Is Schon Family Foundation Legit?

Red Flags

Significant increase in liabilities in 2023 ($1,537,971) compared to previous years (often $1 or $0), requiring further scrutiny.
Consistent spending exceeding revenue in recent years (e.g., 2023: $1.54M expenses vs. $1.19M revenue; 2022: $1.67M expenses vs. $0.82M revenue), which, while common for foundations drawing from endowments, could be unsustainable if not managed carefully against asset growth.
Lack of detailed expense breakdown (program, admin, fundraising) in the provided summary makes it difficult to fully assess spending efficiency.

Strengths

Strong and growing asset base, increasing from $21.7M in 2011 to $25.1M in 2023, indicating long-term financial stability.
Consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation, suggesting a highly efficient or volunteer-driven administrative structure.
Active grantmaking/spending, with expenses often exceeding revenue, indicating a commitment to deploying funds for its mission rather than solely accumulating assets.
Low or negligible liabilities for most of its operating history, demonstrating sound financial management prior to 2023.

Spending Breakdown

How Schon 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

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 Schon Family Foundation

Is Schon Family Foundation a legitimate charity?

Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Schon Family Foundation (EIN: 113133066) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 85/100. 3 red flags identified, 4 strengths noted.

Is Schon Family Foundation a good charity to donate to?

Schon Family Foundation has a Mission Score of 85/100. Revenue: $7.5M. Assets: $26.2M. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.

What is the EIN for Schon Family Foundation?

The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Schon Family Foundation is 113133066. 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 Schon Family Foundation spend its money?

Schon Family Foundation allocates 90% to programs, 10% to administration, and 0% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.

How can I verify Schon Family Foundation's tax-exempt status?

You can verify Schon Family Foundation's tax-exempt status using EIN 113133066 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 Schon Family Foundation appears to be a private foundation, as indicated by its consistent revenue and expense patterns, and the absence of officer compensation. Its financial health shows significant fluctuations in revenue, ranging from a low of $496,203 in 2019 to a high of $5,342,505 in 2020. Despite these variations, the foundation has maintained a strong asset base, growing from $21,772,710 in 2011 to $25,132,485 in 2023, demonstrating long-term financial stability. The foundation consistently spends a significant portion of its revenue, often exceeding it, as seen in 2023 where expenses were $1,542,739 against revenues of $1,194,091, indicating active grantmaking or program support.

Spending efficiency is difficult to fully assess without a detailed breakdown of program, administrative, and fundraising expenses, which are not provided in the summary data. However, as a private foundation, its primary function is typically grantmaking, which would fall under program expenses. The consistent lack of officer compensation suggests a lean operational structure, potentially indicating high efficiency in allocating funds directly to its mission. The foundation's liabilities have remained very low or negligible for most of its history, only increasing to $1,537,971 in 2023, which warrants further investigation but does not immediately suggest financial distress given its substantial assets.

Transparency is generally good given the availability of 990 filings. The consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation is a positive indicator. However, without a detailed breakdown of expenses beyond total expenses, it's challenging to fully evaluate how funds are allocated between programs, administration, and fundraising. For a private foundation, the primary measure of transparency often revolves around its grantmaking activities and the clarity of its investment strategies, which are not fully discernible from this summary data.

Verdict: Schon Family Foundation appears trustworthy