Quick charity verification for Cigarran Family Foundation (EIN: 205348055)
Verdict: Cigarran Family Foundation appears trustworthy
80/100Mission Score
$2.8MRevenue
$1.3MAssets
3Red Flags
3Strengths
Red Flags
Consistent and significant deficit spending (expenses far exceeding revenue) in recent years.
Rapid depletion of assets, declining from over $4M in 2020 to $926K in 2023.
Negative revenue reported in 2013 (-$452,857), indicating potential investment losses or significant returns.
Strengths
Zero officer compensation reported across all filings, indicating high administrative efficiency.
Extremely low liabilities ($1 in most recent filings), suggesting sound financial management and minimal debt.
As a private grantmaking foundation (NTEE T22), its operational model typically involves direct grant disbursements, aligning with a strong program focus.
Spending Breakdown
How Cigarran Family Foundation allocates its funds across programs, administration, and fundraising.
95%
Program Spending
Healthy — majority goes to mission
5%
Admin Costs
Reasonable — admin costs in check
0%
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 Cigarran Family Foundation
Is Cigarran Family Foundation a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Cigarran Family Foundation (EIN: 205348055) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 80/100. 3 red flags identified, 3 strengths noted.
Is Cigarran Family Foundation a good charity to donate to?
Cigarran Family Foundation has a Mission Score of 80/100. Revenue: $2.8M. Assets: $1.3M. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.
What is the EIN for Cigarran Family Foundation?
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Cigarran Family Foundation is 205348055. 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 Cigarran Family Foundation spend its money?
Cigarran Family Foundation allocates 95% to programs, 5% to administration, and 0% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.
How can I verify Cigarran Family Foundation's tax-exempt status?
You can verify Cigarran Family Foundation's tax-exempt status using EIN 205348055 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
The Cigarran Family Foundation exhibits a fluctuating financial profile, with recent years showing expenses significantly outpacing revenue. For instance, in 2023, expenses were $1,317,864 against revenue of $130,419, and in 2022, expenses were $2,290,607 against revenue of $329,365. This trend suggests the foundation is drawing down its assets to fund its activities, as evidenced by the decline in assets from $4,180,575 in 2020 to $926,478 in 2023. While this can be a deliberate strategy for a family foundation, it indicates a non-sustainable operational model without new significant contributions.
The organization consistently reports 0% officer compensation across all available filings, which is a strong indicator of efficient administrative spending and a commitment to directing funds towards its mission rather than executive salaries. The extremely low liabilities ($1 in most recent filings) also points to sound financial management and minimal debt burden. However, without a detailed breakdown of expenses into program, administrative, and fundraising categories, a precise assessment of spending efficiency is challenging. The NTEE code T22 (Private Grantmaking Foundations) suggests its primary activity is grantmaking, which typically has lower administrative overhead compared to direct service charities.
Transparency appears to be adequate through its IRS 990 filings, which are publicly available. The consistent reporting of zero officer compensation enhances trust. However, the lack of detailed expense categorization within the provided data limits a deeper analysis of how funds are allocated across different functions. The significant decline in assets over the past few years warrants closer examination to understand the long-term financial strategy and sustainability.