Table of Contents - Last updated: January 1st, 2023

 

IMPACT & RESULTS

Outcomes: We have more than 5,000 families (we average family size at 7) that we have rescued in various ways, mostly from slavery, the percentage of rescued families who return to slavery currently lies at 0%, and the number of children who are receiving an education through our programs number at approximately 20,000.  We retain either direct or indirect connections with every family our program touches and have been agile in our ability to provide warranted support.

Impact: The broader impact of your charity’s work on the lives of the families we serve include 1) making slave labor less of an appealing approach to ‘finding employees’ through involving both local and international governments/authorities; 2) raising awareness of the impact on the wider community on the issues of persecution of religious minorities; 3) attending and speaking at international conferences on the topic of religious persecution; 4) directly from the rescued families and more broadly by their families/communities, there has been a growing awareness/hope that they can get out of these situations; 5) the (especially young) children from these families are really -flowering beautifully- by being able to get an education and freedom, we have seen in our earlier family rescues that the children grow to really be leaders in their families.  We are gathering further feedback from families, community leaders, and other stakeholders to understand the impact of our work.

Challenges: Our policy, despite the very much illegal/immoral conduct of these slavers, is to try 1) get authorities to release individuals through police/court system or 2) pay off the debt.  That being said, in very extreme cases, we have had to directly take families out of their situation.  Cases of clear physical and/or sexual abuse we will act with urgency.  This has obvious challenges.  We actively reflect on any challenges or obstacles encountered in our work, and consider how to address these challenges.

Best practices: When it comes to rescue missions, we operate in a unique space, we are actively researching and identifying best practices in that field.  Generally, the field of rescuing persecuted religious minorities and combatting modern slavery we are actively pursuing partnerships and knowledge with parallel missions. 

Partnerships: We have retained and grown all connections over the past 14 years as far as individuals.  We have informal connections with both church and community leaders in the regions we serve.  We have international relationships that we have established while attending various conferences and action groups.  We have non-profit business relationships with various platforms including Microsoft, Hubspot, DonorBox, Stripe, Paypal, Apex Web Services, etc.  We are always considering the role of partnerships in our work and evaluating the effectiveness of these partnerships in achieving our mission.

Sustainability: Up to the end of 2022 we uniquely depended on individual contributors that we have had a relationship with since the beginning.  In addition we receive funding in the form of both cash and services from staff and board members.  We have depended on volunteers internationally and local communities to accomplish most of the footwork to operate on a bare minimum budget.  This mission, whether backed by a non-profit structure or not, will continue by the individuals involved.  The goal behind the non-profit structure is to make this a formal, public mission that can reach more people and save more lives with scale.  Our plans moving forward from the beginning of 2023 is to:

  • Increase efforts in attaining individual supporters by networking, publishing our work and researching to find new potential donors.
  • Apply to foundation funding/grants
  • Starting a Church Outreach Campaign
  • Accepting/encouraging more donated goods/services
  • [very limited and still researching] Sell products/services
 

Overall, it’s important to us for regular reviews and evaluations on our charity’s impact and results in order to ensure that you are meeting our mission and achieving the desired outcomes.

 

ACCOUNTABILITY & FINANCE

Accountability and Transparency

Board Composition:

Per our by-laws, we maintain an odd # of board members ranging from 5-7 total voting members.  It is required that a majority of the board is independent (not salaried) and currently all members are independent.

We have these policies in order to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters.

Independent Audit or Financial Review:

Per the by-laws, we do hire an independent respected individual to evaluate all finances (see the documentation below).  The threshold of our fundraising, once it exceeds $500k yearly, will be evaluated by an independent financial compilation, review, or audit. 

Conflict of Interest Policy:

It is required by our by-laws that all Board Members sign and declare any potential conflict of interest.  It is required a unanimous vote from the board (excluding conflicted parties) to accept the conflict.

Board Meeting Minutes:

At least yearly board meetings are required and recorded and results are published publicly.

Document Retention and Destruction:

Per by-laws, we have a document retention and destruction policy (see the documentation below to view).

Whistleblower Policy:

Per by-laws, we have a whistleblower policy (see the documentation below to view).

Websites:

We have a central website for the Non-Profit Corporation Rescue the Persecuted Inc. (RescueThePersecuted.com) that links to each of our formal programs.  The website for this program is RedeemTheOppressed.org

 

Financial Metrics

Liabilities to Assets:

We maintain no liabilities currently.  Our only assets are (if we have any) undistributed funds currently.

By-laws dictate a policy of maintaining less than or equal to 40% in the case those decisions come up in the future.

Program Expense Ratio:

The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expenses.  By-laws dictate maintaining 85% or higher.

Total Revenue and Expenses:

We keep this info public per by-laws.  This can be viewed via our Candid/GuideStar profile (link below) or through our 990 forms via the IRS website.

Salary of Key Persons:

We have not nor in the near future intend on giving salaries for “key persons.”  If this policy changes it will be done via the by-laws and publicly announced.

 

Programs We are Launching 2023

 

Community Involvement

One of the categories we use internally is called “Culture & Community,” which looks at how well we listen to our constituents, use feedback to improve our programs, and foster a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace culture.

Description:

This category evaluates the extent to which we engage with and involve the local community in our programs and activities.

How it might apply to our charity:

As a charity that works to rescue persecuted religious minorities and provide them with support to break the cycle of poverty, it’s important to consider the role of the local community in our work. By involving community members in our programs and activities, we build relationships, gather valuable feedback and insights, and foster a sense of ownership and investment in our mission.

We partner with local organizations and religious groups to raise awareness about our work and recruit volunteers. We involve community members in decision-making processes, such as by setting up a committee or advisory group to provide input on our programs and priorities. By actively engaging with the community, we help to build support for our mission and ensure that our programs are meeting the needs of the families we serve.

Community Partnerships Program

Purpose:

To build relationships and involve the local community in our mission to rescue persecuted religious minorities and provide them with support to break the cycle of poverty.

Goals:

  • Develop partnerships with local organizations, religious groups, and community leaders to raise awareness about our work and recruit volunteers.
  • Involve community members in decision-making processes, such as through a community advisory committee or focus groups.
    Gather feedback and insights from community members to inform the development and evaluation of our programs.
  • Foster a sense of ownership and investment in our mission among community members.

Activities:

  • We host informational sessions and workshops to educate community members about our work and how they can get involved.
  • Organize volunteer opportunities, such as participating in rescue missions or assisting with fundraising efforts.
  • Set up a community advisory committee or focus groups to gather input and feedback from community members on our programs and priorities.
  • Partner with local organizations to co-host events or engage in joint advocacy efforts.

Evaluation:

  • Track the number of partnerships established and the level of engagement with each partner.
  • Collect feedback from community members about their experiences with the program and their perceptions of its impact.
  • Assess the extent to which community input has informed the development and evaluation of our programs.
  • Monitor the level of ownership and investment in our mission among community members.

Leadership Development Program

Purpose:

To invest in the leadership capacity of our organization and enhance our ability to execute on our strategic plan and adapt to internal and external changes.

Goals:

  • Provide ongoing training and professional development opportunities for our staff and board members.
  • Foster a culture of continuous learning and growth within our organization.
  • Develop strong and effective leadership at all levels of our organization.
  • Enhance our ability to adapt to challenges and pivot as needed.

Activities:

  • Offer regular workshops, seminars, and coaching sessions to support the professional development of our staff and board members.
  • Encourage staff and board members to participate in leadership development programs outside of our organization.
  • Set up a mentorship program to provide support and guidance to emerging leaders within our organization.
  • Identify opportunities for staff and board members to take on new roles and responsibilities within our organization.
  • Establish systems and processes to support adaptability, such as regularly reviewing and updating our strategic plan, conducting scenario planning exercises, and building flexibility into our programs and operations.

Evaluation:

  • Track participation in leadership development activities and assess their impact on the skills and knowledge of our staff and board members.
  • Monitor the effectiveness of our mentorship program and assess the progress of mentees.
  • Evaluate the extent to which our leadership development efforts are contributing to a culture of continuous learning and growth within our organization.
  • Assess our ability to adapt to internal and external changes and identify areas for improvement.
 

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