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St. Labre Indian School Educational Association

CharityWatch report issued
December 2020

 
CharityWatch Grade
 

Contact Information

St. Labre Indian School Educational Association
P.O. Box 216
Ashland, MT 59003-0216

Other Names

None

Tax Status

501(c)3

Website

www.stlabre.org

Stated Mission

Providing quality education which celebrates the Catholic faith and embraces Native American cultures, primarily the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Tribes, so that Native American individuals and communities of Southeastern Montana are empowered to attain self-sufficiency.

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Data based on Fiscal Year Ended 06/30/2020

*Why a Question Mark Rating?

CharityWatch is currently unable to provide complete rating information due to the organization's nondisclosure of financial information.

Churches, synagogues, mosques, and certain other types of religious organizations are not legally required to file annual reports with the IRS or state charity regulators, which allows them to avoid being rated by CharityWatch. Such groups often do not even have to notify the IRS when they form. They receive the same tax benefits as other charities, including tax-exempt status and the ability to accept tax-deductible contributions, with little to none of the reporting obligations or oversight. Donors wanting to know how such a charity spends its contributions, compensates its employees, or even who sits on the charity's board of directors may be at a loss if the organization does not want to open its records to outside scrutiny.

CharityWatch periodically requests financial information from religious organizations (appearing on our A to Z list) that solicit the public for contributions. When a religious organization declines to provide requested financial documents, and these documents are not publicly available from third-party sources, CharityWatch is unable to provide a rating.

Donors may review the Internal Revenue Service's Tax Guide for Churches and Religious Organizations to learn more about special rules that apply to organizations exempt from public disclosure requirements.


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.
St. Labre Indian School Educational Association
does not meet governance benchmarks.
 
St. Labre Indian School Educational Association
does not meet transparency benchmarks.

CharityWatch Governance Concerns

See Analysts' Notes for Explanation
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 N/A*
Reports that financial statements were audited by an independent accountant
*Religious organizations are not required to file with the IRS
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

Unable to Provide Salaries

See Analysts' Notes for explanation.

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 is unable to issue a letter grade rating to St. Labre Indian School Educational Association at this time because it is exempt from filing annual tax forms and audited financial statements with the IRS and state regulatory agencies. CharityWatch analyzes these documents as part of our evaluation process so that we can report on a charity's financial efficiency, salaries, and governance practices.

When tax forms and audits are not publicly available, CharityWatch periodically requests these documents directly from charities. When a charity declines to provide the requested documents, CharityWatch is unable to rate the charity until such a time as it provides the documents, or we are able to obtain complete documents from a third party.

Historical CharityWatch Ratings & Program Ratios for St. Labre Indian School Educational Association:

2013: "D" & 49% program spending

2011: "D" & 44% program spending

2009: "D" & 50% program spending

2007: "D" & 50% program spending

Please see the Our Process page to view CharityWatch's rating Criteria & Methodology.
According to the St. Labre Indian School Educational Association audit of June 30, 2013 (Note 14):

"The Association was named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed in March 2005 in the District Court in Billings, Montana by the Northern Cheyenne Tribe (the Tribe). The suit alleges that certain contributions received by the Association since 1884 have been wrongfully obtained and that a portion of all past and future contributions should be paid to the Northern Cheyenne people ... On March 12, 2013, the Montana Supreme Court affirmed the District Court's dismissal with prejudice on all but two counts. These counts are back before the District Court for discovery and trial. At this point, the Tribe has conducted no additional discovery on these counts and has provided no information as to the specific damages it is seeking for these counts. Trial is currently set for March 17, 2014."
According to the St. Labre Indian School Educational Association audit of June 30, 2013 (Note 14):

"The Association has committed to provide lifetime stipends and consulting fees in the amount of $60,000 annually to certain emeritus staff. In addition, the Association is paying assisted-living expenses to certain emeritus staff in the amount of $24,000 annually."
St. Labre Indian School Educational Association is not required to file an annual return with the IRS or state regulators because it is a religious organization. CharityWatch is therefore unable to provide salary information for this group.