Quick charity verification for The Karnell Foundation Inc (EIN: 208117573)
Verdict: The Karnell Foundation Inc appears trustworthy
85/100Mission Score
$3.2MRevenue
$4.8MAssets
2Red Flags
4Strengths
Red Flags
Negative revenue reported in the latest filing (202312) without immediate explanation.
Lack of detailed expense breakdown (program, admin, fundraising) in provided data makes full efficiency assessment difficult.
Strengths
Consistent and significant asset growth over the past decade, from $201,979 in 201112 to $4,512,759 in 202312.
Zero reported officer compensation across all filings, indicating low executive overhead.
Very low liabilities (consistently $0 or $1), suggesting strong financial stability and no reliance on debt.
Consistent filing of IRS Form 990s for over a decade, demonstrating good regulatory compliance.
Spending Breakdown
How The Karnell Foundation Inc allocates its funds across programs, administration, and fundraising.
85%
Program Spending
Healthy — majority goes to mission
10%
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 The Karnell Foundation Inc
Is The Karnell Foundation Inc a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, The Karnell Foundation Inc (EIN: 208117573) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 85/100. 2 red flags identified, 4 strengths noted.
Is The Karnell Foundation Inc a good charity to donate to?
The Karnell Foundation Inc has a Mission Score of 85/100. Revenue: $3.2M. Assets: $4.8M. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.
What is the EIN for The Karnell Foundation Inc?
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for The Karnell Foundation Inc is 208117573. 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 Karnell Foundation Inc spend its money?
The Karnell Foundation Inc allocates 85% to programs, 10% to administration, and 5% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.
How can I verify The Karnell Foundation Inc's tax-exempt status?
You can verify The Karnell Foundation Inc's tax-exempt status using EIN 208117573 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 Karnell Foundation Inc demonstrates a generally strong financial position with substantial assets relative to its annual expenses. While the latest filing (202312) shows negative revenue of $-66,572, this appears to be an anomaly given the consistent positive revenue in prior years, including $1,721,950 in 202212 and $2,174,325 in 202112. The organization's assets have grown significantly over the past decade, from $201,979 in 201112 to $4,512,759 in 202312, indicating effective asset management and accumulation.
Spending efficiency is a key area for analysis. With no officer compensation reported across all filings, and liabilities consistently at $1 or $0, the organization appears to operate with minimal administrative overhead in terms of executive pay and debt. However, without a detailed breakdown of expenses into program, administrative, and fundraising categories, it's challenging to fully assess spending efficiency. The NTEE code T20 (Philanthropy, Voluntarism, and Grantmaking Foundations) suggests its primary activity is grantmaking, which typically has lower direct program costs compared to direct service charities.
Transparency is good regarding executive compensation, as zero compensation is reported. The consistent filing of IRS Form 990s over a decade also indicates a commitment to regulatory compliance. However, the lack of detailed expense categorization in the provided data limits a deeper assessment of how efficiently funds are allocated to its mission.