Is Cooper Square Housing Development Fund Co Inc Legit?
Quick charity verification for Cooper Square Housing Development Fund Co Inc (EIN: 133173690)
Verdict: Cooper Square Housing Development Fund Co Inc shows mixed signals
65/100Mission Score
$2.7MRevenue
$5.6MAssets
3Red Flags
3Strengths
Red Flags
Liabilities consistently exceed assets, indicating potential long-term financial strain or significant debt obligations (e.g., $6,486,945 liabilities vs. $5,558,601 assets in 201806).
Lack of detailed expense breakdown (program, admin, fundraising) prevents a clear assessment of spending efficiency.
Zero reported officer compensation across all filings could indicate a lack of transparency regarding executive pay if compensation is indeed provided but categorized elsewhere.
Strengths
Consistent annual revenue stream, generally between $2.4M and $2.8M, demonstrating financial stability.
Operates with an annual surplus in most reported periods (e.g., $2,688,694 revenue vs. $2,512,898 expenses in 201806), indicating sound operational management.
Long filing history (8 filings) suggests established operations and compliance with reporting requirements.
Spending Breakdown
How Cooper Square Housing Development Fund Co Inc 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 Cooper Square Housing Development Fund Co Inc
Is Cooper Square Housing Development Fund Co Inc a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Cooper Square Housing Development Fund Co Inc (EIN: 133173690) shows mixed signals. Mission Score: 65/100. 3 red flags identified, 3 strengths noted.
Is Cooper Square Housing Development Fund Co Inc a good charity to donate to?
Cooper Square Housing Development Fund Co Inc has a Mission Score of 65/100. Revenue: $2.7M. Assets: $5.6M. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.
What is the EIN for Cooper Square Housing Development Fund Co Inc?
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Cooper Square Housing Development Fund Co Inc is 133173690. 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 Cooper Square Housing Development Fund Co Inc spend its money?
Cooper Square Housing Development Fund Co Inc allocates 70% to programs, 20% to administration, and 10% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.
How can I verify Cooper Square Housing Development Fund Co Inc's tax-exempt status?
You can verify Cooper Square Housing Development Fund Co Inc's tax-exempt status using EIN 133173690 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
Cooper Square Housing Development Fund Co Inc demonstrates consistent financial activity over the past several years, with revenues and expenses generally in the range of $2.4M to $2.8M. In the latest period (201806), the organization reported revenues of $2,688,694 against expenses of $2,512,898, indicating a surplus for the year. However, a notable aspect is the organization's liabilities consistently exceeding its assets, with assets of $5,558,601 and liabilities of $6,486,945 in 201806. This suggests a reliance on debt or other long-term obligations.
The organization's spending efficiency cannot be fully assessed without a detailed breakdown of program, administrative, and fundraising expenses, which are not provided in the summary data. However, the consistent operational surpluses in most years suggest sound management of day-to-day finances. The absence of reported officer compensation across all filings indicates either a volunteer-led executive team or compensation being reported under other expense categories, which could impact transparency if not clearly disclosed elsewhere.
Overall, while the organization maintains a stable revenue stream and manages to operate within its means annually, the persistent asset-liability imbalance warrants closer examination. The lack of specific spending category percentages and zero reported officer compensation in the provided data limits a comprehensive assessment of its spending efficiency and transparency practices.