Web and Phone Contact
Telephone
(816) 559-4681
Mission Statement
Next Step KC is a community based, nonprofit organization working to encourage affordable and appropriate financial services and products for low to moderate income families in the Greater Kansas City area.
Vision: Building strong, stable families in Greater Kansas City, one financial step at a time.
Leadership
CEO/Executive Director
Mr. Mario Urquilla
Board Chair
Mr. Mario Urquilla
Board Chair Company Affiliation
History and Background
Year of Incorporation
2013
Financial Summary
Projected Revenue
$232,200
Projected Expenses
$231,970
Statements
Mission Statement
Next Step KC is a community based, nonprofit organization working to encourage affordable and appropriate financial services and products for low to moderate income families in the Greater Kansas City area.
Vision: Building strong, stable families in Greater Kansas City, one financial step at a time.
Background Statement
Next Step KC, Inc. is an incorporated and
independent 501(c)(3) based in Kansas City, Missouri. This independent
nonprofit entity encourages affordable and appropriate financial services and
products for low to moderate income families in the Greater Kansas City area.
The organization was created in 2013 through the merger of three existing
initiatives: KC CASH Coalition (free tax
preparation), Fair Community Credit (small dollar loan program) and BankOn
SaveUp KC (financial education). The merger
was undertaken to support broader, more effective, year-round programming while
leveraging better use of staff, community opportunities and collective reach of
the three initiatives. Next Step KC is governed by a volunteer
Board of Directors, which monitors program finances, development, maintains
organization by-laws, and regularly assesses program efficiency. Next Step KC is staffed by a volunteer
Executive Director and two Program Directors who manage the day-to-day needs
and relationships associated with each program. Next Step
KC programming consists of three main program areas: implementation
of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA), management of the Small
Dollar Loan Program and supporting community and client Financial
Education
Impact Statement
In 2015, Next Step KC’s Small Dollar Loan Program (SDL) guaranteed 128 loans (75 new loans) totaling $76,000. Small Dollar Loan clients are referred and vetted through its network of community partnerships and employers which include: Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas; CHES; Communities Creating Opportunities; Community Services League; El Centro; Greater Kansas City Housing Information Center; Heartland Habitat for Humanity; Immigration Professionals; Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council; Jewish Vocational Services; LINC; Metro Lutheran Ministry; MU Extension; Operation Breakthrough; Prosperity Center; Salvation Army (Pathways of Hope); St. Mark Hope & Peace; St. Peter's Parish; Waddell & Reed; and the Women's Employment Network.
Next Step KC’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) in tax year 2014 filed more than 7,400 Federal and State income tax returns. The average income of taxpayers served was $17,964. VITA was able to secure $3,197,754 in Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC) for its clients, saving them $1,940,000 in tax preparation fees. More than 300 IRS-certified volunteers served at more than 30 sites in Kansas and Missouri through IRS-sponsored Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Facilitated Self Assistance programs. Next Step KC VITA volunteers are trained by Next Step KC and through the partnerships at the Henry W. Bloch School of Management, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Johnson County Community College, and the Metropolitan Community Colleges. The impact for our clients is in maximizing their returns by capturing earned income tax credits (EITC) and offering a free tax and educational service.
The Program Director created a financial education curriculum to support developing a budget for a
potential tax refund. 120 VITA clients were served through the Financial
Empowerment Program serving a total of 207 clients from July 2015 to June 1, 2016.
Needs Statement
- The PEW Charitable Trust’s July 2012 report “Payday lending in America, Who Borrows, Where they Borrow and Why” focused on small dollar products such as payday loans and title loans. Many of the surveyed borrowers used payday loans for convenience, believing the loans could be repaid by the next pay period. In reality, these unconventional loans averaged five to six months before they were repaid, mainly due to renewal fees and high interest rates. The PEW study exposed the need for fair lending alternatives to help with immediate financial needs and also to financially educate the borrowers. Next Step KC’s Small Dollar Loan program is one example of filling this need with operational funds.
- Next Step KC wants to scale up its Financial Empowerment Program and hire a Program Director to facilitate its offerings to Next Step KC’s Small Dollar Loan referral partners as well as borrowers and VITA clients.
- NSKC wants to build SDL’s Guarantee Reserve to be able to offer more small dollar loans through mainstream financial institutions.
- NSKC wants to maintain the tax education of its corps of over 300 VITA volunteers.
- NSKC wants to raise funds to hire an Executive Director.
Service Categories
Financial Institutions/ Services (Non-Government Related)
CEO/Executive Director/Board Chair Statement
Next Step KC was formed in 2013 through the mergers of three community initiatives: KC CASH provided free income tax assistance to families making less than $54,000 a year. Through this program we have helped thousands of people save hundreds of dollars on tax preparation fees and helping them understand their tax situations to better plan for the following year. With recent changes in tax laws around the affordable care act this service for the community is more important than ever; Fair Community Credit, designed to offer micro-personal loans to those in need to help them get through a financial crisis such as a larger than expected utility bill, car troubles, deposits for an apartment, etc. Through this program borrows have access to loans that are payable over months instead of weeks and are reported to the credit bureaus as a way of also helping them build their credit. Given the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s efforts to regulate payday lending, this initiative may prove extremely valuable in creating a place for people to turn when in need of small amounts of money. Bank On Save Up KC was an effort to bring two national banking campaigns to Kansas City. Bank On focuses on helping low to moderate income families into affordable bank accounts. Save up is a part of America Saves which encourages people to create savings for emergency needs.
As a community development officer and a former board member of each organization, I couldn’t be more passionate about helping people save money on services they are in dire need of receiving and educating them on how to use those services appropriately. Next Step has brought three great initiatives together to simplify the lives of those we serve, not only through the products and services we offer but also by connecting them to other organizations when there is a deeper need. I am proud to be a part of Next Step KC and serve with a board that not only oversees but volunteers as well.
As we look to the future we are being vigilant in raising the necessary dollars to hire the right people to help us continue the work of serving the people of Kansas City. It is our goal to get ourselves in a place where we can continue to grow each program and product and know that with the help and support of our wonderful donors we will be able to continue to change the lives of those we serve.
Mario Urquilla
Executive Director
Chairman of the Board
Executive Director/CEO
Executive Director
Mr. Mario Urquilla
Term Start
July 2013
Experience
Mario Urquilla joined Enterprise Bank & Trust as assistant vice president and community development officer in 2013. He plays a major role in the bank’s community development initiative with an emphasis on client diversity. He also coordinates Enterprise’s outreach to the local Hispanic business community. He has a long history of involvement with the Kansas City Hispanic business community as well as the banking industry. He began his career at Hawthorn Bank as a teller. He then moved to Commerce Bank, where he coordinated a Hispanic and non-profit banking program involving recruitment, marketing, public and community relations. He was also responsible for leading the Spanish on Command Program, providing non-Spanish speaking associates with the ability to engage in basic communications with Hispanic customers. He serves on the executive board of Next Step KC, the Greater Kansas City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and other outreach groups.
Co-CEO/Executive Director
Term Start
Compensation Last Year
Senior Staff
Title
VITA Program Director
Title
Director, Small Dollar Loan Program
Experience/Biography
Ms. Gripp spent the past six years building a financial education program for low to moderate income individuals and families as well as managing a matched savings program for high risk youth to further their education at Catholic Charities Kansas City-St. Joseph, Inc. She also coordinated a social enterprise for Hispanic women during her tenure.
Ms. Gripp spent ten years working in the financial industry as a Senior Financial Education Consultant for JPMorgan Chase. Prior to joining JPMorgan she worked twelve years as a corporate trainer at General Electric and Time Warner, specializing in team development, call center excellence and consultative inbound and outbound sales.
Drawing upon her personal and professional life experiences, each of her sessions incorporates cutting edge concepts related to behavioral finance and contains an actionable item for participants.
Ms. Gripp is well known for her ability to capture and maintain the interest of her audiences, regardless of the complexity of the information. She is a powerful passionate speaker. Her large family and faithful community help her maintain a healthy balance in her life.
Staff
Paid Full-Time Staff
0
Paid Part-Time Staff
2
Volunteers
300
Paid Contractors
2
Plans & Policies
Organization Has a Fundraising Plan
Yes
Organization Has a Strategic Plan
Yes
Management Succession Plan
Under Development
Organization Policy and Procedures
Yes
Nondiscrimination Policy
Yes
Whistleblower Policy
Yes
Collaborations
The foundation of Next Step KC is collaborations. The Greater Kansas City United Way Provides inkind support of the Small Dollar Loan Program and VITA. The Small Dollar Loan Program works with over 20 community referral partners and four financial institutions, including The Salvation Army, Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, LISC Financial Opportunity Centers, Operation Breakthrough, Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry and LINC; UMB, Central Bank, Missouri Bank and Holy Rosary Credit Union.
The VITA program works with numerous partners to provide tax preparation services onsite including Full Employment Council, six community colleges, El Centro, Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, Community Services League and University of Missouri Kansas City Bloch Business School.
The Financial Empowerment Program works closely with the FDIC and Federal Reserve Bank to provide best practices. Staff is a member of the Alliance for Economic Inclusion and on the Steering Committee for Federal Reserve Money Smart Month. Partnerships include the Small Dollar Loan community referral partners as well other financial education service providers.
Government Licenses
Is your organization licensed by the government?
No
Board Chair
Board Chair
Mr. Mario Urquilla
Term
July 2013 to June 2017
Email
murquilla@nextstepkc.org
Board Demographics - Ethnicity
African American/Black
1
Asian American/Pacific Islander
0
Caucasian
10
Hispanic/Latino
1
Native American/American Indian
0
Other
0
Board Demographics - Gender
Male
9
Female
3
Unspecified
0
Governance
Board Term Lengths
3
Board Term Limits
0
Board Meeting Attendance %
75%
Written Board Selection Criteria?
Under Development
Written Conflict of Interest Policy?
No
Percentage Making In-Kind Contributions
90%
Number of Full Board Meetings Annually
12
Financials
Fiscal Year Start
July 01, 2015
Fiscal Year End
June 30, 2016
Projected Revenue
$232,200
Projected Expenses
$231,970
Spending Policy
Income Only
Detailed Financials
Short-Term Solvency
Capital Campaign
Currently in a Capital Campaign?
No