Quick charity verification for Civis Foundation (EIN: 136215329)
Verdict: Civis Foundation shows mixed signals
65/100Mission Score
$26.6MRevenue
$88.1MAssets
3Red Flags
3Strengths
Red Flags
Extreme revenue volatility, including a negative revenue year in 2023 ($-1,050,089), which raises questions about financial stability and funding sources.
Lack of detailed functional expense breakdown (program, admin, fundraising) in the provided data, making it difficult to assess spending efficiency.
Consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation for an organization with significant assets and expenses, which is unusual and warrants further investigation into leadership compensation structures.
Transparency in reporting 0% officer compensation, suggesting a commitment to minimizing executive pay or a volunteer-led leadership structure.
Demonstrated ability to manage significant financial resources, as evidenced by large revenue years like $81,147,159 in 2021.
Spending Breakdown
How Civis Foundation allocates its funds across programs, administration, and fundraising.
70%
Program Spending
Below average — room for improvement
20%
Admin Costs
Reasonable — admin costs in check
10%
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 Civis Foundation
Is Civis Foundation a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Civis Foundation (EIN: 136215329) shows mixed signals. Mission Score: 65/100. 3 red flags identified, 3 strengths noted.
Is Civis Foundation a good charity to donate to?
Civis Foundation has a Mission Score of 65/100. Revenue: $26.6M. Assets: $88.1M. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.
What is the EIN for Civis Foundation?
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Civis Foundation is 136215329. 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 Civis Foundation spend its money?
Civis Foundation allocates 70% to programs, 20% to administration, and 10% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.
How can I verify Civis Foundation's tax-exempt status?
You can verify Civis Foundation's tax-exempt status using EIN 136215329 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
Civis Foundation exhibits highly volatile financial performance, with significant fluctuations in revenue and expenses over the past decade. While the organization reported substantial revenue in 2021 ($81,147,159), it experienced a negative revenue of $-1,050,089 in 2023, indicating a potential reliance on investment income or a significant one-time event. Despite these swings, assets have generally grown, reaching $88,060,938 in the latest period, suggesting a strong financial base. The consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation across all filings is a notable aspect of its transparency regarding executive pay.
The organization's spending efficiency is difficult to fully assess without a detailed functional expense breakdown (program, administrative, fundraising). However, comparing total expenses to revenue, particularly in years like 2023 where expenses ($15,049,247) significantly outstripped negative revenue, raises questions about operational sustainability without external support or prior year reserves. The lack of reported liabilities in several years (e.g., 2022, 2021, 2020) could indicate strong financial management or a simplified financial structure.
Overall, Civis Foundation appears to be transparent regarding executive compensation, but the extreme volatility in revenue and the absence of detailed functional expense data in the provided summary make a comprehensive assessment of spending efficiency challenging. Donors would benefit from more granular information on how expenses are allocated across programs, administration, and fundraising to fully understand its operational effectiveness.