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1. NONPROFIT INVESTOR
I N D E P E N D E N T R E S E A R C H F O R P H I L A N T H R O P Y
JobTrain SUMMARY
JobTrain provides low‐income individuals in the Bay Area with
Nonprofit Investor Rating: classes, training, career counseling, and job placement services to
prepare them for quality jobs and careers.
NEUTRAL
STRENGTHS
Mission Statement ▲ Established organization. JobTrain has been serving its
Help those in need through assessment, community for nearly 50 years and is affiliated with OIC of America, a
attitude and job skills training, and high national non‐profit network of employment and training programs.
potential career placement.
▲ Experienced leadership. The majority of JobTrain’s Executive
Financial Overview Staff have worked at JobTrain for 5+ years and have extensive
$ in MM, Fiscal Year Ended June 30 experience in their line of work.
2009 2010 2011
▲ Number of people benefitting from JobTrain services continues
Revenue and Support $4.7 $7.2 $4.9
Operating Expenses $5.2 $5.8 $4.5
to grow each year. JobTrain served 8,012 people in 2011, up from
the 5,900 in 2010, and 5,158 in 2009. The number of enrollees in
% of Total: JobTrain’s full‐time vocational courses has ranged from around 700
Program Expenses 76.6% 81.1% 77.4% to 800 in recent years, of which 90% completed their course.
G&A 10.7% 10.0% 11.2%
Fundraising 12.7% 8.9% 11.4%
▲ Strong balance sheet. JobTrain maintains a strong balance sheet
with cash and investments hitting $1.7MM in 2011, up from $1.1MM
in both 2010 and 2009.
Year Founded: 1965
CAUTIONS
Contact Details ▼ Limited organizational and impact transparency. JobTrain offers
JobTrain limited organizational transparency and quantification of impact
1200 O’Brien Dr.
(especially long‐term impact) which makes it difficult to assess the
Menlo Park, CA 94025
effectiveness of each of its programs and the organization as a whole.
(650) 330‐6429
● Funding concentration. JobTrain’s revenues rely heavily on
http://www.JobTrainWorks.org
contributions from the government (~40% of revenue). Given the
EIN: 94‐1712371
budget issues facing the federal and California state government in
this economy, JobTrain risks being materially impacted.
Analyst: Brandon Fong
Peer Review: Kent Chao, Michael Ojunga
RECOMMENDATION: NEUTRAL
Publication Date JobTrain’s programs serve many people in the Bay Area, ranging from
October 24, 2012 children to adults. The organization and its staff have years of
experience, and its programs offer many an opportunity to acquire
the skills necessary for quality jobs in today’s world. However,
JobTrain’s lack of organizational and impact transparency makes it
difficult to fully assess and leaves enough questions unanswered that
we rate it a NEUTRAL until further information is made available.
Nonprofit Investor Research | nonprofitinvestor.org

2. OVERVIEW OF JOBTRAIN’s ACTIVITIES
In the early 1960s, Father John Sweeny, a pastor at an East Palo Alto Church, saw his community suffering from rates of
unemployment, poverty, and crime that were high compared to its surrounding areas. Hoping to address this problem,
Father Sweeny founded JobTrain (formerly OIC West) in 1965 to help members of his community find and keep quality
jobs. Since its founding, JobTrain has helped 150,000 low‐income individuals in the Bay Area by providing them with
classes, training, career counseling, and job placement services. JobTrain provides its services to low‐income adults, the
unemployed and under‐employed, returning parolees, limited English speakers, single parents, at‐risk youth, and pre‐
school children. JobTrain is a local affiliate of OIC of America, a national non‐profit network of 44 employment and
training programs.
Programs overview
JobTrain currently provides vocational training, classes, and courses to both youth and adults offering a variety of
programs to cater to the needs of each group. In addition, JobTrain operates a child development center providing day
care services to children ages 3 to 5.
Adult Services
For its adult clients, JobTrain offers vocational training to prepare them for jobs in a variety of fields, including
healthcare, construction, and the culinary arts. The organization also offers GED, computer literacy, and ESL classes to
help prepare its students for the workplace. To accommodate the work schedules of some of its employed students,
JobTrain schedules some of these classes in the evenings. In addition to the classes and training, JobTrain provides its
students with job placement guidance as well as professional attire for interviews and work. Programs are provided at
little or no cost to students who need them and who are committed to finding a new quality career.
Youth Services
JobTrain offers two main programs for local youth ages 14 to 21: School After School for Successful Youth (SASSY) and
Out of School Youth (OSY). SASSY, started in 1986, is an after‐school vocational training program for local high school
students through which participants may earn high school course credits. Participants in the SASSY program attend
classes after school in the areas of culinary arts and digital/multimedia. OSY serves youth who are no longer attending
school but are interested in advancing their skills or learning new skills through JobTrain’s vocational training classes.
JobTrain’s Child Development Center, founded in 1966, provides day care services to children ages 3 to 5. The Child
Development Center prepares the participants for kindergarten and elementary school and offers the children diverse
activities including field trips and presentations.
PROGRAM RESULTS AND EFFECTIVENESS
In fiscal years 2009, 2010, and 2011, JobTrain reached 5,158, 5,900, and 8,012 individuals, respectively, through its
dedicated programs as well as through its participation in job fairs and its collaborative efforts with organizations such
as PeninsulaWorks. The number of enrollees in JobTrain’s full‐time vocational courses has ranged from around 700 to
800 in recent years, and around 90% of these enrollees complete their course. In the past three years, JobTrain has
consistently placed about three‐quarters of its vocational training program graduates in quality jobs. Of these
individuals, around 80% were still working one year after placement. Meanwhile, SASSY served 156 youth in fiscal year
2011, a 36.8% increase in the size of the program over the last three years. More detailed metrics were not available
from JobTrain.
JobTrain | Nonprofit Investor Research 2

3. Vocational Training Program Detail
2009 2010 2011
Full time vocational training graduates N/A 600 716
Full time vocational training graduates placed in jobs N/A 450 544
% Full time vocational training graduates placed in jobs 75.0% 75.0% 76.0%
1‐Year Retention Rate for full time vocational training graduates placed in jobs 91.0% 81.0% 82.0%
Source: JobTrain Fiscal Year Highlights
JobTrain has a stable Executive Staff and strong Board of Directors and Strategic Advisory Committee that appear
capable of continuing to guide the non‐profit as it approaches its 50th anniversary. The current Executive Director,
Sharon Williams, has been with JobTrain since 1973 and has served as Executive Director since 1979. Most other
members of the Executive Staff have been employed by JobTrain for 5+ years and have prior relevant work experience.
TRANSPARENCY
JobTrain currently does not make available any detailed annual reports or financial statements on its website. The
charity has filed its Form 990s on a regular basis, but they are available only from third‐party websites. Because neither
annual reports nor other detailed performance updates are available to the public, it is difficult to evaluate JobTrain
beyond the most basic due diligence into trends within the Form 990s. JobTrain offers on its website three years’ worth
of publications describing fiscal year highlights. These publications provide some metrics about the organization’s
services and programs as well as selected financial breakdowns, but the scope of the information is limited as noted
earlier. For instance, JobTrain does not provide any details regarding the costs/beneficiary for each of the major
programs that it offers or give program‐specific breakdowns of expenditures. Also, without more detailed analysis of the
impact of JobTrain’s various programs on income levels, unemployment rates, etc. (especially on a longer time horizon
and in comparison to other similar programs), it is difficult to determine if the organization is effecting the changes
necessary to achieve its mission as well as to show accountability, including the social impact of dollars spent.
FINANCIAL OVERVIEW
Revenue and Balance Sheet
Revenues for JobTrain for the past three years have been inconsistent. Revenues grew 52.8% to $7.2 million in fiscal
year 2010 but decreased 32.7% the following year. Due to a lack of management commentary associated with Tax Form
990s, it is unclear whether these changes in revenues were mainly due to factors related to the economic downturn or
to other reasons. JobTrain’s main sources of revenue have historically been government grants and contributions from
foundations, corporations, and individuals. Operating revenue, special events, and other income contribute significantly
less to revenue. Government grants have comprised roughly 40% of JobTrain’s revenues from 2009–2011. Although
this percentage has been declining, JobTrain remains fairly dependent on government support and given the budget
issues facing the federal and California state government in this economy, JobTrain risks being materially impacted.
JobTrain maintains a healthy balance sheet. Total assets have increased year on year from 2009–2011 and are well in
excess of total liabilities.
Expenses
JobTrain’s expenses have fluctuated in the past three years just as its revenues have. Moreover, total expenses as a
percentage of revenue have ranged from over 109% to as low as 79.5%. According to its Fiscal Year Highlights however,
JobTrain’s allocation of funds have remained consistent during this time, with training, counseling and job development,
development, and youth programs comprising the top four categories. As reported in JobTrain’s Form 990s, program
costs have historically accounted for slightly over three‐quarters of total expenses; the remaining quarter of total
JobTrain | Nonprofit Investor Research 3

4. expenses are usu
ually split roughly evenly between G&A and fund
y draising. Mo detailed breakdowns of spending
ore s g
unfortunately are not readily a available, e.g., costs/benef
ficiary of the 8
8,012 individuals served b
by JobTrain in 2011.
Revenue Mix Over Time
R 2
2011 Revenue Mix
$ in M
MM
Exp
pense Breakout Over Time
e 8,012 Individuals Se
erved (2011)
$ in M
MM
$7.0 $5.2
100%
%
$5.8 $4.5
90%
%
$6.0
80%
%
$5.0 81.1%
%
76.6% 77.4% 70%
%
$4.0 60%
%
50%
%
$3.0 40%
%
$2.0 30%
%
20%
%
$1.0
%
10%
$0.0 0%
2008 2009 2010
Program Se
ervices Mana
agement, G&A Fundraising Program Expe
ense % of Total
JobTrain | N
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estor Researc
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5. Detailed Financial Information
Fiscal Year Ended June 30 2009 2010 2011
Revenue and Expenses (Tax Accounting Basis)
Operating Revenue:
Program Service Revenue $93,783 $49,041 $52,593
Special Events 418,967 601,733 415,292
Foundation, Corporate, and Other Contributions 2,110,252 3,271,822 2,520,509
Government Grants 2,141,942 3,182,963 1,711,284
Interest and Other Income (26,348) 135,363 175,775
Total Support and Revenues $4,738,596 $7,240,922 $4,875,453
% Growth 52.8% (32.7%)
Expenses:
Program Services:
Grants and other assistance $86,575 $376,256 $84,285
Salaries, wages, and employee benefits 2,689,384 3,046,082 2,319,600
Payroll taxes 177,437 201,801 151,984
Office expenses 548,511 518,739 397,546
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization 156,120 222,234 230,717
Training and Educational 214,152 194,669 190,414
Other 106,142 107,722 99,294
Supporting Services:
Fundraising 553,634 576,456 512,189
Management and General 660,236 511,713 501,031
Total Expenses: $5,192,191 $5,755,672 $4,487,060
% of Revenue 109.6% 79.5% 92.0%
KEY BALANCE SHEET INFORMATION
Cash and Cash Equivalents $720,072 $588,009 $968,698
Investments 364,889 550,676 750,945
Other Assets 3,547,531 4,642,642 4,323,763
Total Assets $4,632,492 $5,781,327 $6,043,406
Total Liabilities 1,328,006 991,591 865,277
Net Assets/Fund Balances $3,304,486 $4,789,736 $5,178,129
Expenses by Function (Tax Accounting Basis)
Program Services $3,978,321 $4,667,503 $3,473,840
Management, G&A 553,634 576,456 501,031
Fundraising 660,236 511,713 512,189
Total Expenses $5,192,191 $5,755,672 $4,487,060
Program Costs as a % of Total Expenses 76.6% 81.1% 77.4%
G&A as a % of Total Expenses 10.7% 10.0% 11.2%
Fundraising as a % of Total Expenses 12.7% 8.9% 11.4%
Source: IRS Form 990 (Tax Acccounting Basis)
JobTrain | Nonprofit Investor Research 5

6. OTHER THIRD PARTY RATINGS
JobTrain is positively reviewed on GreatNonprofits with a rating of over four stars (out of five stars). These reviews are
mainly the opinions of the individuals served by JobTrain. It should be noted, however, that there are no recent reviews;
the most recent review comes from fall 2008. Charity Navigator, Philanthropedia, or GiveWell currently do not cover
JobTrain.
GET INVOLVED
Make Donations Become A Volunteer ‐ Positions
Individual Giving  Teacher’s Aide
www.jobtrainworks.org/for‐donors/individual‐giving  Academic or ESL Tutor
Corporate & Foundation Giving  Evening Program Instructor’s Aide
www.jobtrainworks.org/for‐donors/in‐kind‐donations  Administrative Staff
Planned Giving  Job Development Volunteer
www.jobtrainworks.org/for‐donors/planned‐giving  PeninsulaWorks Greeter
 Special Events & Fundraising
DISCLOSURES
Brandon Fong certifies that he does not have any affiliation with JobTrain and has never made a donation to the organization.
Additionally, Brandon Fong has not supported directly competing organizations in a greater capacity than a nominal donation. NPI
analysts and NPI as an organization do not receive any form of compensation from reviewed charities.
This report is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation for donations. While the reliability of information
contained in this report has been assessed by NPI, NPI makes no representation as to its accuracy or completeness, except with
respect to the Disclosure Section of the report. Any opinions expressed herein reflect our judgment as of the date of the materials
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reader thereof in the event that any matter stated herein, or any opinion, projection, forecast or estimate set forth herein, changes
or subsequently becomes inaccurate, or if research on the subject organization is withdrawn.
Opinions and recommendations in our reports do not take into account specific reader circumstances, objectives, or needs. The
recipients of our reports must make their own independent decisions regarding any organization mentioned by NPI.
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JobTrain | Nonprofit Investor Research 6