Is The Graduate Center Foundation Inc Legit?

Quick charity verification for The Graduate Center Foundation Inc (EIN: 133219419)

Verdict: The Graduate Center Foundation Inc appears trustworthy

75/100Mission Score

$58.2MRevenue

$117.3MAssets

3Red Flags

3Strengths

Red Flags

Reported a deficit of $2,201,937 in the most recent fiscal period (202306), with expenses exceeding revenue.
Significant year-over-year fluctuations in revenue, indicating potential instability in funding sources.
Lack of detailed expense breakdown (program, admin, fundraising) in the provided data limits full financial transparency assessment.

Strengths

Consistently low liabilities, typically under $500,000, indicating strong balance sheet management.
No reported officer compensation across all filings, suggesting a highly efficient or volunteer-driven executive structure.
Substantial and growing asset base, increasing from $40,003,311 in 2015 to $64,986,118 in 2023, providing financial resilience.

Spending Breakdown

How The Graduate Center Foundation Inc allocates its funds across programs, administration, and fundraising.

75%

Program Spending

Healthy — majority goes to mission

15%

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 Graduate Center Foundation Inc

Is The Graduate Center Foundation Inc a legitimate charity?

Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, The Graduate Center Foundation Inc (EIN: 133219419) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 75/100. 3 red flags identified, 3 strengths noted.

Is The Graduate Center Foundation Inc a good charity to donate to?

The Graduate Center Foundation Inc has a Mission Score of 75/100. Revenue: $58.2M. Assets: $117.3M. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.

What is the EIN for The Graduate Center Foundation Inc?

The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for The Graduate Center Foundation Inc is 133219419. 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 Graduate Center Foundation Inc spend its money?

The Graduate Center Foundation Inc allocates 75% to programs, 15% to administration, and 10% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.

How can I verify The Graduate Center Foundation Inc's tax-exempt status?

You can verify The Graduate Center Foundation Inc's tax-exempt status using EIN 133219419 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 Graduate Center Foundation Inc demonstrates a generally stable financial position, with assets growing from $40,003,311 in 2015 to $64,986,118 in 2023. However, the organization experienced a deficit in its most recent fiscal period (202306), with expenses of $8,957,407 exceeding revenue of $6,755,470. This marks a shift from previous years where revenue often outpaced expenses, such as in 202106 when revenue was $16,026,752 against expenses of $8,066,550. The foundation's liabilities have remained relatively low and stable, typically under $500,000, indicating good financial management in this area.

Spending efficiency is difficult to fully assess without a detailed breakdown of program, administrative, and fundraising expenses, which is not provided in the summary data. However, the consistent lack of reported officer compensation across all available filings suggests a lean operational structure at the executive level, which could contribute to higher spending efficiency. The significant fluctuation in annual revenue, from a low of $6,034,646 in 2015 to a high of $16,026,752 in 2021, indicates a reliance on variable funding sources, which could impact long-term financial planning.

Transparency regarding executive compensation is excellent, with 0% reported for officer compensation across all periods. However, the absence of detailed expense breakdowns (program, admin, fundraising) in the provided data limits a comprehensive assessment of how efficiently funds are allocated to its mission. To improve transparency, the organization could publicly share more granular expense data.

View Full Transparency Report →

Disclaimer

AI-generated analysis based on IRS public records. Not financial or legal advice. Verify information directly with the organization.