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Board of Directors

Board of Directors
  • Apollo Gonzales, Board Chair
  • Scott Miller, Vice Chair
  • Christine Rico, Treasurer
  • Jena Bradley, Secretary
  • Jamie Hand, Immediate Past Board Chair
  • Loren Blackford
  • Lindsay Campbell
  • Michelle Huang
  • Justin G. Moore
  • Omar Parbhoo
  • Karyn Williams

Advisory Council

Advisory Council
  • Quardean Lewis-Allen, Executive Director, Youth Design Center
  • Aubrey Murdock
  • Nishant Shah
  • Michelle Johnson-Tidjani, Common Spirit Health
  • George Suttles, Executive Director, Commonfund Institute
  • Gail Scovell, Nonprofit Attorney and Advisor
  • Kirsten Moy, Complexity explorer; practitioner member of the WICI

990s

Gift Policies

ioby’s Gift PolicyJanuary 2024ioby solicits and accepts gifts for purposes that will help the organization further and fulfill its mission. ioby urges all prospective donors to seek the assistance of personal legal and financial advisors in matters relating to their gifts, including the resulting tax and estate planning consequences. The following policies and guidelines govern acceptance of gifts made to ioby for the benefit of any of its operations, programs or services. Use of Legal Counsel—ioby will seek the advice of legal counsel in matters relating to acceptance of gifts when appropriate. Review by counsel is recommended for: Gifts of securities that are subject to restrictions or buy-sell agreements. Documents naming ioby as trustee or requiring ioby to act in any fiduciary capacity. Gifts requiring ioby to assume financial or other obligations. Transactions with potential conflicts of interest. Gifts of property which may be subject to environmental or other regulatory restrictions. Restrictions on Gifts—ioby will not accept gifts that (a) would result in ioby violating its corporate charter, (b) would result in ioby losing its status as an IRC § 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, (c) are too difficult or too expensive to administer in relation to their value, (d) would result in any unacceptable consequences for ioby, or (e) are for purposes outside ioby’s mission. Decisions on the restrictive nature of a gift, and its acceptance or refusal, shall be made by the Executive Committee, in consultation with the Executive Director. Gifts Generally Accepted Without Review:Cash. Cash gifts are acceptable in any form, including by check, money order, credit card, or on-line. Donors wishing to make a gift by credit card must provide the card type (e.g., Visa, MasterCard, American Express), card number, expiration date, and name of the card holder as it appears on the credit card. Marketable Securities. Marketable securities may be transferred electronically to an account maintained at one or more brokerage firms or delivered physically with the transferor's endorsement or signed stock power (with appropriate signature guarantees) attached. All marketable securities will be sold promptly upon receipt unless otherwise directed by ioby’s Finance Committee. In some cases marketable securities may be restricted, for example, by applicable securities laws or the terms of the proposed gift; in such instances the decision whether to accept the restricted securities shall be made by the Executive Committee. Bequests and Beneficiary Designations under Revocable Trusts, Life Insurance Policies, Commercial Annuities and Retirement Plans. Donors are encouraged to make bequests to ioby under their wills, and to name ioby as the beneficiary under trusts, life insurance policies, commercial annuities and retirement plans. Charitable Remainder Trusts. ioby will accept designation as a remainder beneficiary of charitable remainder trusts. Charitable Lead Trusts. ioby will accept designation as an income beneficiary of charitable lead trusts. Gifts Accepted Subject to Prior Review:Certain forms of gifts or donated properties may be subject to review prior to acceptance. Examples of gifts subject to prior review include, but are not limited to: Tangible Personal Property. The Executive Committee shall review and determine whether to accept any gifts of tangible personal property in light of the following considerations: does the property further the organization’s mission? Is the property marketable? Are there any unacceptable restrictions imposed on the property? Are there any carrying costs for the property for which the organization may be responsible? Is the title/provenance of the property clear? Life Insurance. ioby will accept gifts of life insurance where ioby is named as both beneficiary and irrevocable owner of the insurance policy. The donor must agree to pay, before due, any future premium payments owing on the policy. Real Estate. All gifts of real estate are subject to review by the Executive Committee. Prior to acceptance of any gift of real estate other than a personal residence, ioby shall require an initial environmental review by a qualified environmental firm. In the event that the initial review reveals a potential problem, the organization may retain a qualified environmental firm to conduct an environmental audit. Criteria for acceptance of gifts of real estate include: Is the property useful for the organization’s purposes? Is the property readily marketable? Are there covenants, conditions, restrictions, reservations, easements, encumbrances or other limitations associated with the property? Are there carrying costs (including insurance, property taxes, mortgages, notes, or the like) or maintenance expenses associated with the property? Does the environmental review or audit reflect that the property is damaged or otherwise requires remediation?------Donating to ioby and to ioby crowd-funding campaignsioby’s is a nonprofit organization with a mission to mobilize neighbors who have good ideas to become powerful civic leaders who plan, fund, and make positive change in their own neighborhoods. Providing support to neighborhood leaders is ioby’s all-in approach to civic engagement. ioby supports neighborhood programs by providing a means to access financial resources to make an idea a reality. Support ioby - Core supportWhen you make a tax deductible donation to ioby directly, you are providing the financial resources to support the backbone operations which in turn support neighborhood leaders. From the technologists monitoring and updating our civic crowdfunding technology, to strategists who work with leaders every step of the way to see their idea come to life, to our executive team who provide the oversight and strategic vision. It takes a team of dedicated employees to make everything work behind the scenes so that your neighbor’s great idea can succeed. Thank you for your support!How to make a donation to ioby - Core SupportOnline: Make a secure, tax-deductible donation online. Go here: https://fundraise.givesmart.com/form/kcwrjQ?vid=13p3pbPlease consider making a recurring donation to ioby!By Mail: Write a check to ioby. Along with the preferred donation amount, please be sure to make the check payable to ioby and mail your donation to: ioby P.O. Box 4668 #74253New York, NY, 10163-4668If your check does not include a current address, email or phone number, please be sure to include a note with the check that includes your contact information to ensure you receive your gift acknowledgement in a timely manner. We have prepared a form to accompany your donation, if you prefer. Please download, fill out, and include with your check. See: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hVjOP5Yad4kMraO4-_fF3Rui2F10f0qF/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104978656234141526976&rtpof=true&sd=trueWire Transfer: Please see information below to make a donation via wire transfer.Bank Name: Amalgamated BankBank Routing (US Wires): 026003379Bank Routing (used for ACH) 026003379SWIFT Code (Int’l Wires): IRVTUS3NAccount Name: In Our Backyards, Inc. dba iobyAccount Number: 151051947Bank Contact: Danielle Covington, 212-895-4947, [email protected]Stock Transfer: Please provide your bank or broker with the following informationName of stock to be donated:Number of shares:Date of the transfer:Estimated value:Stock Transfer Instructions:Ioby’s broker is: Pershing, LLCDTC #443For credit to account number: NAW013969Account Registration Name: In Our Backyards, Inc. DBA iobyBe sure to notify ioby by emailing [email protected] or calling (phone number) prior to donating stock. This will ensure proper tracking, receipt, and acknowledgement of your generous gift.Donor Advised Fund (DAF): Recommend a donor advised fund grant to ioby through your DAF giving account online or by contacting your fund manager. Our Federal Tax ID Number is: 26-3283639Please have them direct your distribution to ioby and mail to: ioby P.O. Box 4668 #74253New York, NY, 10163-4668Workplace Giving: Your company may match your donation to ioby. If your company uses an employee giving platform, select ioby as the beneficiary of your donations. You can find us on Benevity, YourCause, Bright Funds, Global Giving, and Fidelity Giving Marketplace, Givinga, Renaissance Charitable, Fidelity Charitable (separate from Fidelity Giving), CyberGrants, and ActBlue by searching for “ioby” United Way: If your workplace giving program includes United Way, look for ioby in the listing of charities and find your local chapter. Most local United Way programs also allow donors to specify a charity other than those listed. All you need to do is write in "ioby" on the "donor-option" line or provide the ioby's EIN number - 26-3283639 - on your campaign giving form.Bequests: Leave a legacy by including ioby in your estate planning. Making a gift to ioby in your will or living trust, known as a bequest, can guarantee that your legacy endures. Your gift may be a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or the remainder after all other provisions are specified. Please consult with your tax advisor how to support ioby’s mission through legacy gifts.How to make a donation to ioby - Civic Crowdfunding CampaignSupport a civic crowdfunding campaign: ioby’s civic crowdfunding platform is your bridge to local neighborhood leaders across the U.S. Visit our crowdfunding page and browse projects near you, discover volunteer opportunities, and support like-minded projects. Enter search terms like “Michigan", "compost", or “playground” to get started!Support a neighborhood project - Local nonprofitWhen you make a donation to ioby to support a neighborhood project led by a nonprofit with a big idea - you are matching funds for a place-based initiative or supporting your neighbor’s great idea, you are joining thousands of others who have supported a civic-minded initiative by making a direct contribution to a project!Support a neighborhood project - Limited fiscal sponsorship Did you know that your donation can also be used for initiatives that are fiscally sponsored by ioby? Ioby serves as the fiscal sponsor for more than 160 projects across the country. ioby’s limited fiscal sponsorship is available to help fundraise for neighborhood-led projects that are not incorporated as a 501-C-3 nonprofit. With ioby’s limited fiscal sponsorship offering, your donation to a limited fiscal-sponsored project with ioby is tax deductible; with 8% of your donation supporting ioby’s fiscal management of these funds.Visit the crowdfunding page here: https://ioby.org/projects/browse?f%5B0%5D=sm_field_project_status%3A1You can make a donation online to the campaign of your choice easily. If you prefer to mail a check, donate through your DAF, or make a stock transfer, please see below.By Mail: Write a check to ioby and in the memo line, write down the name of the project you are supporting. Along with the preferred donation amount, please be sure to make the check payable to ioby and mail your donation to: ioby P.O. Box 4668 #74253New York, NY, 10163-4668If your check does not include a current address, email or phone number, please be sure to include a note with the check that includes your contact information to ensure you receive your gift acknowledgement in a timely manner. We have prepared a form to accompany your donation, if you prefer. Please download, fill out, and include with your check. See: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hVjOP5Yad4kMraO4-_fF3Rui2F10f0qF/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104978656234141526976&rtpof=true&sd=trueStock Transfer: Please provide your bank or broker with the following informationPershing, LLCDTC #443For credit to account number NAW013969Account Registration Name: In Our Backyards, Inc. DBA iobyBe sure to notify ioby by emailing [email protected] or calling (phone number) prior to donating stock for a crowdfunding campaign. This will ensure proper tracking (including the name of the campaign you wish to support), receipt, and acknowledgement of your generous gift.Donor Advised Fund (DAF): Recommend a donor-advised fund grant to ioby through your DAF giving account online or by contacting your fund manager. Our Federal Tax ID Number is: 26-3283639Please have them direct your distribution to ioby and mail to: ioby P.O. Box 4668 #74253New York, NY, 10163-4668Please send an email to [email protected] and let us know the name of the project your DAF grant is supporting.Important Things and the Fine PointsImportant things to know about your check donation to ioby.If a check is mailed to any other ioby address, instead of the P.O. Box mailing address above, the processing time will increase. Please do not mail donations to an ioby office address. We have strict financial processes in place to ensure the financial information of donors is kept secure. Due to these important financial processes, mailing a check to another address will delay, rather than speed up, the check's processing time. Be aware of express delivery options to a P.O. Box. If you or your donors intend to express mail a check to the P.O. Box above, please check with the mailing service to verify if they are able to express delivery to a P.O. Box as there may be restrictions based on the service provider (i.e. USPS vs. Fedex).Your privacy is important. When you give by check, ioby, unless you opt out, you may be included in ioby’s year-end giving report available online. If you prefer to remain anonymous, please provide this note with your check - "I prefer that my donation to ioby core support remain anonymous.” This does not impact your tax receipt.Important things to know about your donation in support of a crowdfunding campaign.If a contribution to a crowdfunding campaign does not clearly identify the project intended for support, ioby will reach out to you via email or phone to clarify. After three (3) documented outreach attempts within three (3) months from the date of issue, if ioby is still unsuccessful in confirming which project your donation is intended to support, your donation will convert to ioby core support. Once a donation is converted to ioby core support and all good faith attempts to reach the donor for clarification have been made and documented, the gift cannot be re-applied to the crowdfunding campaign or project. In all cases, a gift acknowledgment will be provided to the donor at the donor’s last known address or upon request.Checks can take significant time to be applied to a project's fundraising page. With mailing and processing time, check donations for projects may take up to 3-4 weeks to be reflected on a project's fundraising page. Sometimes this process is faster but don't be alarmed or surprised if the donation takes a little extra time to show up on the project page.If a check is mailed to any other ioby address, instead of the P.O. Box mailing address above, the processing time will increase. Please do not mail project donations to an ioby office address. We have strict financial processes in place to ensure the financial information of donors is kept secure. Due to these important financial processes, mailing a check to another address will delay, rather than speed up, the check's processing time. Be aware of express delivery options to a P.O. Box. If you or your donors intend to express mail a check to the P.O. Box above, please check with the mailing service to verify if they are able to express delivery to a P.O. Box as there may be restrictions based on the service provider (i.e. USPS vs. Fedex).Your privacy is important. When you give by check, ioby will add your donation to the project that you specify and publicly indicate your donation as Anonymous. The project leader will see your donor name as Anonymous. If you would like to share your name, your business name, or your family name with the project leader to be personally acknowledged, please include a note with something to the effect of: "Please publicly acknowledge my donation from [Your Preferred Donor Name]". This acknowledgment does not impact your tax receipt.ioby provides this guidance to address basic questions regarding donations to ioby core support and ioby civic crowdfunding campaigns. This guidance is not intended to serve as professional guidance for your particular circumstances and tax filings. ioby encourages taxpayers to retain gift acknowledgments and to consult a trusted tax pro for information and advice regarding how to treat donations to ioby.Still have questions? Email us at [email protected]