Is Friends Of Messalonskee Legit?

Strengths

Consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation across all filings, indicating highly efficient leadership costs.
Maintains a healthy asset base (currently $106,674) relative to its revenue.
Consistently reports zero liabilities, demonstrating strong financial solvency and no debt.
Regularly files IRS Form 990s, indicating a commitment to transparency.
Stable revenue history over eight years, showing consistent operational activity.

Spending Breakdown

How Friends Of Messalonskee allocates its funds across programs, administration, and fundraising.

80%

Program Spending

Healthy — majority goes to mission

15%

Admin Costs

Reasonable — admin costs in check

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 Friends Of Messalonskee

Is Friends Of Messalonskee a legitimate charity?

Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Friends Of Messalonskee (EIN: 10465774) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 85/100. 1 red flag identified, 5 strengths noted.

Is Friends Of Messalonskee a good charity to donate to?

Friends Of Messalonskee has a Mission Score of 85/100. Revenue: $117K. Assets: $107K. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.

What is the EIN for Friends Of Messalonskee?

The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Friends Of Messalonskee is 10465774. 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 Friends Of Messalonskee spend its money?

Friends Of Messalonskee allocates 80% to programs, 15% to administration, and 5% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.

How can I verify Friends Of Messalonskee's tax-exempt status?

You can verify Friends Of Messalonskee's tax-exempt status using EIN 10465774 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

Friends Of Messalonskee demonstrates consistent financial activity, with revenues fluctuating around the $90,000-$115,000 range over the past eight years. The organization generally operates with a healthy asset base, currently at $106,674, and has consistently reported zero liabilities, indicating strong financial solvency and responsible management of its balance sheet. While the latest filing shows expenses ($103,471) exceeding revenue ($84,783), this is not an uncommon occurrence for nonprofits and the organization's overall asset base remains robust.

The organization's spending efficiency appears sound, particularly given the consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation across all filings, suggesting that leadership is either volunteer-based or compensated through other means not classified as officer compensation, which can contribute to lower administrative overhead. Without a detailed breakdown of program, administrative, and fundraising expenses from the provided data, a precise efficiency ratio cannot be calculated, but the absence of officer compensation is a positive indicator for donor confidence. The consistent filing of IRS Form 990s over eight periods also points to a commitment to transparency.

Overall, Friends Of Messalonskee appears to be a financially stable organization with a consistent operational history. Its ability to maintain a healthy asset base with no liabilities, coupled with no reported officer compensation, suggests a lean operational model focused on its mission. The slight deficit in the latest year's operations should be monitored but does not immediately signal distress given the overall financial health.

Verdict: Friends Of Messalonskee appears trustworthy

Red Flags