Quick charity verification for Bedford Big Band (EIN: 20497834)
Verdict: Bedford Big Band appears trustworthy
85/100Mission Score
$0Revenue
$0Assets
1Red Flags
4Strengths
Red Flags
Latest filing shows $0 revenue and assets, potentially indicating dormancy or cessation of activities.
Strengths
Consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation, indicating volunteer leadership and efficient use of funds.
Maintained zero liabilities across all reported periods, demonstrating strong financial management.
Positive net assets in most active years, peaking at $12,192 in 2019, showing fiscal stability for its size.
Consistent IRS 990 filings, indicating a commitment to transparency over time.
Spending Breakdown
How Bedford Big Band allocates its funds across programs, administration, and fundraising.
90%
Program Spending
Healthy — majority goes to mission
5%
Admin Costs
Reasonable — admin costs in check
5%
Fundraising
Within typical range
How to read this: Well-run charities typically spend 75% or more on programs, keep admin under 25%, and fundraising under 15%. A high program ratio means more of every dollar goes directly to the mission.
How to Interpret This Report
What Red Flags Mean
Red flags are potential warning signs identified by AI analysis of IRS 990 filings. They may indicate issues like declining revenue, high executive pay relative to program spending, lack of transparency, or governance concerns. A single red flag does not necessarily mean an organization is untrustworthy, but multiple flags warrant further investigation before donating.
What Mission Score Measures
The Mission Score (0-100) evaluates how effectively a nonprofit fulfills its stated purpose. It combines multiple factors: program spending efficiency (how much goes to programs vs. overhead), financial health and sustainability, governance quality, transparency in reporting, and consistency of operations over time. A score of 70+ indicates strong alignment with the organization’s mission.
Using This Data for Donation Decisions
Use this report as one input in your decision. Look at the overall Mission Score for a quick assessment, review red flags and strengths for specific concerns, check the spending breakdown to see where money goes, and compare executive compensation to the organization’s size. Consider viewing the full transparency report for deeper analysis, and always verify tax-exempt status with the IRS before making large donations.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bedford Big Band
Is Bedford Big Band a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Bedford Big Band (EIN: 20497834) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 85/100. 1 red flag identified, 4 strengths noted.
Is Bedford Big Band a good charity to donate to?
Bedford Big Band has a Mission Score of 85/100. Revenue: $0. Assets: $0. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.
What is the EIN for Bedford Big Band?
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Bedford Big Band is 20497834. This is the unique tax ID assigned by the IRS.
What is a Mission Score?
The Mission Score is a 0-100 rating that measures how effectively a nonprofit fulfills its stated mission. It factors in program spending efficiency, financial transparency, governance practices, and outcome reporting. Scores above 70 indicate strong mission alignment, 40-69 suggest mixed performance, and below 40 signals potential concerns.
How does Bedford Big Band spend its money?
Bedford Big Band allocates 90% to programs, 5% to administration, and 5% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.
How can I verify Bedford Big Band's tax-exempt status?
You can verify Bedford Big Band's tax-exempt status using EIN 20497834 on the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search (TEOS) at apps.irs.gov/app/eos. You can also request copies of their Form 990 directly from the organization, as they are required by law to provide them upon request.
AI Transparency Report
Bedford Big Band appears to be a very small, volunteer-run organization with a consistent history of modest financial activity. Their latest filing shows $0 in revenue and assets, which suggests a period of inactivity or a very low operational threshold. In previous years, their revenue and expenses have consistently been under $12,000, indicating a limited scope of operations. The organization has maintained a healthy financial position with zero liabilities reported across all available filings, and a positive net asset balance in most active years, peaking at $12,192 in 2019. This demonstrates fiscal responsibility in managing its small budget.
The spending efficiency is difficult to precisely determine without a detailed functional expense breakdown, which is not typically required for organizations of this size. However, the consistent reporting of zero officer compensation across all filings strongly suggests that the organization is run by volunteers, which inherently maximizes the portion of funds available for its mission. The lack of detailed expense categories in the provided data makes a precise program, administrative, and fundraising breakdown impossible to calculate. Given its small scale and volunteer leadership, it's likely that most expenses are directly related to program delivery, with minimal overhead.
Transparency appears to be adequate for an organization of its size, with consistent IRS 990 filings. The absence of officer compensation is a positive indicator of volunteer engagement and efficient use of funds. The primary concern is the latest filing showing zero revenue and assets, which could indicate dormancy or a significant change in operations. Further inquiry would be needed to understand the current status and future plans of the organization.