Essel Foundation Inc

Essel Foundation Inc. shows volatile revenue and expenses, with no reported officer compensation.

EIN: 136191234 · Purchase, NY · Updated: 2026-03-28

$343.8MRevenue

$270.4MAssets

70/100Mission Score (Good)

About Essel Foundation Inc

Essel Foundation Inc (EIN: 136191234) is a nonprofit organization based in Purchase, NY. The organization reported total revenue of $343.8M and total assets of $270.4M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Essel Foundation Inc's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.

AI Transparency Report

Essel Foundation Inc. demonstrates a fluctuating financial performance over the past decade, with significant swings in both revenue and expenses. For instance, in 202311, the organization reported revenue of $30,673,863 against expenses of $14,255,859, indicating a substantial surplus. However, in the subsequent period (202312), revenue dropped to $4,405,736 while expenses rose to $6,885,594, resulting in a deficit. This volatility suggests potential challenges in consistent financial planning or a reliance on unpredictable funding sources. The organization consistently reports 0% officer compensation across all available filings, which is a positive indicator of resource allocation towards its mission rather than executive enrichment. While the asset base has grown considerably from $62,660,093 in 201211 to $109,687,173 in 202312, the lack of detailed expense breakdowns (program, administrative, fundraising) in the provided data makes a precise assessment of spending efficiency difficult. The low reported liabilities in most periods suggest a generally healthy balance sheet, but the overall transparency could be enhanced with more granular financial reporting.

Mission Effectiveness Score

NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Essel Foundation Inc with a Mission Score of 70 out of 100 (Good). This score reflects the organization's overall financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance indicators derived from IRS 990 public filings.

Spending Breakdown

admin: 15%
programs: 80%
fundraising: 5%

According to IRS 990 filings, Essel Foundation Inc allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 15%, programs: 80%, fundraising: 5%. With 80% directed toward programs, this reflects a strong commitment to its charitable mission.

Executive Compensation Analysis

Executive compensation is consistently reported as 0% across all available filings, indicating that no officer salaries were paid, which is highly unusual for an organization of its size with assets exceeding $100 million.

Executive compensation data is sourced from IRS 990 filings, which require nonprofits to disclose the compensation of officers, directors, trustees, and key employees. NonprofitSpending analyzes this data relative to the organization's total revenue and sector benchmarks to assess whether executive pay is reasonable.

Red Flags

The following concerns were identified during AI analysis of Essel Foundation Inc's IRS 990 filings:

Significant year-over-year revenue and expense volatility, making financial planning and stability uncertain.
Lack of detailed expense breakdown (program, admin, fundraising) in the provided data, hindering efficiency assessment.
Consistently reported 0% officer compensation for an organization with substantial assets and expenses, which is unusual and warrants further investigation into how leadership is compensated or structured.

Strengths

The following positive indicators were identified for Essel Foundation Inc:

Consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation, indicating resources are not being used for executive salaries.
Healthy asset growth over the past decade, from $62.6M in 201211 to $109.6M in 202312.
Generally low liabilities reported in most periods, suggesting a strong balance sheet.

Frequently Asked Questions about Essel Foundation Inc

What is the primary source of Essel Foundation Inc.'s revenue given its significant fluctuations?

The provided data does not specify revenue sources, but the large swings suggest potential reliance on grants, investments, or a few large donors rather than consistent operational income.

How does Essel Foundation Inc. manage to operate without any reported officer compensation?

This could indicate that officers are volunteers, compensated through a related entity not reflected in these filings, or that the organization's operational structure minimizes traditional executive salaries.

What are the specific program activities funded by Essel Foundation Inc.?

The NTEE code is unknown, and the provided financial data does not detail specific program expenditures, making it difficult to assess the nature of its charitable activities.

Why did expenses significantly exceed revenue in several periods, such as 202312 ($6.8M expenses vs. $4.4M revenue) and 202211 ($14.7M expenses vs. $6.6M revenue)?

Such deficits could be covered by drawing from accumulated assets or prior year surpluses, but consistent deficits could indicate unsustainable spending patterns.

Filing History

IRS 990 filing history for Essel Foundation Inc showing financial trends over 11 years of public records:

Over 11 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Essel Foundation Inc's revenue has grown by 47.6%, moving from $3.0M to $4.4M. Total assets increased by 64.8% over the same period, from $66.5M to $109.7M. Total functional expenses rose by 46.9%, from $4.7M to $6.9M. In its most recent filing year (2023), Essel Foundation Inc reported a deficit of $2.5M, with expenses exceeding revenue. The organization holds $1 in liabilities against $109.7M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%), resulting in net assets of $109.7M.

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Liabilities	Officer Comp.	PDF
2023	$4.4M	$6.9M	$109.7M	$1	—	—
2023	$30.7M	$14.3M	$110.0M	$102K	—	—
2022	$6.7M	$14.8M	$94.1M	$102K	—	View 990
2021	$12.3M	$19.4M	$100.1M	$172K	—	View 990
2020	$13.1M	$3.9M	$96.0M	$172K	—	—
2019	$9.6M	$1.3M	$85.8M	$106K	—	View 990
2015	$5.6M	$5.1M	$63.2M	$1	—	View 990
2014	$4.4M	$9.4M	$63.3M	$2.5M	—	View 990
2013	$3.7M	$9.2M	$56.9M	$1	—	View 990
2012	$2.5M	$3.9M	$62.7M	$0	—	View 990
2011	$3.0M	$4.7M	$66.5M	$1.5M	—	View 990

Year-by-Year Financial Summary

2023: Revenue of $4.4M, expenses of $6.9M, and assets of $109.7M (revenue -85.6% year-over-year).
2023: Revenue of $30.7M, expenses of $14.3M, and assets of $110.0M (revenue +360.4% year-over-year).
2022: Revenue of $6.7M, expenses of $14.8M, and assets of $94.1M (revenue -45.8% year-over-year).
2021: Revenue of $12.3M, expenses of $19.4M, and assets of $100.1M (revenue -6.2% year-over-year).
2020: Revenue of $13.1M, expenses of $3.9M, and assets of $96.0M (revenue +36.4% year-over-year).
2019: Revenue of $9.6M, expenses of $1.3M, and assets of $85.8M (revenue +72.7% year-over-year).
2015: Revenue of $5.6M, expenses of $5.1M, and assets of $63.2M (revenue +25.6% year-over-year).
2014: Revenue of $4.4M, expenses of $9.4M, and assets of $63.3M (revenue +20.9% year-over-year).
2013: Revenue of $3.7M, expenses of $9.2M, and assets of $56.9M (revenue +48.2% year-over-year).
2012: Revenue of $2.5M, expenses of $3.9M, and assets of $62.7M (revenue -17.2% year-over-year).
2011: Revenue of $3.0M, expenses of $4.7M, and assets of $66.5M.

Data Sources and Methodology

This transparency report for Essel Foundation Inc is generated by NonprofitSpending's AI analysis engine. The data is sourced from publicly available IRS 990 filings accessed through the ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer API and IRS electronic filing records. The Mission Score, spending breakdown, and other analytical insights are produced by artificial intelligence and should be used as one of multiple factors when evaluating a nonprofit organization.

IRS 990 forms are annual information returns that most tax-exempt organizations must file with the IRS. These forms provide detailed financial information including revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, and compensation of officers. NonprofitSpending processes this data to provide accessible transparency reports for donors, researchers, and the general public.

Disclaimer

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