Forum Foundation
Forum Foundation consistently operates at a significant deficit, drawing down assets to cover expenses.
EIN: 203986056 · S Portland, ME · NTEE: T20 · Updated: 2026-03-28
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Forum Foundation is mapped to EIN 203986056.
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90% program spend, health grade B
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| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $22K |
| Total Expenses | $798K |
| Program Spending | 90% |
| Net Assets | $6.8M |
| Transparency Score | 45/100 |
Search Intent Cockpit
Forum Foundation Form 990, Revenue, CEO Pay, and IRS Filing Signals
Forum Foundation is surfaced here as a decision-ready nonprofit financial profile, not just a charity listing. The page consolidates IRS Form 990 revenue, expenses, assets, tax-exempt classification, executive compensation, mission score, red flags, and year-by-year filing history so donors, researchers, journalists, and grant teams can answer the common search questions around Forum Foundation in one place.
Form 990 Filing Summary
10 filing years are available, with latest revenue of $35K and expenses of $798K.
Revenue and Expenses
Forum Foundation reported $35K in revenue and $798K in expenses, a deficit of $762K.
Executive Compensation
Officer, director, trustee, and key employee pay is reviewed from IRS 990 compensation disclosures when present.
Charity Score and Red Flags
45/100 mission score, 4 red flags, and 3 strengths are shown from structured and AI review.
Is Forum Foundation Legit?
Significant Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
IRS 990 Data Cockpit
Where the Money Comes From and Where It Goes
Revenue Source Mix
Revenue-source line items are not available on the stored filing yet. Future ingestion now preserves contribution, program-revenue, and investment-income fields when ProPublica provides them.
Expense Deployment
| Program services | $718K (90%) |
Across stored filings, Forum Foundation shows contribution history pending. Next enrichment targets: revenue-source fields, IRS BMF classification.
Decision Cockpit
One-Stop Donor, Research, and Peer Context Hub
| Decision Lens | Signal | What to Inspect Next |
|---|---|---|
| Legitimacy | Significant Concerns | Good filing record; 4 red flags identified |
| Mission spend | 90% to programs | Excellent |
| Financial durability | Grade B | 10 stored filing years |
| Peer context | Compare with Maine Composite Materials Applied Technology Development Center | Maine and Philanthropy context |
Trust Check
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S Portland, ME nonprofitsPhilanthropy in Maine
Public Benefit in Maine
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Donation Decision Flow
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2Understand money
90% of spending goes to programs.
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Alternative Shopping
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Research Workflow
Turn this Form 990 profile into a donor-ready report
Request a concise report for Forum Foundation with revenue, expenses, executive compensation, red flags, peer context, and IRS source links. You can also request CSV exports or watchlist updates for future filings.
Early access request only. Reports and exports are informational and based on public IRS records, not financial or legal advice.
Forum Foundation directs 90% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About Forum Foundation
Forum Foundation (EIN: 203986056) is a nonprofit organization based in S Portland, ME, classified under NTEE code T20. The organization reported total revenue of $22K and total assets of $6.6M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Forum Foundation's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
Organization Overview
Forum Foundation is a micro nonprofit that has been operating for 18 years, with 10 years of IRS 990 filings on record (2011–2023).
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
| Total Revenue | $35K |
| Total Expenses | $798K |
| Surplus / Deficit | $-762,408 |
| Total Assets | $6.8M |
| Total Liabilities | $1 |
| Net Assets | $6.8M |
| Operating Margin | -2156.1% |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio | 0.0% |
| Months of Reserves | 102.6 months |
Financial Health Grade: B
In 2023, Forum Foundation reported a deficit of $762K with expenses exceeding revenue, holds 102.6 months of operating reserves (strong position), has a debt-to-asset ratio of 0.0% (very low leverage).
Financial Trends
| Year | Revenue Change | Expense Change | Asset Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | -18.0% | +19.0% | -6.3% |
| 2022 | +15.8% | +44.4% | -12.5% |
| 2021 | -99.3% | -28.4% | -1.0% |
| 2020 | +74.1% | -39.2% | +131.6% |
| 2019 | +532.2% | +17.8% | +63090.0% |
IRS Tax-Exempt Classification
| IRS Classification Codes | 1000 |
| IRS Ruling Date | 2008 |
Classification data from ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Additional BMF data may be available after enrichment.
AI Transparency Report
Mission Effectiveness Score
NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Forum Foundation with a Mission Score of 45 out of 100 (Fair). 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: 90%
- fundraising: 0%
According to IRS 990 filings, Forum Foundation allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 10%, programs: 90%, fundraising: 0%. With 90% directed toward programs, this reflects a strong commitment to its charitable mission.
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
- The organization reported a deficit of $762K, with expenses exceeding revenue.
- Debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%.
Executive Compensation Analysis
Executive compensation is consistently reported as 0% across all available filings, indicating that the organization's leadership is either entirely volunteer-based or compensated through non-officer roles, which is a positive for resource allocation.
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 Forum Foundation's IRS 990 filings:
- Consistent and significant operational deficits (e.g., $35,361 revenue vs. $797,769 expenses in 2023).
- Substantial decline in assets over recent years (from $8.4 million in 2020 to $6.8 million in 2023).
- Revenue figures are extremely low relative to expenses, indicating an unsustainable financial model.
- Negative revenue reported in some years (e.g., $-723,134 in 2014, $-76,996 in 2012), which could indicate investment losses or unusual accounting.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for Forum Foundation:
- No reported officer compensation, suggesting efficient use of funds at the leadership level.
- Substantial asset base ($6.8 million in 2023) provides a buffer, though it is being depleted.
- Low liabilities reported in most recent years (e.g., $1 in 2023 and 2021).
Frequently Asked Questions about Forum Foundation
Is Forum Foundation a legitimate charity?
Forum Foundation (EIN: 203986056) is a registered tax-exempt nonprofit based in Maine. Our AI analysis gives it a Mission Score of 45/100. It has 10 years of IRS 990 filings on record. Total revenue: $22K. 4 red flags identified. 3 strengths noted. Financial health grade: B.
How does Forum Foundation spend its money?
Forum Foundation directs 90% of its spending to programs and services. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark.
Are donations to Forum Foundation tax-deductible?
Forum Foundation is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 203986056). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
How does Forum Foundation compare to similar nonprofits?
With a transparency score of 45/100 (Fair), Forum Foundation is near average for NTEE category T20 nonprofits. The score reflects financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance quality based on IRS 990 data.
Where is Forum Foundation located?
Forum Foundation is headquartered in S Portland, Maine and files with the IRS under EIN 203986056. It is classified under NTEE code T20.
How many years of IRS 990 filings does Forum Foundation have?
Forum Foundation has 10 years of IRS 990 filings on record at NonprofitSpending. This extensive filing history provides a strong basis for evaluating long-term financial trends. The most recent filing shows $22K in total revenue.
How does Forum Foundation sustain its operations with such low revenue compared to expenses?
The organization appears to be sustaining operations by drawing down its substantial asset base, as evidenced by the consistent decline in assets from $8.4 million in 2020 to $6.8 million in 2023, while expenses far outstrip revenue.
What is the primary source of Forum Foundation's expenses if officer compensation is zero?
Given its NTEE code (Private Grantmaking Foundations), it is highly probable that the majority of expenses are related to grants paid out to other organizations, although specific program spending details are not provided in the summary data.
Is the Forum Foundation transparent about its financial strategy given the consistent deficits?
While the 990 filings provide the raw data, the consistent and significant operational deficits, coupled with asset depletion, raise questions about the long-term financial strategy and whether it is clearly communicated to stakeholders.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for Forum Foundation showing financial trends over 10 years of public records:
Total assets increased by 140.7% over the same period, from $2.8M to $6.8M. Total functional expenses rose by 432.4%, from $150K to $798K. In its most recent filing year (2023), Forum Foundation reported a deficit of $762K, with expenses exceeding revenue. The organization holds $1 in liabilities against $6.8M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%), resulting in net assets of $6.8M.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $35K | $798K | $6.8M | $1 | — | — |
| 2022 | $43K | $670K | $7.3M | $18K | — | — |
| 2021 | $37K | $464K | $8.3M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2020 | $5.2M | $649K | $8.4M | $3K | — | — |
| 2019 | $3.0M | $1.1M | $3.6M | $10K | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $476K | $906K | $6K | $50K | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $-723,134 | $934K | $395K | $10K | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $170K | $495K | $2.0M | $10K | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $-76,996 | $395K | $2.4M | $14K | — | View 990 |
| 2011 | $-8,059 | $150K | $2.8M | $473 | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2023: Revenue of $35K, expenses of $798K, and assets of $6.8M (revenue -18.0% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $43K, expenses of $670K, and assets of $7.3M (revenue +15.8% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $37K, expenses of $464K, and assets of $8.3M (revenue -99.3% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $5.2M, expenses of $649K, and assets of $8.4M (revenue +74.1% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $3.0M, expenses of $1.1M, and assets of $3.6M (revenue +532.2% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $476K, expenses of $906K, and assets of $6K.
- 2014: Revenue of $-723,134, expenses of $934K, and assets of $395K (revenue -524.3% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $170K, expenses of $495K, and assets of $2.0M.
- 2012: Revenue of $-76,996, expenses of $395K, and assets of $2.4M.
- 2011: Revenue of $-8,059, expenses of $150K, and assets of $2.8M.
View Individual Filing Years
Explore detailed financial data from each IRS 990 filing year for Forum Foundation:
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for Forum 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.