Fairbanks Youth Advocates Board Meeting
Our savings account currently holds $80,000. We have received IRS letters regarding the 2021 and 2022 tax filings, which have been corrected with the State of Alaska. Efforts are ongoing to approach corporations for funding. The previously held FWC grants have been expended and closed out. Additionally, the 2023 IRS 990 has been completed. Krystel has discussed with the accountant the importance of recognizing some of the admin-heavy costs and shifting them toward program costs for 2024. We are also finalizing the transition of bank accounts from Mt. McKinley Bank to IAC, ensuring proper access and signers.
There have been some challenges in tracking missing AP receipts for CY24, and Krystel is actively working on locating them.
At The Door, we provided 113 bed nights, served 12 youth, and provided 209 meals, all at half capacity due to limited staffing. We plan to open fully once staffing is increased. The OCS follow-up meeting was successful, and we have lifted the restriction that only OCS youth could be served under the grant. This now allows us to offer beds to any youth in need. Krystel is working on securing an agreement to ensure that we continue to cover our bases, with the possibility of being awarded additional funds. Krystel has also been assisting OCS in defining their data tracking and finance reporting processes. We were recently accepted into the Food Bank salvage program, which will help offset grocery costs.
An artist traveling across the country visited the shelter and painted a mural in the stairwell. We’ve also encountered some maintenance issues, including broken valves in the pipes, but Krystel and Jennifer have both offered assistance to repair them.
Keystone Counseling Center will be dissolving by September 2024. All client records have been securely stored, and Krystel will handle any record requests moving forward. The GHAP account is expected to zero out in the next two to three months. Fortunately, we are covered by insurance, so tail insurance will not be pursued. With the clinician services dissolving at Keystone, the building will be converted into a commercial rental, and Angie will assist with this as her brokerage offers these services.
In terms of development, we conducted a newsletter and appeal analysis with Roy, which is helping us scale up our fundraising efforts. We’ve set a goal of raising $25k per month, and while the Carhart and Pearls event has been postponed, Roy is developing a plan that the board will help execute. The goal is to secure donors and sponsors over the next six months. Roy is also finalizing our new website and exploring additional fundraising ideas with the board’s support.
Krystel has been teaching classes to other non-profits on how to obtain funds, further strengthening our community impact. Recently, she co-hosted the ACT mayor forum and has written an article for TCC, which will be featured in November. She is also developing new data tracking for youth homelessness across the city and forming partnerships with local agencies, law enforcement, and fire/EMS to gather data. There were issues with the ESG grant earlier this
year, but these have been addressed, and we are now focused on the competitive renewal for FY25.
Despite some errors in ESG FY23-24 reports, Krystel is working hard to correct them ahead of the audit. Several additional grants are in progress, but we still need five board members to complete requirements for applying.
Krystel is also working with FWC to develop a Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team for Fairbanks’ response to major incidents. On a federal level, discussions with HUD grant directors are ongoing. While YHDP has left Fairbanks, we are working closely with HUD to push the state to allocate more funds to Fairbanks through YHSI stipends.
Partnerships: FWC, IAC, Breadline, ACT, Foodbank, TCC, and Alyeska continue to support our efforts.
Regarding the Red House, Angie Tallant will be taking over as realtor and will soon reach out with further details. For the Brown House, we’ve decided on water line winterization, with long-term repairs being considered. Krystel will also discuss the details with Angie, as she has some ideas to contribute. Additionally, Krystel has a contractor who has agreed to complete the work for $3,000, significantly lower than the previous $10k quote.
