Quick charity verification for Montauk Historical Society (EIN: 116037082)
Verdict: Montauk Historical Society appears trustworthy
90/100Mission Score
$3.8MRevenue
$4.9MAssets
2Red Flags
5Strengths
Red Flags
Recent deficit in 2023 ($2,038,376 revenue vs. $2,230,556 expenses) warrants monitoring.
Unusually low liabilities could indicate aggressive accounting or minimal debt, but also potential reliance on grants/donations rather than loans for major projects.
Strengths
Consistent asset growth, reaching $4,772,434 in 2023.
0% reported officer compensation across all filings, indicating high efficiency in directing funds to mission.
Very low liabilities relative to assets, demonstrating strong financial health.
Consistent filing of IRS 990s over 13 periods, showing good transparency.
Significant revenue generation, with peaks over $3 million, indicating strong donor support.
Spending Breakdown
How Montauk Historical Society allocates its funds across programs, administration, and fundraising.
90%
Program Spending
Healthy — majority goes to mission
7%
Admin Costs
Reasonable — admin costs in check
3%
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 Montauk Historical Society
Is Montauk Historical Society a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Montauk Historical Society (EIN: 116037082) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 90/100. 2 red flags identified, 5 strengths noted.
Is Montauk Historical Society a good charity to donate to?
Montauk Historical Society has a Mission Score of 90/100. Revenue: $3.8M. Assets: $4.9M. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.
What is the EIN for Montauk Historical Society?
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Montauk Historical Society is 116037082. 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 Montauk Historical Society spend its money?
Montauk Historical Society allocates 90% to programs, 7% to administration, and 3% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.
How can I verify Montauk Historical Society's tax-exempt status?
You can verify Montauk Historical Society's tax-exempt status using EIN 116037082 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 Montauk Historical Society demonstrates a generally healthy financial position with consistent asset growth over the past decade, reaching $4,772,434 in 2023. Revenue has shown significant fluctuations, peaking at $3,059,952 in 2021 and $2,038,376 in 2023, indicating reliance on varying funding streams. While expenses have largely tracked revenue, the organization reported a deficit in 2023, with expenses of $2,230,556 exceeding revenue of $2,038,376. This recent deficit warrants monitoring, though it follows several years of surpluses.
The organization's spending efficiency appears strong, as indicated by the consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation across all available filings. This suggests that resources are primarily directed towards programmatic activities and operational costs rather than executive salaries. The low liabilities relative to assets, such as $95,391 in liabilities against $4,772,434 in assets in 2023, further underscore financial stability. The absence of reported officer compensation also contributes positively to transparency, as it simplifies the analysis of how funds are allocated.
Overall, the Montauk Historical Society appears to be a financially stable organization with a strong commitment to its mission, evidenced by its asset growth and efficient use of funds, particularly the lack of executive compensation. The recent deficit in 2023 is a point to watch, but the overall trend of financial health and low liabilities is reassuring. The consistent filing of IRS 990s over 13 periods also reflects good transparency practices.