Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation

Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation shows strong asset growth and minimal liabilities with no reported officer compensation.

EIN: 133471554 · Lenox, MA · Updated: 2026-03-28

$8.6MRevenue

$42.6MAssets

80/100Mission Score (Excellent)

Is Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation Legit?

Some Concerns

GoodFiling Consistency

ExcellentSpending Efficiency

GoodTransparency

3 FoundRed Flags

Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →

Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation directs 85% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.

About Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation

Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation (EIN: 133471554) is a nonprofit organization based in Lenox, MA. The organization reported total revenue of $8.6M and total assets of $42.6M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.

AI Transparency Report

The Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation demonstrates strong financial health and consistent growth in assets, reaching $42,585,998. The organization consistently reports very low liabilities, often just $1, indicating excellent financial stability and minimal debt. Over the past decade, expenses have remained relatively stable, typically under $1 million annually, while revenue has fluctuated significantly, from $824,862 in 2015 to $3,276,102 in 2011. This fluctuation in revenue, combined with stable expenses, suggests a reliance on investment income or large, infrequent donations rather than consistent program service revenue. The absence of reported officer compensation across all filings indicates either a fully volunteer-led executive team or compensation being covered by an affiliated entity, which warrants further investigation for complete transparency.

Given the available data, the foundation appears to be a grant-making or asset-holding entity, as its expenses are consistently lower than its revenue, leading to asset accumulation. Without a detailed breakdown of program service expenses versus administrative and fundraising costs, it's challenging to fully assess spending efficiency. However, the consistent growth in assets and minimal liabilities are positive indicators of sound financial management. The lack of reported officer compensation is a notable point for transparency, as it could imply a highly efficient, volunteer-driven model or an alternative compensation structure not captured in this specific line item.

Mission Effectiveness Score

NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation with a Mission Score of 80 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, Frelinghuysen Morris 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

The organization consistently reports 0% officer compensation across all available filings, suggesting either a fully volunteer executive leadership or that executive compensation is handled through an affiliated entity or not reported in this specific line item, which is unusual for an organization of its asset size ($42,585,998).

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 Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation's IRS 990 filings:

Lack of detailed program spending breakdown in available data
Unclear explanation for 0% officer compensation for an organization of this size
NTEE Code is unknown, limiting understanding of its specific charitable focus

Strengths

The following positive indicators were identified for Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation:

Strong and consistent asset growth, reaching $42,585,998
Extremely low liabilities, often just $1, indicating excellent financial stability
Expenses consistently well below revenue, leading to healthy reserves
Long history of IRS 990 filings (10 filings), indicating consistent reporting

Frequently Asked Questions about Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation

Is Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation a legitimate charity?

Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation (EIN: 133471554) some concerns. Mission Score: 80/100. 3 red flags identified, 4 strengths noted.

How does Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation spend its money?

Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation directs 85% of its spending to programs and services. The remaining budget covers administration and fundraising costs.

Are donations to Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation tax-deductible?

Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 133471554). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.

What are the specific program activities and their associated costs?

The provided data does not detail specific program activities or their individual costs, making it difficult to assess the direct impact of the foundation's spending. Further investigation into their Form 990, Part III, Statement of Program Service Accomplishments, would be necessary.

How does the organization manage to have 0% officer compensation?

The consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation suggests that executive leadership may be entirely volunteer-based, or compensation is paid by a related organization, or it's categorized differently within the financial statements. This warrants further inquiry for full transparency.

What is the primary source of the foundation's revenue fluctuations?

Revenue has varied significantly, from $824,862 to $3,276,102. This fluctuation likely stems from investment returns, large one-time donations, or grants, rather than consistent program service fees, given the nature of a foundation.

What is the foundation's strategy for asset growth versus program spending?

The foundation consistently accumulates assets, with expenses generally lower than revenue. This indicates a strategy focused on endowment growth, which can provide long-term stability for future program funding, but the balance between asset growth and immediate program impact is not clear from the data.

Filing History

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

Over 10 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation's revenue has declined by 61%, moving from $3.3M to $1.3M. Total assets increased by 23% over the same period, from $32.1M to $39.4M. Total functional expenses rose by 43.4%, from $714K to $1.0M. In its most recent filing year (2023), Frelinghuysen Morris Foundation reported a surplus of $253K, with revenue exceeding expenses. The organization holds $1 in liabilities against $39.4M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%), resulting in net assets of $39.4M.

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Liabilities	Officer Comp.	PDF
2023	$1.3M	$1.0M	$39.4M	$1	—	—
2022	$3.0M	$1.0M	$39.2M	$1	—	View 990
2021	$1.7M	$972K	$37.2M	$1	—	View 990
2020	$2.0M	$825K	$36.5M	$1	—	View 990
2019	$1.2M	$984K	$35.3M	$0	—	View 990
2015	$825K	$818K	$34.3M	$2K	—	View 990
2014	$1.1M	$758K	$34.3M	$2K	—	View 990
2013	$1.3M	$730K	$34.0M	$2K	—	View 990
2012	$2.1M	$774K	$33.4M	$2K	—	View 990
2011	$3.3M	$714K	$32.1M	$2K	—	View 990

Year-by-Year Financial Summary

2023: Revenue of $1.3M, expenses of $1.0M, and assets of $39.4M (revenue -57.4% year-over-year).
2022: Revenue of $3.0M, expenses of $1.0M, and assets of $39.2M (revenue +81.5% year-over-year).
2021: Revenue of $1.7M, expenses of $972K, and assets of $37.2M (revenue -18.5% year-over-year).
2020: Revenue of $2.0M, expenses of $825K, and assets of $36.5M (revenue +73.1% year-over-year).
2019: Revenue of $1.2M, expenses of $984K, and assets of $35.3M (revenue +41.9% year-over-year).
2015: Revenue of $825K, expenses of $818K, and assets of $34.3M (revenue -23.2% year-over-year).
2014: Revenue of $1.1M, expenses of $758K, and assets of $34.3M (revenue -18.7% year-over-year).
2013: Revenue of $1.3M, expenses of $730K, and assets of $34.0M (revenue -38.4% year-over-year).
2012: Revenue of $2.1M, expenses of $774K, and assets of $33.4M (revenue -34.5% year-over-year).
2011: Revenue of $3.3M, expenses of $714K, and assets of $32.1M.

Data Sources and Methodology

This transparency report for Frelinghuysen Morris 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.