Quick charity verification for The Ahava Foundation (EIN: 137118478)
Verdict: The Ahava Foundation appears trustworthy
75/100Mission Score
$9.4MRevenue
$74.6MAssets
3Red Flags
3Strengths
Red Flags
Consistent 0% officer compensation for a large organization, potentially obscuring true leadership costs.
Significant fluctuations in annual revenue, indicating potential reliance on inconsistent funding sources.
Lack of detailed functional expense breakdown (program, admin, fundraising) in provided data.
Strengths
Strong and growing asset base, reaching $74,638,648.
Consistent revenue surpluses in most years, indicating sound financial management.
Long history of IRS 990 filings, demonstrating compliance and transparency in reporting.
Spending Breakdown
How The Ahava Foundation allocates its funds across programs, administration, and fundraising.
80%
Program Spending
Healthy — majority goes to mission
10%
Admin Costs
Reasonable — admin costs in check
10%
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 The Ahava Foundation
Is The Ahava Foundation a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, The Ahava Foundation (EIN: 137118478) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 75/100. 3 red flags identified, 3 strengths noted.
Is The Ahava Foundation a good charity to donate to?
The Ahava Foundation has a Mission Score of 75/100. Revenue: $9.4M. Assets: $74.6M. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.
What is the EIN for The Ahava Foundation?
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for The Ahava Foundation is 137118478. 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 The Ahava Foundation spend its money?
The Ahava Foundation allocates 80% to programs, 10% to administration, and 10% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.
How can I verify The Ahava Foundation's tax-exempt status?
You can verify The Ahava Foundation's tax-exempt status using EIN 137118478 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 Ahava Foundation demonstrates a strong financial position with substantial and growing assets, reaching $74,638,648 in the latest period. Revenue has fluctuated significantly over the past decade, from a low of -$182,923 in 2011 to a high of $13,538,690 in 2021, indicating reliance on potentially inconsistent funding sources or large, infrequent contributions. Despite these fluctuations, the organization consistently maintains a healthy surplus, with revenues generally exceeding expenses, as seen in 2023 where revenue was $8,229,290 against expenses of $4,554,192. This consistent surplus contributes to its robust asset growth.
The organization's spending efficiency appears strong, with expenses consistently lower than revenue in most years, allowing for asset accumulation. A notable aspect of its financial management is the reported 0% officer compensation across all available filings, which suggests a volunteer-led executive structure or that compensation is covered by another entity, enhancing its perceived efficiency in administrative costs. However, without a detailed breakdown of program, administrative, and fundraising expenses, a precise assessment of spending efficiency is challenging. The lack of reported officer compensation also raises questions about the transparency of executive leadership costs if they are indeed being covered externally.
In terms of transparency, the consistent filing of IRS Form 990s over a decade is a positive indicator. However, the absence of reported officer compensation for all periods, while potentially a strength, could also be a point of inquiry if executive functions are being performed by individuals not directly compensated by the foundation. Further detail on the allocation of expenses beyond total expenses would enhance transparency and allow for a more granular analysis of program effectiveness and operational overhead.