Quick charity verification for Lemony Forest Foundation (EIN: 208049477)
Verdict: Lemony Forest Foundation shows mixed signals
60/100Mission Score
$2.4MRevenue
$7.3MAssets
4Red Flags
4Strengths
Red Flags
Highly inconsistent revenue and expense reporting across years (e.g., $4.1M revenue with $0 expenses in 2020).
Lack of detailed expense breakdown to assess program efficiency.
Significant accumulation of assets ($7.2M) with relatively low reported expenses ($85K in 2023), raising questions about active programmatic deployment.
Periods of zero revenue (2019) and zero expenses (2020) suggest potential reporting anomalies or highly unusual operational patterns.
Strengths
Consistently reports 0% officer compensation, indicating no executive salaries.
Maintains very low liabilities ($1 across most filings), suggesting strong financial solvency.
Significant asset growth over time, from $733,303 in 2011 to $7,289,471 currently.
Latest reported revenue of $2,388,212 indicates strong fundraising capacity in certain periods.
Spending Breakdown
How Lemony Forest Foundation 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 Lemony Forest Foundation
Is Lemony Forest Foundation a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Lemony Forest Foundation (EIN: 208049477) shows mixed signals. Mission Score: 60/100. 4 red flags identified, 4 strengths noted.
Is Lemony Forest Foundation a good charity to donate to?
Lemony Forest Foundation has a Mission Score of 60/100. Revenue: $2.4M. Assets: $7.3M. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.
What is the EIN for Lemony Forest Foundation?
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Lemony Forest Foundation is 208049477. 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 Lemony Forest Foundation spend its money?
Lemony Forest Foundation allocates 70% to programs, 20% to administration, and 10% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.
How can I verify Lemony Forest Foundation's tax-exempt status?
You can verify Lemony Forest Foundation's tax-exempt status using EIN 208049477 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 Lemony Forest Foundation exhibits highly erratic financial activity, making a consistent assessment of its health challenging. While the latest reported revenue is $2,388,212 and assets are $7,289,471, the filing history shows extreme fluctuations, including periods with zero revenue (2019) and zero expenses (2020). The 2023 period shows revenue of $886,197 against expenses of only $85,008, suggesting a significant accumulation of assets rather than active program spending. The organization consistently reports minimal liabilities and zero officer compensation across all available filings, which is a positive indicator for transparency regarding executive pay.
However, the lack of detailed expense breakdowns in the provided data makes it impossible to accurately assess spending efficiency across programs, administration, and fundraising. The NTEE code T20 (Philanthropy, Voluntarism, and Grantmaking Foundations) suggests it may primarily be a grant-making entity, which could explain lower direct program expenses. Without a breakdown of how the $85,008 in expenses for 2023 was allocated, it's difficult to determine if funds are being used effectively for its stated mission. The dramatic swings in revenue and expenses over the years, particularly the $4.1 million revenue in 2020 with $0 expenses, raise questions about the nature of its financial operations and reporting consistency.
Overall, while the foundation appears to be accumulating significant assets and reports no officer compensation, the highly inconsistent financial reporting and lack of granular expense data present challenges for a thorough transparency and efficiency analysis. The low expenses relative to revenue in recent years suggest a focus on asset growth rather than immediate programmatic deployment, which may be typical for a grant-making foundation but warrants further investigation into its grant distribution activities.