Is Samuel J And Ethel Lefrak Charitable Trust Legit?
Quick charity verification for Samuel J And Ethel Lefrak Charitable Trust (EIN: 133378881)
Verdict: Samuel J And Ethel Lefrak Charitable Trust appears trustworthy
70/100Mission Score
$1.5MRevenue
$4.8MAssets
3Red Flags
3Strengths
Red Flags
Consistent decline in total assets over the past decade (from $11.2M in 2014 to $4.8M in 2023).
Expenses frequently exceed revenue, leading to operating deficits in most recent years (e.g., 2023, 2022, 2020, 2019).
Significant liabilities reported in several years (e.g., $1.595M in 2019, $1.095M in 2020-2021) without clear explanation in the summary data.
Strengths
Zero reported officer compensation, indicating low executive overhead.
Consistent filing of IRS Form 990s, demonstrating transparency in financial reporting.
Likely high program spending ratio, typical for a private foundation primarily making grants, though specific breakdown is not provided in summary.
Spending Breakdown
How Samuel J And Ethel Lefrak Charitable Trust 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 Samuel J And Ethel Lefrak Charitable Trust
Is Samuel J And Ethel Lefrak Charitable Trust a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Samuel J And Ethel Lefrak Charitable Trust (EIN: 133378881) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 70/100. 3 red flags identified, 3 strengths noted.
Is Samuel J And Ethel Lefrak Charitable Trust a good charity to donate to?
Samuel J And Ethel Lefrak Charitable Trust has a Mission Score of 70/100. Revenue: $1.5M. Assets: $4.8M. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.
What is the EIN for Samuel J And Ethel Lefrak Charitable Trust?
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Samuel J And Ethel Lefrak Charitable Trust is 133378881. 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 Samuel J And Ethel Lefrak Charitable Trust spend its money?
Samuel J And Ethel Lefrak Charitable Trust allocates 90% to programs, 10% to administration, and 0% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.
How can I verify Samuel J And Ethel Lefrak Charitable Trust's tax-exempt status?
You can verify Samuel J And Ethel Lefrak Charitable Trust's tax-exempt status using EIN 133378881 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 Samuel J And Ethel Lefrak Charitable Trust appears to be a private foundation, as indicated by its consistent pattern of distributing funds rather than generating program service revenue. Its financial health shows a declining trend in assets over the past decade, from over $11 million in 2014 to $4.8 million in 2023, while expenses have frequently exceeded revenue. For instance, in 2023, revenue was $446,441 against expenses of $705,110, resulting in a deficit. This suggests the trust is actively distributing its corpus, which is typical for a charitable trust.
Spending efficiency is difficult to fully assess without a detailed breakdown of expenses into program, administrative, and fundraising categories, which are not explicitly provided in the summary data for a private foundation. However, the absence of officer compensation suggests low administrative overhead in terms of salaries. Transparency is generally good given the availability of 990 filings, but the lack of detailed expense categorization in the provided summary limits a deeper analysis of how funds are allocated beyond grants. The consistent liabilities, particularly between 2019-2022, warrant further investigation to understand their nature and impact on the trust's financial flexibility.