Is American Legion Legit?

The American Legion in Norway, ME, appears to be a small, local chapter with fluctuating but generally modest financial activity. Over the past decade, its annual revenue has ranged from a low of $4,669 in 2014 to a high of $27,818 in 2011. Expenses have largely tracked revenue, indicating that the organization operates on a relatively tight budget. For instance, in 2020, revenue was $11,368 against expenses of $7,732, resulting in a surplus. However, there have been years with deficits, such as 2017 where revenue was $8,472 and expenses were $17,144. The organization's asset base is small, peaking at $14,056 in 2011 and standing at $9,023 in 2020. Liabilities have been minimal or non-existent for most of the decade, though they reached $2,366 in 2020. A significant positive aspect is the consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation across all available filings, suggesting that leadership is volunteer-based, which is common for small, local non-profits and contributes to efficient use of funds. Without detailed expense breakdowns (program, admin, fundraising), a precise assessment of spending efficiency is challenging, but the lack of paid executive compensation is a strong indicator of low administrative overhead. Transparency is generally good given the availability of 10 years of IRS 990 filings. However, the absence of detailed expense categories within the provided data limits a deeper analysis of how funds are allocated between programs, administration, and fundraising. The organization's small scale and consistent filing history suggest a commitment to compliance, but more granular financial data would enhance full transparency.