Quick charity verification for Mellinger Family Foundation (EIN: 134011007)
Verdict: Mellinger Family Foundation appears trustworthy
75/100Mission Score
$34KRevenue
$37KAssets
3Red Flags
2Strengths
Red Flags
Extremely low and inconsistent revenue, including negative revenue in some years (e.g., $-716 in 202005, $-1,021 in 201205), which suggests financial instability or unusual accounting for a public charity.
Consistently minimal assets, indicating very limited capacity for charitable impact.
Unusual consistent reporting of $1 liability across multiple years without clear explanation.
Strengths
Consistently reports 0% officer compensation, indicating highly efficient use of funds regarding executive salaries.
Very low operational expenses, suggesting a lean administrative structure.
Spending Breakdown
How Mellinger Family Foundation allocates its funds across programs, administration, and fundraising.
90%
Program Spending
Healthy — majority goes to mission
10%
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 Mellinger Family Foundation
Is Mellinger Family Foundation a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Mellinger Family Foundation (EIN: 134011007) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 75/100. 3 red flags identified, 2 strengths noted.
Is Mellinger Family Foundation a good charity to donate to?
Mellinger Family Foundation has a Mission Score of 75/100. Revenue: $34K. Assets: $37K. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.
What is the EIN for Mellinger Family Foundation?
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Mellinger Family Foundation is 134011007. 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 Mellinger Family Foundation spend its money?
Mellinger Family Foundation allocates 90% to programs, 10% to administration, and 0% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.
How can I verify Mellinger Family Foundation's tax-exempt status?
You can verify Mellinger Family Foundation's tax-exempt status using EIN 134011007 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 Mellinger Family Foundation appears to be a very small private foundation, as indicated by its consistently low revenue and assets over the past several years. For instance, in the latest period (202305), it reported only $1 in revenue and $689 in assets. Its financial activity is minimal, with expenses often being very low or zero, such as in 202305 where expenses were $0. This suggests a limited operational scope and potentially a focus on grantmaking rather than extensive programmatic activities. The foundation consistently reports zero officer compensation, which is a positive indicator of efficient use of funds for a small entity, though it also suggests a volunteer-driven or very lean operational model.
Given its size, the foundation's financial health is stable in the sense that it maintains a small asset base, but it does not demonstrate significant growth or large-scale financial operations. The consistent reporting of liabilities at $1 across multiple years (e.g., 202305, 202205, 202105) is unusual and might warrant further investigation to understand its nature, though for such small figures, it's unlikely to be a significant concern. The organization's transparency is generally good through its 990 filings, which are publicly available, but the minimal financial activity limits the depth of analysis regarding spending efficiency beyond the observation of low overhead.
Overall, the Mellinger Family Foundation operates on a very modest scale. Its financial data suggests a highly conservative approach with minimal expenditures and no executive compensation, which aligns with a focus on direct charitable giving rather than large administrative overhead. However, the extremely low revenue and asset figures indicate a very limited capacity for impact.