The document discusses Ladder Up, a non-profit organization that provides free tax preparation and financial assistance services to low-income individuals and families in Chicago. It outlines the organization's programs, impact, funding sources, leadership structure, and compares it to a similar organization. The founder started Ladder Up in 1994 to help hardworking families in need of financial literacy services gain access to tax credits and benefits.

1. Group 4:
Sabina Ruleviciute
Eric Limas
Kelly Dollard
George Chanturia

2. 1. Non-Profit Organization’s Overview
2. Website Marketing
3. Website Analysis
4. Our recommendations
5. New Agencies Website Overview

4. 1. Ladder Up Financial Liberation provides free
financial services to the community members
 Tax Assistance Program (TAP):
 Prepare tax returns for hardworking families and individuals
 Life Improving Financial Tools (LIFT):
 Help students to complete financial aid application
 Inform students and parents about financial aid availability
 Educate high school students on best financial practices

5. 1. Area served:
 Chicago area only
 Chicago Suburbs : Aurora, Cicero, Downers Grove, etc.
2. Eligible Clients:
 Individuals with total income up to $20,000/year
 Families with total income up to $45,000/year
 High school students
 Students who are seeking for higher education
3. Services:
 Tax Return services
 Financial Aid services
 Literacy Service

6. 1. Founder: Robert (Bob) Burke
2. Originated in the fall of 1994 in the Chicago land
area
 Founder worked for Arthur Anderson
 Spent his free time volunteering for different non-
profit organizations
 As a basketball coach in the area of lower income,
Bob saw a need to help families
 In first year, recruited over 90 volunteers to serve as tax
preparers for low-income and hard working families

7. 1. Poverty and low income
2. Lack of knowledge on different tax credits
availability
3. Hard-working families has a limited education
level

8. 1. Fundraising Events
2. Donations
3. Foundations
 IRS Grants
 City of Chicago
 Certain Counties and Townships
4. Corporate Sponsorship
 Deloitte
 Ernst & Young
 Bank of America

9. Goal: to help community member to build
foundation for economic self-sufficiency
1. Through TAP and LIFT services organization is
able to:
 Provide free financial solutions to community
2. Free Services help citizens to assess critical
financial benefits
 Valuable tax returns
 Financial awards

10. 1. TAP: Dollar amount impact on tax returns
 Estimated refunds for 2011 Tax Year is $14.6 million
2. TAP: Number of families and individuals served
 E-filed 8,800 tax returns in 2011
3. LIFT: Dollar amount of financial award obtained
4. LIFT: Number of students helped
 In 2011, helped 2,431 students to complete Financial Aid

11. 1. Success Story:
 Nikesha received a $4,423 tax refund : “I
knew this would make a real difference in
my life. I could hardly believe I was
actually going to see the money that is due
to me”
2. Client’s Quotes:
 “People in my neighborhood need TAP’s
services. The volunteers were very helpful
and treated me with respect, and I’m so
thankful for that” -Nikesha, TAP client
 “I depend on you, and I trust the services
that I get” - Rita, TAP Client

12. 1. Number of Employee’s:
 Permanent: 8 employees
 Seasonal: 10+ employees
 At least 2 IT support individuals
 Others help with e-filling and training
2. Headquarters :
 Chicago, IL
 19 tax service sites for 2011 season
 Deloitte fully staffs one site
3. Volunteer Stats:
 TAP: 1,400 volunteers in 2011

13. “Everyone is a key in this organization “ – S. Parks,
Volunteer Coordinator
1. Director of Ladder Up – oversees organization and
programs
2. Development Manager – builds financial capacity for the
organization
3. TAP Program Manager – oversees TAP
4. LIFT Program Manager – oversees LIFT program
5. Financial AID Outreach Specialist – helps low-income
students and families apply for and understand college
funding

14. 1. Center for Economic Progress
 Has 10-20 sites
 Provides tax and legal clinic services
2. Main Differences:
1. Center For Economic Progress just started a program
similar to LIFT
2. Center for Economic Progress has legal clinic for client’s
legal issues

15. By: Kelly Dollard

16.  Hardworking people trying to rise above the
poverty line
 Individuals with income under $20,000 per year
 Families with income under $45,000 per year

17.  Trying to obtain the maximum tax refund
possible
 Trying to obtain financial assistance for
continuing an education
 Trying to find financial institutions that will
not attack you with unnecessary charges

18.  LIFT
 List of locations that provide free assistance in filling
out the FAFSA
 TAP
 Provide a list of locations and what to bring in order
to obtain help from professionals with preparation of
tax refunds
 Workshops
 List of workshops to help clients with other financial
issues that are held by volunteers

19.  Financial experts who are committed to
helping hardworking citizens gain financial
stability to achieve the goals that they have for
themselves
 Working to help families and students
 Seem to present themselves as a group of
caring individuals working for a greater good

21.  Essentials for the good website structure
 Three Website Sections
 Ladder Up Website structure
 The Rule of Thumb

22.  Appropriate Disclosure
 Treatment of the Visitor’s Information
 Usage of Cookies
 Where the Responsibility Ends

23.  FAQ page
 Contact Us
 Customer Feedback

24.  Website Design is aesthetically appealing
 Colors used in the website are logically related
and harmoniously matched
 Text size is readable and audience appropriate
 Fonts are easily readable and they degrade
gracefully – which translates into good
appearance on various screen resolutions

26.  The founder has experience
working for one of the largest
known accounting firms
 The organization focuses on
specific low-income families,
individuals, and students

27.  The founder has
experience working for
one of the largest known
accounting firms
 The organization
focuses on specific low-
income families,
individuals, and
students

28.  Inform the same target market on how to
properly fill out their employment tax forms to
get the most out of their return.

29.  With no solid source of
operating income, hard
to allocate money
towards marketing and
informing the public of
the companies services.

30.  Again, main competitor is the
Center for Economic Progress
 A major difference between
the two is that Ladder Up
focuses on specific clients and
help with specific tax returns.
 Ladder Up is better because
they have a focused set of
clients and you can talk to a
representative and not have
to search 10-20 different sites
to find which one will help
you.

31.  Ladder Up’s site is very simple, and gets to the
point.
 You can find information about the organization
and its origins, what they offer, etc.

32.  The company should look into implementing
the ability to reserve an appointment with a tax
representative.
 Some more basic education information of the
companies tax programs.

33.  They company would miss out on free online
marketing opportunities.
 Clients wouldn’t be able to find out
information about the company.
 It would be harder for them to receive
donations, because of the simplicity it is to do
through the website.

34.  Try to establish an
appointment reservation
program.
 Educate the uneducated
about practices, because
that’s why they are
coming.

35. 1. Interview with Suzannah Parks, Ladder Up
Volunteer Coordinator
2. Goladderup.org