Watch your allowable expenses list

The Economic Opportunity Council of San Francisco runs lots of valuable programs in San Francisco, including CDD programs. They are accused of spending $542,000 of state money on unallowable expenses, such as "the $8,300 Cache Creek Casino retreat, $2,300 spent on water, buying $700 worth of coffee and shelling out $460 for facial tissue." They are supposed to get $159,000 in ARRA money to help people weatherize their homes, but this may be taken back because:

The state concluded that the 40-year-old nonprofit has financial management problems, needs organizational reform and has no feasible plan to improve these issues. ...

San Francisco officials also raised concerns about the nonprofit this year. In August, mayor's office director Dwayne Jones sent a letter to the executive director, Nathaniel Mason, and board chairwoman, Hazel King, informing them the city was undertaking a management audit and other oversight measures. The letter details a litany of problems, including losing a child on a field trip and leaving a child locked in a facility after staff members closed for the night. Additionally, as in 1998, the nonprofit has not enrolled enough children in its child development programs, putting funding for the group's other city programs at risk.

Apparently they lost a state preschool contract 10 years ago because of consistently underearning their contract and not communicating with parents, and they haven't learned their lessons.

Morals:

• Get to know your Green Book. Make it your friend.
• Enroll enough kids to earn your contract.
• Don't lose kids or lock them in the center overnight.