Quick charity verification for Cold Mountain Zen Center (EIN: 201489421)
Verdict: Cold Mountain Zen Center shows mixed signals
50/100Mission Score
$0Revenue
$0Assets
2Red Flags
2Strengths
Red Flags
No reported revenue or assets, limiting financial analysis
Lack of detailed financial activity makes impact assessment difficult
Strengths
Compliance with IRS filing requirements (990-EZ)
Likely volunteer-driven given no reported compensation or financial activity
Spending Breakdown
How Cold Mountain Zen Center allocates its funds across programs, administration, and fundraising.
100%
Program Spending
Healthy — majority goes to mission
0%
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 Cold Mountain Zen Center
Is Cold Mountain Zen Center a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Cold Mountain Zen Center (EIN: 201489421) shows mixed signals. Mission Score: 50/100. 2 red flags identified, 2 strengths noted.
Is Cold Mountain Zen Center a good charity to donate to?
Cold Mountain Zen Center has a Mission Score of 50/100. Revenue: $0. Assets: $0. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.
What is the EIN for Cold Mountain Zen Center?
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Cold Mountain Zen Center is 201489421. 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 Cold Mountain Zen Center spend its money?
Cold Mountain Zen Center allocates 100% to programs, 0% to administration, and 0% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.
How can I verify Cold Mountain Zen Center's tax-exempt status?
You can verify Cold Mountain Zen Center's tax-exempt status using EIN 201489421 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
Cold Mountain Zen Center appears to be a very small, likely volunteer-run organization, given its reported $0 in revenue and assets. This makes a traditional financial health assessment challenging, as there are no financial activities to analyze for efficiency or spending patterns. The lack of reported financial data on the IRS 990-EZ form (which is used by organizations with gross receipts less than $200,000 and total assets less than $500,000) suggests either minimal operations or that the organization is new and has not yet generated significant financial activity. Without any revenue or assets, there's no basis to evaluate spending efficiency or financial stability in a conventional sense. Transparency is limited by the absence of financial details, though filing the 990-EZ itself is a step towards compliance.