Is Meeting Street Schools Legit?

Red Flags

Consistent 0% officer compensation for a large organization, which may obscure actual executive remuneration if reported elsewhere.
Significant, unexplained revenue volatility, particularly the $293 million spike in 2022, which could indicate reliance on non-recurring income or unusual financial events.
Lack of detailed functional expense breakdown (program, admin, fundraising) in the provided data, hindering a precise assessment of spending efficiency.

Strengths

Substantial and growing asset base ($307,700,065 latest), providing financial stability and capacity.
Consistent history of IRS 990 filings (13 filings), indicating a commitment to transparency.
Generally positive net income in most recent years (e.g., $221,124 in 2023), demonstrating sustainable operations.
Low liabilities relative to assets (e.g., $2,884,652 liabilities vs. $295,929,641 assets in 2023), indicating strong financial health.

Spending Breakdown

How Meeting Street Schools 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 Meeting Street Schools

Is Meeting Street Schools a legitimate charity?

Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Meeting Street Schools (EIN: 204587841) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 85/100. 3 red flags identified, 4 strengths noted.

Is Meeting Street Schools a good charity to donate to?

Meeting Street Schools has a Mission Score of 85/100. Revenue: $47.0M. Assets: $307.7M. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.

What is the EIN for Meeting Street Schools?

The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Meeting Street Schools is 204587841. 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 Meeting Street Schools spend its money?

Meeting Street Schools allocates 80% to programs, 15% to administration, and 5% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.

How can I verify Meeting Street Schools's tax-exempt status?

You can verify Meeting Street Schools's tax-exempt status using EIN 204587841 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

Meeting Street Schools demonstrates a generally strong financial position, particularly with its substantial asset base of $307,700,065. The organization has shown significant growth in revenue and assets over the past decade, with a notable spike in revenue to $293,526,271 in 2022, though this was an outlier compared to other years. Spending efficiency appears to be reasonable, with expenses generally aligning with or slightly below revenue in most recent periods, indicating a sustainable operational model. For instance, in 2023, expenses were $40,974,929 against revenues of $41,196,053, showing a tight operational margin.

The organization's transparency is bolstered by its consistent filing of IRS Form 990s, with 13 filings available. A key aspect of its financial health is the reported 0% officer compensation across all available filings, which suggests that executive leadership is either unpaid or compensated through other means not categorized as 'officer compensation' on the 990, or that the organization is structured in a way that minimizes direct compensation to statutory officers. This practice, if accurately reflecting no compensation, could be seen as a strong indicator of dedication to mission and efficient use of funds.

However, the lack of detailed functional expense breakdowns (program, admin, fundraising) in the provided data makes a precise assessment of spending efficiency challenging. While overall expenses are managed, without these specifics, it's difficult to definitively state the proportion of funds directly reaching program beneficiaries versus administrative or fundraising overhead. The significant fluctuation in revenue, particularly the $293 million in 2022 compared to $41 million in 2023, warrants further investigation to understand the nature of these income streams and their consistency.

Verdict: Meeting Street Schools appears trustworthy