Fermata Charitable Foundation

Fermata Charitable Foundation maintains strong assets and zero reported officer compensation despite fluctuating revenues.

EIN: 207034733 · Elmhurst, IL · NTEE: T20 · Updated: 2026-03-28

$5.4MRevenue

$5.0MAssets

85/100Mission Score (Excellent)

T20

About Fermata Charitable Foundation

Fermata Charitable Foundation (EIN: 207034733) is a nonprofit organization based in Elmhurst, IL, classified under NTEE code T20. The organization reported total revenue of $5.4M and total assets of $5.0M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Fermata Charitable Foundation's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.

AI Transparency Report

Fermata Charitable Foundation demonstrates a consistent commitment to its mission, as evidenced by its historical financial data. The organization maintains a healthy asset base, with its latest reported assets at $5,046,195, indicating financial stability. While revenue has fluctuated significantly over the years, including a negative revenue of $-99,632 in 2022, the foundation has generally managed its expenses effectively relative to its incoming funds. The consistent reporting of $1 in liabilities across recent years suggests a very low debt burden, contributing to its overall financial health.

The foundation's transparency is strong, with 10 filings available, indicating regular compliance with IRS reporting requirements. A notable aspect is the consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation across all available filings, which suggests that the organization's leadership is either unpaid or compensated through other means not categorized as officer compensation, potentially indicating a high degree of volunteerism at the top. This practice, while potentially positive for resource allocation, could also warrant further inquiry into how leadership is sustained.

Overall, Fermata Charitable Foundation appears to be a financially stable and transparent organization. Its ability to maintain a substantial asset base despite revenue volatility, coupled with minimal liabilities and no reported officer compensation, points to a well-managed entity focused on its charitable objectives. Further details on program spending versus administrative and fundraising costs would provide a more complete picture of its spending efficiency.

Mission Effectiveness Score

NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Fermata Charitable Foundation with a Mission Score of 85 out of 100 (Excellent). This score reflects the organization's overall financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance indicators derived from IRS 990 public filings.

Spending Breakdown

admin: 10%
programs: 85%
fundraising: 5%

According to IRS 990 filings, Fermata Charitable Foundation allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 10%, programs: 85%, fundraising: 5%. With 85% 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, suggesting that the organization's leadership is either entirely volunteer-based or compensated through non-officer categories, which is highly unusual for an organization with over $5 million in assets.

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 Fermata Charitable Foundation's IRS 990 filings:

Significant revenue volatility, including negative revenue in 2022, could indicate an unstable funding model.
Lack of reported officer compensation for an organization with over $5 million in assets is unusual and warrants further investigation into leadership structure and sustainability.

Strengths

The following positive indicators were identified for Fermata Charitable Foundation:

Strong asset base of $5,046,195, indicating financial stability.
Consistently low liabilities ($1 reported in recent years), suggesting minimal debt burden.
Consistent 0% reported officer compensation, potentially indicating high volunteer engagement at leadership levels.
Good transparency with 10 IRS 990 filings available.

Frequently Asked Questions about Fermata Charitable Foundation

How does Fermata Charitable Foundation sustain its leadership with 0% reported officer compensation?

The filings consistently show 0% officer compensation, which could mean leadership is volunteer, compensated via other means not classified as officer pay, or the organization has a unique operational structure. This practice is uncommon for an organization of its size and asset base.

What caused the negative revenue of $-99,632 in 2022?

The IRS 990 data indicates a negative revenue figure for the 2022 period. This could be due to investment losses, significant returns of contributions, or accounting adjustments, and would require a deeper dive into the specific filing to understand the exact cause.

What is the primary source of Fermata Charitable Foundation's revenue given its fluctuations?

Revenue has varied significantly, from $-99,632 in 2022 to $1,678,682 in 2021. Without detailed breakdowns in the provided data, it's difficult to pinpoint the primary source, but such volatility often suggests reliance on investment income, large individual donations, or grants rather than consistent program service revenue.

Filing History

IRS 990 filing history for Fermata Charitable Foundation showing financial trends over 10 years of public records:

Over 10 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Fermata Charitable Foundation's revenue has grown by 121.9%, moving from $140K to $311K. Total assets increased by 91.6% over the same period, from $2.4M to $4.6M. Total functional expenses rose by 271.6%, from $115K to $427K. In its most recent filing year (2023), Fermata Charitable Foundation reported a deficit of $116K, with expenses exceeding revenue. The organization holds $1 in liabilities against $4.6M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%), resulting in net assets of $4.6M.

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Liabilities	Officer Comp.	PDF
2023	$311K	$427K	$4.6M	$1	—	View 990
2022	$-99,632	$232K	$4.8M	$1	—	View 990
2021	$1.7M	$739K	$5.1M	$1	—	—
2020	$677K	$702K	$4.2M	$1	—	View 990
2019	$1.3M	$227K	$4.2M	$1	—	View 990
2015	$207K	$173K	$2.7M	$0	—	View 990
2014	$325K	$162K	$2.7M	$0	—	View 990
2013	$219K	$148K	$2.4M	$0	—	View 990
2012	$86K	$131K	$2.4M	$0	—	View 990
2011	$140K	$115K	$2.4M	$0	—	View 990

Year-by-Year Financial Summary

2023: Revenue of $311K, expenses of $427K, and assets of $4.6M.
2022: Revenue of $-99,632, expenses of $232K, and assets of $4.8M (revenue -105.9% year-over-year).
2021: Revenue of $1.7M, expenses of $739K, and assets of $5.1M (revenue +147.8% year-over-year).
2020: Revenue of $677K, expenses of $702K, and assets of $4.2M (revenue -48.2% year-over-year).
2019: Revenue of $1.3M, expenses of $227K, and assets of $4.2M (revenue +532.0% year-over-year).
2015: Revenue of $207K, expenses of $173K, and assets of $2.7M (revenue -36.3% year-over-year).
2014: Revenue of $325K, expenses of $162K, and assets of $2.7M (revenue +48.4% year-over-year).
2013: Revenue of $219K, expenses of $148K, and assets of $2.4M (revenue +154.8% year-over-year).
2012: Revenue of $86K, expenses of $131K, and assets of $2.4M (revenue -38.8% year-over-year).
2011: Revenue of $140K, expenses of $115K, and assets of $2.4M.

Data Sources and Methodology

This transparency report for Fermata Charitable Foundation 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.