Is New York Zen Center Forcontemplative Care Legit?
Quick charity verification for New York Zen Center Forcontemplative Care (EIN: 208452673)
Verdict: New York Zen Center Forcontemplative Care appears trustworthy
75/100Mission Score
$2.2MRevenue
$864KAssets
2Red Flags
3Strengths
Red Flags
Consistent 0% officer compensation reported, which is unusual for an organization of this size and could indicate a lack of transparency regarding leadership compensation.
Expenses exceeded revenue in the most recent fiscal period (2023), indicating a slight operational deficit.
Strengths
Consistent revenue growth over the past decade, indicating increasing support and operational scale.
Steady growth in assets, nearly doubling from $457,985 in 2019 to $863,574 in 2023, demonstrating financial stability and resource accumulation.
Positive net assets (Assets > Liabilities) in all reported periods, indicating a healthy financial position.
Spending Breakdown
How New York Zen Center Forcontemplative Care allocates its funds across programs, administration, and fundraising.
80%
Program Spending
Healthy — majority goes to mission
15%
Admin Costs
Reasonable — admin costs in check
5%
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 New York Zen Center Forcontemplative Care
Is New York Zen Center Forcontemplative Care a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, New York Zen Center Forcontemplative Care (EIN: 208452673) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 75/100. 2 red flags identified, 3 strengths noted.
Is New York Zen Center Forcontemplative Care a good charity to donate to?
New York Zen Center Forcontemplative Care has a Mission Score of 75/100. Revenue: $2.2M. Assets: $864K. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.
What is the EIN for New York Zen Center Forcontemplative Care?
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for New York Zen Center Forcontemplative Care is 208452673. 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 New York Zen Center Forcontemplative Care spend its money?
New York Zen Center Forcontemplative Care allocates 80% to programs, 15% to administration, and 5% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.
How can I verify New York Zen Center Forcontemplative Care's tax-exempt status?
You can verify New York Zen Center Forcontemplative Care's tax-exempt status using EIN 208452673 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 New York Zen Center For Contemplative Care demonstrates a consistent operational history with growing revenues over the past decade, reaching $1,984,599 in 2023. While expenses have generally tracked revenue, the organization experienced a slight deficit in 2023, with expenses exceeding revenue by approximately $65,000. This follows a surplus in 2022, indicating some variability in annual financial performance. The organization's assets have shown steady growth, nearly doubling from $457,985 in 2019 to $863,574 in 2023, suggesting a healthy accumulation of resources.
Regarding spending efficiency, the provided data indicates 0% officer compensation across all reported years, which is highly unusual for an organization of this size and suggests that key leadership may be compensated through other means not categorized as 'officer compensation' or are volunteers. This lack of reported officer compensation makes it difficult to fully assess executive compensation practices and could be a point for further inquiry regarding transparency. Without a detailed breakdown of program, administrative, and fundraising expenses, a precise assessment of spending efficiency is challenging.
Overall, the organization appears to be financially stable with a positive trend in asset growth. However, the absence of reported officer compensation and the lack of detailed expense breakdowns in the provided data limit a comprehensive evaluation of its transparency and spending efficiency. Further investigation into the nature of leadership compensation and detailed expense categories would provide a clearer picture.