Quick charity verification for The Nathan Seter Foundation (EIN: 134150736)
Verdict: The Nathan Seter Foundation appears trustworthy
85/100Mission Score
$12.6MRevenue
$22.9MAssets
2Red Flags
4Strengths
Red Flags
Significant year-over-year revenue volatility, making financial planning potentially challenging.
Expenses exceeded revenue in 2023 ($2.35M expenses vs. $1.03M revenue), indicating reliance on prior year surpluses or asset drawdowns.
Strengths
Consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation, indicating a potentially highly efficient or volunteer-driven leadership model.
Substantial and growing asset base, increasing from $6.6 million in 2013 to over $24 million in 2023, providing financial stability.
Extremely low liabilities ($0 or $1 reported), demonstrating strong financial health and minimal debt.
Long filing history (11 filings), indicating consistent compliance and operational longevity.
Spending Breakdown
How The Nathan Seter Foundation 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 Nathan Seter Foundation
Is The Nathan Seter Foundation a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, The Nathan Seter Foundation (EIN: 134150736) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 85/100. 2 red flags identified, 4 strengths noted.
Is The Nathan Seter Foundation a good charity to donate to?
The Nathan Seter Foundation has a Mission Score of 85/100. Revenue: $12.6M. Assets: $22.9M. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.
What is the EIN for The Nathan Seter Foundation?
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for The Nathan Seter Foundation is 134150736. 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 Nathan Seter Foundation spend its money?
The Nathan Seter Foundation allocates 85% to programs, 10% to administration, and 5% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.
How can I verify The Nathan Seter Foundation's tax-exempt status?
You can verify The Nathan Seter Foundation's tax-exempt status using EIN 134150736 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 Nathan Seter Foundation demonstrates a consistent financial pattern of significant revenue fluctuations year-over-year, alongside relatively stable expense levels. For instance, revenue ranged from $795,621 in 2011 to $8,937,159 in 2014, and $7,723,161 in 2022, before dropping to $1,034,778 in 2023. Despite these revenue swings, annual expenses have generally remained within a $1.3 million to $2.7 million range. The organization consistently reports zero officer compensation across all available filings, which is a notable aspect of its financial structure and suggests a volunteer-led or externally compensated leadership model, or that compensation is not reported in this section. The foundation's assets have grown substantially over the years, from $6.6 million in 2013 to over $24 million in 2023, indicating strong asset management and accumulation, even during periods where expenses exceeded revenue, such as in 2023 where expenses were $2,353,798 against $1,034,778 in revenue. The consistent reporting of minimal liabilities ($0 or $1 in recent years) also points to a healthy balance sheet and low financial risk.