerts" section, below.

According to the Compassion & Choices (C&C) tax filing for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, C&C received in-kind donated services and use of facilities on which it placed a total value of $618,541 (IRS Form 990, Schedule D, Part XI).

[Note: CharityWatch generally excludes the value of in-kind (non-cash) donations of goods and services from its calculations of Program % and Cost to Raise $100. More information on how grades are calculated and the treatment of in-kind donations can be found on the Our Process page.]

According to the Compassion & Choices (C&C) tax filing for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, C&C reports for Business Transactions Involving Interested Persons a transaction in the amount of $135,461 involving a board director, Mark Weideman. The reported description of the transaction is: "Mark Weideman is an owner of Weideman Group, Inc. who provides consulting services in the State of California to Compassion & Choices" (IRS Form 990, Schedule L, Parts IV & V).

According to the Compassion & Choices and Compassion & Choices Action Network [the Organizations] combined audit of June 30, 2020 (Note 14, Business Conditions):

"On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of a respiratory disease caused by a new coronavirus as a 'pandemic'. First identified in late 2019 and known now as COVID-19, the outbreak has impacted thousands of individuals worldwide and the full outbreak continues to evolve as of the date of this report [October 16, 2020]. As such, it is uncertain as to the full magnitude that the pandemic will have on the Organizations' condition, liquidity, and future results of operations. As of the date of issuance of the [audited] combined financial statements, the Organizations' financial operations have not been significantly negatively impacted, however, the Organizations continue to monitor the situation. No impairments were recorded as of the combined statement of financial position date as no triggering events or changes in circumstances had occurred as of year-end; however, due to significant uncertainty surrounding the situation, management's judgment regarding this could change in the future. In addition, while the Organizations' results of combined operations, cash flows and financial condition could be negatively impacted, the extent of the impact cannot be reasonably estimated at this time."


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