Dannon Project

The information for Dannon Project is as of the organization's most recent filing in December '20. This organization is located in Birmingham, AL. It has been in existence for 17 years, following its founding in 2003.

Organization Classification

The IRS classifies organizations according to the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE) system. The NTEE system helps the IRS assign a 3-character code to each organization to describe the organization's activities.

The Dannon Project's NTEE code is S80. The "S" tells us that the organization is classified along with Community Improvement & Capacity Building. The "80" tells us that the organization is categorized as Community Service Clubs. The NTEE describes Community Service Clubs as organizations whose members have a common interest in improving the life of the community and conduct fundraising events to finance community service projects. The Dannon Project's mission is to ensure the maximum utilization of resources in the geographical area of Birmingham, Jefferson, and surrounding counties by employing all available resources to assist in the development of healthy communities and lifestyles, thereby preventing violence and other at-risk behaviors that lead to negative outcomes such as unemployment, disease, incarceration, premature death, and generational cycles of poverty and economic exclusion.

Program Areas

Program Area 1: The Young Adult Reentry Programs and Reentry Program, funded by the Department of Labor ETA, serve as a diversion and reentry program for young adults between the ages of 18-24 who have been in conflict with the law or served time in prison or jail. This program provides reentry services and has achieved impressive outcomes, including a 9% recidivism rate, 90% mentoring rate, $9.14 average hourly earnings, 86% employment rate, 88% employment retention rate, and 85% credential attainment rate. The program serves multiple counties in Alabama, including Jefferson, Walker, Calhoun, Montgomery, Shelby, as well as 5 counties in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina.

Program Area 2: The Adult Reentry Program, funded by DOLETA, serves male and female non-violent previously incarcerated individuals aged 18 and above. The program provides reentry services through federally funded grants, including Training to Work (9), RP(2), and RP3 (Community). Services offered include case management, education, housing assistance, job placement, job readiness, financial literacy, life skills, career counseling, career training and certifications, wraparound supportive services, and referrals for medical and behavioral healthcare. The program has achieved impressive outcomes, including a 100% enrollment rate, 96% participation rate, $11.14 average hourly earnings, 94% employment entry rate, 92% employment retention rate, and a 4% recidivism rate. Additionally, the program expanded in 2020 with the implementation of the Pathway Homes Initiative, extending pre-release programming in Jefferson County jails and several Alabama Department of Corrections prison facilities.

Program Area 3: The WIOA funded programs include the Youth Opportunity Careers (OSY) program, which provides funding and program services for participants who may or may not have been involved with the criminal justice system but are WIOA eligible. The Out of School Youth (OSY) program provides funds for 65 out of school WIOA eligible students to receive occupational training and certifications leading to careers in high demand. The project has shown great success, with a 90% job placement rate, 97% program completion rate, and 92% certification attainment. Services provided include recruitment, outreach, case management, job training, job readiness, occupational training, occupational certifications, coordination of behavioral health services and medical health services, mentoring, leadership, and job placement. Additionally, the CAPTE Supportive Services grant provides case management and supportive services to adults, dislocated workers, and OSY youth completing their training through the Career Center. The program serves the Walker, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Blount, and Chilton counties and aims to provide services to 500 people over a two-year period. In 2020, services were provided to 517 individuals. The program also received funding for the Work-Based Learning program, which offers work-based learning opportunities to 65 young adults ages 18-24. Due to the pandemic, 40 participants were enrolled, and an approval was granted to carry over 25. 78% of the enrolled participants were successfully placed on a work-based learning assignment and offered full-time unsubsidized employment.

Program Area 4: Within various programs, Program Area 4 encompasses multiple initiatives such as the ADMH program, UAB Special Projects Contract, and City of Birmingham ESG. These projects involve providing training and technical assistance, fiscal agent services, emergency shelter grant services, and other forms of support to the community. The outcomes of these programs include successful completion of occupational training, job placement, and attainment of certifications, ultimately improving employment opportunities and providing emergency support services to individuals in need.

Organization Staffing

Dannon Project is run by Kerri Pruitt, who is the Executive Director. The organization has 156 employees, none of whom are paid more than $100k per year. Supporting the paid staff are 5 volunteers.

Board Governance

The Dannon Project, a non-profit organization, appears to be well-governed based on the provided information. The organization has a small board of 5 voting members, all of whom are independent. This ensures that decision-making is not influenced by personal or financial interests, promoting transparency and accountability within the organization. Furthermore, the Dannon Project has implemented several policies and practices to prevent conflicts of interest and promote ethical conduct. The organization has a conflict of interest policy in place, requiring disclosure of any potential conflicts. This policy helps to ensure that board members act in the best interest of the organization rather than their personal interests. Additionally, the organization has a written whistleblower policy, which encourages employees and stakeholders to report any misconduct or unethical behavior without fear of retaliation. This policy promotes a culture of transparency and accountability within the organization. The Dannon Project also demonstrates good governance practices by documenting both board and committee meetings. This ensures that important decisions and discussions are properly recorded and can be reviewed if necessary. Furthermore, the organization has a document retention policy, which indicates a commitment to maintaining important records and documents. Overall, the Dannon Project appears to have a strong governance structure in place, with policies and practices that promote transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct. These measures contribute to the organization's credibility and effectiveness in fulfilling its mission.

Organization Growth

The Dannon Project, a nonprofit organization, has experienced significant growth over the given time period. Their total revenue increased from $2.5M in 2014 to $5.8M in 2020, indicating a positive financial growth. Additionally, the organization's employee salaries increased from $1.2M in 2014 to $2.2M in 2020, suggesting an expansion in their workforce. Moreover, the total expenses rose from $2.4M in 2014 to $6.0M in 2020, indicating an increase in their operational activities. The total number of employees also increased from 95 in 2014 to 156 in 2020, demonstrating growth in their organizational size. Furthermore, the number of volunteers also increased from 3 in 2014 to 5 in 2020, highlighting an increase in community involvement. Overall, the Dannon Project has shown significant growth across various aspects of their operations and outreach.