Is Forrest C And Frances H Lattner Foundation Inc Legit?
Quick charity verification for Forrest C And Frances H Lattner Foundation Inc (EIN: 203106502)
Verdict: Forrest C And Frances H Lattner Foundation Inc appears trustworthy
80/100Mission Score
$16.6MRevenue
$52.6MAssets
3Red Flags
4Strengths
Red Flags
Negative revenue reported in 2020 without immediate explanation
Consistent 0% officer compensation for an organization with significant assets and expenses, which may indicate compensation is reported elsewhere or through related parties
Gradual decline in total assets over the past decade without clear offsetting revenue growth
Strengths
No reported officer compensation, suggesting high efficiency in executive overhead
Maintains a substantial asset base ($52.9 million in 2023) ensuring long-term capacity for grant-making
Consistently low liabilities, indicating strong financial management and minimal debt
Long history of public 990 filings (10 filings provided), demonstrating commitment to transparency
Spending Breakdown
How Forrest C And Frances H Lattner Foundation Inc 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 Forrest C And Frances H Lattner Foundation Inc
Is Forrest C And Frances H Lattner Foundation Inc a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Forrest C And Frances H Lattner Foundation Inc (EIN: 203106502) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 80/100. 3 red flags identified, 4 strengths noted.
Is Forrest C And Frances H Lattner Foundation Inc a good charity to donate to?
Forrest C And Frances H Lattner Foundation Inc has a Mission Score of 80/100. Revenue: $16.6M. Assets: $52.6M. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.
What is the EIN for Forrest C And Frances H Lattner Foundation Inc?
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Forrest C And Frances H Lattner Foundation Inc is 203106502. 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 Forrest C And Frances H Lattner Foundation Inc spend its money?
Forrest C And Frances H Lattner Foundation Inc allocates 95% to programs, 5% to administration, and 0% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.
How can I verify Forrest C And Frances H Lattner Foundation Inc's tax-exempt status?
You can verify Forrest C And Frances H Lattner Foundation Inc's tax-exempt status using EIN 203106502 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 Forrest C And Frances H Lattner Foundation Inc. demonstrates consistent grant-making activity, with annual expenses generally ranging between $3.2 million and $5.7 million over the past decade. The organization's assets have seen a gradual decline from approximately $69.9 million in 2011 to $52.9 million in 2023, indicating significant distributions or market fluctuations. Revenue has been highly variable, including a negative revenue period in 2020, which is unusual and warrants further investigation into its financial reporting. Despite this, the foundation maintains a substantial asset base relative to its annual expenses, suggesting long-term sustainability for its philanthropic endeavors.
The foundation's spending efficiency appears to be focused on its program services, as indicated by the absence of reported officer compensation across all filings, implying that administrative costs are likely low or covered by other means. However, without a detailed breakdown of program, administrative, and fundraising expenses, a precise assessment of spending efficiency is challenging. The consistent reporting of minimal liabilities (often $1 or $0) suggests sound financial management regarding debt.
Transparency is generally good given the availability of 10 years of 990 filings. The lack of reported officer compensation is a positive sign for donor confidence, as it suggests resources are not being diverted to high executive salaries. However, the 'Unknown' NTEE code and the absence of detailed expense categories in the provided data limit a deeper analysis of its operational focus and spending ratios. Further transparency could be achieved by providing more granular expense breakdowns.