Paralyzed Veterans of America

This charity's score is 84 %, earning it a Three-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.

Charity Navigator's ratings previously did not consider Leadership & Adaptability, Culture & Community, or Impact & Measurement. The historic rating mainly reflects a version of today’s Accountability and Finance score. More information on our previous rating methodologies can be found on our rating methodology page.

This organization received multiple star ratings within this fiscal year, due to an update to its Accountability and Transparency data and/or the receipt of an amended Form 990.

Rating Report

• Impact & Measurement
• Accountability & Finance
• Culture & Community
• Leadership & Adaptability

53

This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.

Key Accountability Metrics

Majority Independent Board Members - 100% independent members

Industry professionals strongly recommend an independent governing body to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters. We check to see that a majority of board members are identified as independent on their tax form.

Independent Board Size - 33 independent members

Industry professionals strongly recommend an independent governing body to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters. For most organizations, we check to see if the organization has at least three independent board members. For large, donor-funded organizations, we check to see if the organization has at least five independent board members

Financial Statements - Audit and Oversight Committee

An Audit, Review, or Compilation provides important information about financial accountability and accuracy. Organizations are scored based on their Total Revenue Amount:

Material Diversion of Assets - None

A diversion of assets — any unauthorized conversion or use of the organization's assets other than for the organization's authorized purposes, including but not limited to embezzlement or theft — also can seriously call into question a charity's financial integrity. We review the charity's most recent IRS Form 990 to see if the charity has reported any diversion of assets.

Tax Form Disclosures and Policies

Website Listed on Tax Form - Listed

Charity Navigator looks for a website on the IRS Form 990 as an accountability and transparency metric.

Conflict of Interest Policy - Listed

Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a conflict of interest policy on the IRS Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.

This policy protects the organization and by extension those it serves, when it is considering entering into a transaction that may benefit the private interest of an officer, director and/or key employee of the organization.

Whistleblower Policy - Listed

Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a whistleblower policy per the IRS Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.

This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report financial or other types of mismanagement.

Document Retention and Destruction - Listed

Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a document retention and destruction policy per the IRS Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.

This policy establishes guidelines for the handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promote data integrity.

Documents Board Meeting Minutes - Yes

Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the IRS Form 990 that the organization has this process in place as an accountability and transparency measure.

An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference.

Compensates Board - No

The IRS requires that the charity lists any compensation paid to the charity's governing body members on the IRS Form 990. Furthermore, all governing body members must be listed whether or not they are compensated. Our analysts verify that the charities complied with the Form 990 instructions and that no board members are compensated simply for being on the board.

Tax Form Distributed to Board Before Filing - Listed

Providing copies of the IRS Form 990 to the governing body prior to filing is considered a best practice, as it allows for thorough review by the individuals charged with overseeing the organization. The Form 990 asks the charity to disclose whether or not it has followed this best practice.

Loans to/from Officers - None

Making loans to related parties, such as key officers, staff, or Board members, is not standard practice in the sector as it diverts the charity's funds away from its charitable mission and can lead to real and perceived conflict-of-interest problems.

The IRS requires charities to disclose on their Form 990 any loans to or from current and former officers, directors, trustees, key employees, and other "disqualified persons." Some state laws go so far as to prohibit loans to board members and officers.

Although employees and trustees are permitted to make loans to charities, this practice can also result in real and/or perceived conflict of interest problems for the charity. Furthermore, it is problematic because it indicates that the organization is not financially secure. Our analysts check to see if any loans have been made.

Reports CEO and Compensation on Tax Form - Listed

Charities must list their CEO's name and compensation on their tax forms, an issue of concern for many donors. Our analysts check to be sure that the charities complied with the IRS Form 990 instructions and include this information.

CEO Compensation Process - Listed

This process indicates that the organization has a documented policy that it follows yearly. The policy should indicate that an objective and independent review process of the CEO's compensation has been conducted, including benchmarking against comparable organizations. We check to be sure that the charity has reported on its IRS Form 990 its process for determining its CEO pay.

Website Disclosures

Tax Form Posted on Nonprofit's Website as stated on Form 990 - Listed

For almost all charities, we check the charity's IRS Form 990 to see if it discloses that the Form 990 is available on the charity's website. As with the audited financial statement, donors need easy access to this financial report to help determine if the organization is managing its financial resources well.

Audit Posted on Nonprofit's Website - Listed

Charity Navigator checks the charity's website to see if it has published its audited financial statements for the fiscal year represented by the most recently filed IRS Form 990. Donors need easy access to this financial report to help determine if the organization is managing its financial resources well. We are rating charities on whether or not they publish their audit on their website.

Staff Members Listed on Nonprofit's Website - Listed

Donors and other stakeholders need to know who runs the organization day-to-day. While key staff should be reported on the IRS Form 990, the charity's staff may have changed since then. The charity typically reflects the most current members on the website.

Board Members Posted on Nonprofit's Website - Listed

The IRS requires that the charity lists any compensation paid to the charity's governing body members on the IRS Form 990. Furthermore, all governing body members must be listed whether or not they are compensated. Our analysts verify that the charities complied with the Form 990 instructions and that no board members are compensated simply for being on the board.

Donor Privacy Policy Posted on Nonprofit's Website - Listed, but is opt-out

Donors can be reluctant to contribute to a charity when their name, address, or other basic information may become part of donor lists that are exchanged or sold, resulting in an influx of charitable solicitations from other organizations. Our analysts check the charity's website to see if the organization has a donor privacy policy and if its contents are sufficient to protect the donor's information.

Financial Metrics

Liabilities to Assets: Ratio - 15.08%

The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent IRS Form 990). This ratio is an indicator of an organization's solvency and/or long-term sustainability.

Program Expense: Ratio - 47.29%

The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three IRS Forms 990). This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver.

Fundraising Efficiency: Ratio - $0.42

The amount spent to raise $1 in charitable contributions. To calculate a charity's fundraising efficiency, we divide its average fundraising expenses by the average total contributions it receives. We calculate the charity's average expenses and average contributions over its three most recent fiscal years.

Working Capital: Ratio - 1.01 years

Determines how long a charity could sustain its level of spending using its net available assets, or working capital, as reported on its most recently filed IRS Form 990. Dividing these net available assets in the most recent year by a charity's average total expenses, yields the working capital ratio. We calculate the charity's average total expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.

Additional Information

This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.

Presented here are up to five of this organization's highest compensated employees. This compensation data includes salary, cash bonuses, and expense accounts and is displayed exactly how it is reported to the IRS. The amounts do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. In some cases, these amounts may include compensation from related organizations. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting

Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website

Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (BMF foundation code: 15 )

Central - the organization is a parent (group ruling) and is not a church or 501(c)(1) organization. (BMF affiliation code: 6 )

The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage accountability and finance data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available). Simply enter the organization's name ( Paralyzed Veterans of America ) or EIN ( 131946868 ) in the 'Search Term' field.

100

This beacon estimates the actual impact a charity has on the lives of those it serves, and determines whether it is making good use of donor resources to achieve that impact.

Assessments

Impact

100 out of 100 points

Veterans Disability Assistance Program: This program provides assistance to help disabled veterans claim the government benefits they are owed.

Impact scores of veterans disability benefits programs are based on the return of benefits secured per dollar spent. Programs receive an Impact score of 100 if every dollar spent results in $1.50 in benefits secured to a veteran, and a score of 80 if a dollar spent results in $0.85 to a veteran. If a nonprofit reports impact but doesn't meet the benchmark for cost-effectiveness, it earns a score of 65. One dollar spent by this program results in more than $1.50 in benefits secured for a veteran.

This impact score was determined through the Veterans Disability Benefits Assistance methodology which is fully detailed in the Charity Navigator Guide to Ratings. Analysis conducted in 2019 by Charity Navigator's acquired branch, ImpactMatters, using publicly available data from nonprofits and IRS forms 990, theory and evidence from scientific research studies.

Measurement

Unscored

100

This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves.

Assessments

Constituent Feedback

100 out of 100 points

Does your organization collect feedback (i.e., perceptions, opinions, concerns) from the people meant to ultimately benefit from your mission?

• To identify and remedy poor client service experiences
• To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences
• To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations
• To inform the development of new programs/projects
• To identify where we are less inclusive across demographic groups
• To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
• To understand client needs and how we can help them achieve their desired outcomes

• We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually
• We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people
• We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible
• We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us
• We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.)
• We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.)
• We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response
• We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
• We share the feedback we received with the people we serve

• We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback

Equity Strategies™

100 out of 100 points

Equity Strategies™ - Number of Data, Policies & Processes

This organization's score of 100 is a passing score. The organization reported that it is implementing 14 Equity Practices.

The Equity Strategies™ checklist, developed by Equity in the Center™, consists of data, policies & processess that promote racial equity in operations and programs. The Equity Strategies™ were developed by Equity In The Center®, and collected in partnership with Candid.

We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.

We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization/'s programs, portfolios, and the populations served.

We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.

We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.

We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.

We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.

We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.

We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.

We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.

We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.

We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.

© 2019 Equity In The Center Inc. All Rights Reserved. Use of the Equity Strategies without prior written approval directly from Equity in the Center is strictly prohibited.

100

This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.

Strategy

40 out of 40 points

The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission.

Founded in 1946, Paralyzed Veterans of America (Paralyzed Veterans) is the only congressionally chartered veterans service organization dedicated solely to serving the needs of veterans with spinal cord injury or spinal cord dysfunction (SCI/D). Paralyzed Veterans has developed a unique expertise on a wide variety of issues involving the special needs of our members - veterans of the armed forces who have experienced SCI/D. Paralyzed Veterans uses that expertise to be the leading advocate for: quality health care for our members; research and education addressing SCI/D; benefits available as a result of our members' military service; and civil rights and opportunities which maximize the independence of its members.

The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.

The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.

Goal One: Quality medical care for Veterans. We work to improve existing care at VA and other institutions, and champion research to uncover treatments for paralysis that will improve medicine in the future.

Goal Two: Obtaining medical and financial support for Veterans in return for their military service. We specialize in securing benefits for Veterans with disabilities.

Leadership

30 out of 30 points

Investment in Leadership Development

The PVA Executive Committee and Board of Directors are the face of our organization. PVA advocacy and communications teams work closely with these leaders to train them to speak publicly about issues that relate to PVA’s mission. For example, in conjunction with our recent advocacy for the passage of the Air Carrier Access Amendments Act, we’ve trained our leadership to speak confidently in interviews about their own experiences with air travel and relate those stories back to the greater PVA mission.

External Focus on Mobilizing Mission

The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.

PVA leaders work in partnership with external organizations, such as the VA Centers for Spinal Cord Excellence, Multiple Sclerosis Society, and ALS Association to improve care for and disseminate information to our members with unique medical needs. PVA leaders are well connected to the Veterans community and are often called upon to present thought leadership in online and in-person forums. Notably, President Joe Biden recently announced his intent to nominate PVA's own Executive Director Carl Blake to serve on the Veterans Affairs Asset and Infrastructure Review (AIR) Commission to review suggestions on how the VA can modernize and improve Veterans' care. Beyond being integral members of the Veterans community, PVA’s leaders are also deeply involved in local politics across the USA. In 2021, Anne Robinson, who is on the PVA Board of Directors, helped to implement legislation that increases parking availability for Veterans with disabilities in Texas.

Adaptability

30 out of 30 points

Investment in Leadership Development

The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.

Like many other nonprofits, PVA moved much of our programming online in response to the coronavirus pandemic. We increased individual outreach to members and began to issue emergency grants to members in need. But looking beyond our COVID-19 response, PVA is an organization that is always adapting to changes on the political stage to best achieve our mission. In 2021, the Air Carrier Access Amendments Act was brought to Congress by Senator Tammy Baldwin and other supporters of disability rights. PVA jumped on this opportunity to mobilize our community and push for the passage of this Act, which will make air travel a safer and more dignified experience for passengers with disabilities. In the past year, we’ve worked in collaboration with the Department of Transportation and the airline industry to push this bill. It's a tremendous opportunity for PVA and our membership, and we were able to act quickly and responsively on the political stage because we keep our finger on the pulse of Capitol Hill.