Mission Statement
Our mission is to teach and foster decision-making and life-planning skills among women who are incarcerated, and others expressing interest, by means of a structured curriculum delivered by trained volunteers. The ultimate goal is to reduce recidivism among female offenders and to break the intergenerational cycle of crime by teaching women (most of whom are mothers) how to gain more control over their lives by setting goals, deciding rather than reacting, and making and sticking to concrete plans for changing their attitudes and behaviors.
Leadership
CEO/Executive Director
Ms. Crissy S Zitka MA-CFRE
Co-CEO/Executive Director
Crissy S Zitka MA-CFRE
Board Chair
Mrs. Theresa Sexton
Board Chair Company Affiliation
Claritas Capital
History & Background
Year of Incorporation
1999
Organization's type of tax exempt status
501-C3
Financial Summary
Graph: Expense Breakdown Graph - All Years
Projected Expenses
$58,786.00
Projected Annual Revenue
$42,500.00 (2018)
Statements
Mission
Our mission is to teach and foster decision-making and life-planning skills among women who are incarcerated, and others expressing interest, by means of a structured curriculum delivered by trained volunteers. The ultimate goal is to reduce recidivism among female offenders and to break the intergenerational cycle of crime by teaching women (most of whom are mothers) how to gain more control over their lives by setting goals, deciding rather than reacting, and making and sticking to concrete plans for changing their attitudes and behaviors.
Background
Better Decisions began in 1985, when a concerned and knowledgeable community volunteer (Candy Markman) observed that women leaving prison had an especially difficult time making the transition back into the community. Most of these women struggle with substance abuse, and many have a history of physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse. More than 50% lack a high-school diploma or GED. Institutionalization strips away any opportunity for decision-making; and yet, upon release, these women are expected to find housing, jobs, and rejoin their families and communities as fully functioning members. While searching for a prerelease program that would better prepare women for release, Candy discovered an eight-week decision-making curriculum. She recruited community volunteers as mentors, and began the first cycle at TPW in January 1985. Initially a program under the umbrella of other nonprofits, Better Decisions incorporated as a 501(c)3 in March 1999. Twice a year, Better Decisions has trained 25-30 new volunteers during a 10-hour weekend workshop in Nashville. (The Board voted in 2007 to limit trainings to one weekend per year to increase efficiency and decrease costs, and to focus more on volunteer retention.) Volunteers are then matched with inmates at the Tennessee Prison for Women who have voluntarily signed up for the program. The 8-week cycles include two components: (1) a Monday night class, taught by two experienced volunteer teachers, in which 15-20 inmates learn a 5-step decision-making model, and (2) 1-on-1 sessions later in the week in which each inmate meets with her trained volunteer mentor to practice and reinforce the skills she learned on Monday night. Both teachers and volunteer mentors use a structured curriculum. Over 1,500 inmates have graduated, and about 1,130 volunteers have been trained and partnered with incarcerated women.
Impact
Last Year's Impact
1) Added an additional Summer Cycle to our programming with 7 participants in the program
2) 39 TPW inmates graduated from the core program, each of whom was matched with a trained volunteer mentor.
Current Year's Goals
1) Continue core program at TPFW in the Spring and Fall as well as continue running of Summer and Winter Book Club 2) Increase our active volunteer pool through volunteer trainings 3) Educate and engage the Nashville community about the issues that face women in prison.
Needs
1. Branding support and awareness-building campaigns
2. CRM and other database tools (and technical support)
3. Research assistance (follow-up and longitudinal analysis of graduates)
4. Assistance with editing and new graphics for curriculum revision
5. Resources for technological enhancements to expand training and development for volunteers
Other ways to donate, support, or volunteer
We gratefully accept donations in any amount! Two options are available: 1) Donate by credit card on
www.givingmatters.com or 2) Mail a check to Better Decisions, P.O. Box 120754, Nashville, TN 37212.
We also train new volunteers in the fall of every calendar year. For more information, please see our website
www.betterdecisions.org.
Service Categories
Primary Organization Category
Crime & Legal - Related / Inmate Support
Secondary Organization Category
Human Services / Human Services NEC
Tertiary Organization Category
Public & Societal Benefit / Public & Societal Benefit NEC
Areas of Service
The Tennessee Prison for Women (TPW) in Nashville is one of 3 state prisons for females in Tennessee (the others are in Memphis and in Bledsoe County). TPW is located in north Nashville, in the Bordeaux area, near the intersection of Briley Parkway and Ashland City Highway.
CEO Statement
Our organization is singularly focused on helping people make better decisions.
Board Chair
Board Chair
Mrs. Theresa Sexton
Company Affiliation
Claritas Capital
Term
Aug 2015 to Aug 2017
Email
sextont2016@gmail.com
Board Demographics - Ethnicity
African American/Black
3
Asian American/Pacific Islander
1
Caucasian
4
Hispanic/Latino
0
Native American/American Indian
0
Other
0
Board Demographics - Gender
Male
0
Female
8
Unspecified
0
Governance
Board Term Lengths
2
Board Term Limits
2
Board Meeting Attendance %
74%
Does the organization have written Board Selection Criteria?
Yes
Does the organization have a written Conflict of Interest Policy?
No
Percentage of Board Members making Monetary Contributions
88%
Percentage of Board Members making In-Kind Contributions
100%
Does the Board include Client Representation?
Yes
Number of Full Board Meetings Annually
6
Executive Director/CEO
Executive Director
Ms. Crissy S Zitka MA-CFRE
Term Start
May 2017
Email
crissy.zitka@betterdecisions.org
Experience
Executive Director, Crissy Zitka, brings more than twenty (20) years of not-for-profit executive, management, fundraising and programmatic experience to Better Decisions. The Board Members, who provide service in the field, time as board members, and financial resources, have, in aggregate, provided over 50 years of service to the organization.
Co-CEO
Co-CEO
Crissy S Zitka MA-CFRE
Term Start
May 2017
Email
crissy.zitka@betterdecisions.org
Staff
Full Time Staff
0
Part Time Staff
1
Volunteers
60
Contractors
0
Retention Rate
0%
Plans & Policies
Does the organization have a documented Fundraising Plan?
Yes
Does the organization have an approved Strategic Plan?
Under Development
Number of years Strategic Plan Considers
N/A
In case of a change in leadership, is a Management Succession plan in place?
No
Does the organization have a Policies and Procedures Plan?
No
Does the organization have a Nondiscrimination Policy?
Yes
Senior Staff
Title
Executive Director
Experience/Biography
Fiscal Year
Fiscal Year Start
July 01 2017
Fiscal Year End
June 30 2018
Projected Revenue
$42,500.00
Projected Expenses
$58,786.00
Endowment Spending Policy
N/A
Endowment Spending Percentage (if selected)
0%
Detailed Financials
Short Term Solvency
Capital Campaign
Is the organization currently conducting a Capital Campaign for an endowment or the purchase of a major asset?
No
Capital Campaign Goal
$0.00
Capital Campaign Anticipated in Next 5 Years?
No
State Charitable Solicitations Permit
TN Charitable Solicitations Registration
Yes - Expires Dec 2017
Organizational Budgets and Other Documents