Clara City Fire Relief Association

The information for Clara City Fire Relief Association is as of the organization's most recent filing in December '21. This organization is located in Clara City, MN. The inception date and years in existence for this organization are unknown.

Program Areas

Program Area 1: The organization's main focus within this program area is to provide pension benefits to vested firefighters.

Program Area 2: The organization's program area focuses on educating the general public about fire safety and prevention, as well as donating equipment to the City of Clara City.

Organization Staffing

Clara City Fire Relief Association is run by Jay Donner, who serves as the President. The organization does not have any employees and therefore does not have any employees paid over $100k. However, they are supported by a dedicated team of 22 volunteers.

Board Governance

The Clara City Fire Relief Association appears to be well-governed based on the information provided. The organization has a total of 8 voting members, all of whom are independent. This ensures that decisions made by the board are not influenced by personal or financial interests, which is important for maintaining transparency and accountability. Furthermore, the organization documents both board meetings and committee meetings, indicating a commitment to transparency and record-keeping. This allows for a clear understanding of the discussions and decisions made during these meetings. While the organization does not have a conflict of interest policy or require disclosure of conflicts, the fact that potential conflicts of interest do not exist suggests that the organization has taken measures to ensure that its members are free from any conflicts that could compromise their decision-making. However, it is worth noting that the organization lacks certain policies that are commonly seen in well-governed non-profit organizations. For example, there is no written whistleblower policy, document retention policy, or substantiation and review of leadership and officer salaries. These policies are typically put in place to promote accountability, prevent misconduct, and ensure the proper use of funds. Overall, while the Clara City Fire Relief Association demonstrates some good governance practices, there are areas where improvement could be made to further enhance transparency, accountability, and ethical practices within the organization.

Organization Growth

The Clara City Fire Relief Association has experienced both growth and decline over the given time period. While contributions and grants received decreased from $29.1K in 2017 to $23.4K in 2021, investment income increased from $3.7K to $4.0K and other revenue increased from $5.3K to $10.2K. However, total revenue decreased from $40.1K in 2015 to $37.5K in 2021. The benefits paid to members decreased significantly from $29.0K in 2016 to $0 in 2021, which may indicate a positive change in the organization's financial stability. Total expenses also decreased from $59.9K in 2017 to $5.7K in 2021. Additionally, the number of total volunteers increased from 21 in 2017 to 22 in 2021. Overall, while some aspects of the organization have grown, such as investment income, other areas have experienced decline.