Is Great Falls Model Railroad Club Legit?

Quick charity verification for Great Falls Model Railroad Club (EIN: 10436404)

Verdict: Great Falls Model Railroad Club appears trustworthy

85/100Mission Score

$0Revenue

$0Assets

2Red Flags

3Strengths

Red Flags

Latest filing (201504) shows $0 revenue and expenses, potentially indicating inactivity or reporting issues.
NTEE code is unknown, which can make it harder to benchmark against similar organizations.

Strengths

Consistent 0% officer compensation across all filings, indicating volunteer-driven leadership and efficient use of funds.
Stable asset base (over $125,000 in active years) with minimal liabilities, demonstrating financial prudence.
Small operational budget suggests a focused, community-level impact without excessive overhead.

Spending Breakdown

How Great Falls Model Railroad Club allocates its funds across programs, administration, and fundraising.

90%

Program Spending

Healthy — majority goes to mission

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 Great Falls Model Railroad Club

Is Great Falls Model Railroad Club a legitimate charity?

Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Great Falls Model Railroad Club (EIN: 10436404) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 85/100. 2 red flags identified, 3 strengths noted.

Is Great Falls Model Railroad Club a good charity to donate to?

Great Falls Model Railroad Club has a Mission Score of 85/100. Revenue: $0. Assets: $0. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.

What is the EIN for Great Falls Model Railroad Club?

The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Great Falls Model Railroad Club is 10436404. 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 Great Falls Model Railroad Club spend its money?

Great Falls Model Railroad Club allocates 90% to programs, 5% to administration, and 5% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.

How can I verify Great Falls Model Railroad Club's tax-exempt status?

You can verify Great Falls Model Railroad Club's tax-exempt status using EIN 10436404 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 Great Falls Model Railroad Club appears to be a small, community-focused organization with a very limited financial footprint. For the latest reported period (201504), the organization reported $0 in both revenue and expenses, and $0 in assets and liabilities, which suggests either inactivity or a very minimal operational scale that year. In prior years, such as 201404, it operated with revenues around $28,000 and expenses around $30,000, indicating a consistent, albeit small, level of activity. The club consistently reports $0 in officer compensation across all available filings, which is a positive indicator of volunteer-driven leadership and efficient use of funds, as no funds are diverted to executive salaries. Given the nature of a model railroad club, it's likely that most expenses are directly related to maintaining facilities and equipment for their programs, rather than extensive administrative or fundraising overhead.

While the organization's financial health is stable in terms of not accumulating liabilities (except for 201104 where liabilities were $117,985 against assets of $127,985, which was resolved in subsequent years), its overall financial capacity is very modest. The consistent reporting of $0 officer compensation across all filings is a strong point for spending efficiency and transparency regarding leadership costs. However, without a detailed breakdown of expenses in the provided data (e.g., program vs. administrative vs. fundraising), it's challenging to fully assess spending efficiency beyond the executive compensation aspect. The lack of revenue and expenses in the latest filing could be a concern if it represents a cessation of activities, but without further context, it might also indicate a period of dormancy or a change in reporting thresholds.

Transparency is generally good regarding officer compensation, but the absence of detailed expense categories in the provided summary limits a deeper analysis of how funds are allocated. The organization's small scale and consistent asset base (around $125,000-$127,000 in active years) suggest a stable, albeit not growing, financial position. The primary financial activity seems to revolve around covering operational costs with incoming revenue, with no significant surplus or deficit accumulation over time, except for the 201404 period where expenses slightly exceeded revenue by about $2,383.

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Disclaimer

AI-generated analysis based on IRS public records. Not financial or legal advice. Verify information directly with the organization.