Gow School
Gow School reports a $4.65 million deficit in the latest fiscal year despite strong asset growth over the decade.
EIN: 161034793 · South Wales, NY · Updated: 2026-03-28
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $19.8M |
| Total Expenses | $15.5M |
| Program Spending | 80% |
| CEO/Top Officer Pay | $20 |
| Net Assets | $49.3M |
| Transparency Score | 75/100 |
Is Gow School Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
Gow School directs 80% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About Gow School
Gow School (EIN: 161034793) is a nonprofit organization based in South Wales, NY. The organization reported total revenue of $19.8M and total assets of $52.0M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Gow School's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
Organization Overview
Gow School is a large nonprofit that has been operating for 52 years, with 13 years of IRS 990 filings on record (2012–2024). Revenue has grown at a compound annual rate of 2.0%.
Key Financial Metrics (2024)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
| Total Revenue | $10.9M |
| Total Expenses | $15.5M |
| Surplus / Deficit | $-4,651,506 |
| Total Assets | $52.0M |
| Total Liabilities | $2.7M |
| Net Assets | $49.3M |
| Operating Margin | -42.7% |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio | 5.2% |
| Months of Reserves | 40.2 months |
Financial Health Grade: B
In 2024, Gow School reported a deficit of $4.7M with expenses exceeding revenue, holds 40.2 months of operating reserves (strong position), has a debt-to-asset ratio of 5.2% (very low leverage).
Financial Trends
Over 13 years of filings (2012–2024), Gow School's revenue has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.0%.
| Year | Revenue Change | Expense Change | Asset Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | -15.6% | +25.0% | -6.2% |
| 2023 | -12.1% | +4.7% | +5.3% |
| 2022 | +18.6% | -2.5% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | -0.7% | +2.5% | +17.8% |
| 2020 | +7.3% | +6.4% | +0.3% |
IRS Tax-Exempt Classification
| IRS Classification Codes | 2000 |
| IRS Ruling Date | 1974 |
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 Gow School with a Mission Score of 75 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, Gow School 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.
Key Financial Metrics (2024)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
- The organization reported a deficit of $4.7M, with expenses exceeding revenue.
- Debt-to-asset ratio: 5.2%.
Executive Compensation Analysis
The IRS 990 filings consistently report 0% officer compensation, which is unusual for an organization with nearly $20 million in revenue and over $50 million in assets. This suggests that executive compensation may be reported under other expense categories or that leadership is entirely volunteer-based, warranting further clarification for complete transparency.
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 Gow School's IRS 990 filings:
- Significant deficit in the most recent fiscal period (202406: Expenses $15,533,685 vs. Revenue $10,882,179).
- Consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation across all filings, which is unusual for an organization of this scale and could impact transparency.
- Decrease in assets from $55,443,299 in 202306 to $51,979,470 in 202406, alongside the deficit.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for Gow School:
- Strong and consistent asset growth over the past decade, from $40,079,531 in 201506 to $51,979,470 in 202406.
- Generally stable financial operations with revenues often exceeding or closely matching expenses in most periods prior to 202406.
- Low liabilities relative to assets, indicating a healthy balance sheet (e.g., $2,681,190 liabilities vs. $51,979,470 assets in 202406).
Frequently Asked Questions about Gow School
Is Gow School a legitimate charity?
Gow School (EIN: 161034793) is a registered tax-exempt nonprofit based in New York. Our AI analysis gives it a Mission Score of 75/100. It has 13 years of IRS 990 filings on record. Total revenue: $19.8M. 3 red flags identified. 3 strengths noted. Financial health grade: B.
How does Gow School spend its money?
Gow School directs 80% of its spending to programs and services. Fundraising costs 5%. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark.
Are donations to Gow School tax-deductible?
Gow School is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 161034793). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
How much does the Gow School CEO make?
Gow School's highest-compensated officer earns $20 annually. The organization reported $19.8M in total revenue. Executive compensation data is disclosed in IRS 990 filings.
What percentage of Gow School's spending goes to programs?
Gow School directs 80% to programs, 5% to fundraising. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark for efficient nonprofits.
Where is Gow School located?
Gow School is headquartered in South Wales, New York and files with the IRS under EIN 161034793.
How many years of IRS 990 filings does Gow School have?
Gow School has 13 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 $19.8M in total revenue.
Is Gow School a good charity?
The Gow School demonstrates long-term financial stability with significant assets and a history of generally balanced budgets. However, the recent deficit in 202406 and the lack of reported officer compensation on the 990s are areas that would require further detail to fully assess its overall 'goodness' as a charity.
Why is officer compensation reported as 0% across all filings?
The consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation is atypical for an organization of this size. It could indicate that compensation is categorized differently within the 990, that key leadership roles are filled by volunteers, or that compensation is paid through a related entity not fully detailed in these summary filings.
What caused the $4.65 million deficit in the 202406 period?
The filings do not provide a detailed breakdown of the expenses that led to the $15,533,685 total in 202406, which significantly exceeded the $10,882,179 in revenue. Further analysis of the full 990 form would be needed to identify the specific drivers of this deficit.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for Gow School showing financial trends over 13 years of public records:
Over 13 years of IRS 990 filings (2012–2024), Gow School's revenue has grown by 26.5%, moving from $8.6M to $10.9M. Total assets increased by 83.6% over the same period, from $28.3M to $52.0M. Total functional expenses rose by 107%, from $7.5M to $15.5M. In its most recent filing year (2024), Gow School reported a deficit of $4.7M, with expenses exceeding revenue. The organization holds $2.7M in liabilities against $52.0M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 5.2%), resulting in net assets of $49.3M.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $10.9M | $15.5M | $52.0M | $2.7M | — | View 990 |
| 2023 | $12.9M | $12.4M | $55.4M | $3.6M | — | View 990 |
| 2022 | $14.7M | $11.9M | $52.7M | $3.4M | — | View 990 |
| 2021 | $12.4M | $12.2M | $53.3M | $3.1M | — | — |
| 2020 | $12.5M | $11.9M | $45.3M | $2.3M | — | View 990 |
| 2019 | $11.6M | $11.2M | $45.1M | $2.6M | — | View 990 |
| 2018 | $11.5M | $11.1M | $43.9M | $2.5M | — | View 990 |
| 2017 | $11.1M | $10.9M | $42.0M | $2.4M | — | View 990 |
| 2016 | $10.9M | $10.9M | $39.8M | $2.5M | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $9.9M | $9.0M | $40.1M | $2.2M | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $11.8M | $8.9M | $39.9M | $2.5M | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $15.3M | $8.3M | $36.4M | $2.3M | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $8.6M | $7.5M | $28.3M | $2.0M | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2024: Revenue of $10.9M, expenses of $15.5M, and assets of $52.0M (revenue -15.6% year-over-year).
- 2023: Revenue of $12.9M, expenses of $12.4M, and assets of $55.4M (revenue -12.1% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $14.7M, expenses of $11.9M, and assets of $52.7M (revenue +18.6% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $12.4M, expenses of $12.2M, and assets of $53.3M (revenue -0.7% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $12.5M, expenses of $11.9M, and assets of $45.3M (revenue +7.3% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $11.6M, expenses of $11.2M, and assets of $45.1M (revenue +1.2% year-over-year).
- 2018: Revenue of $11.5M, expenses of $11.1M, and assets of $43.9M (revenue +3.6% year-over-year).
- 2017: Revenue of $11.1M, expenses of $10.9M, and assets of $42.0M (revenue +1.4% year-over-year).
- 2016: Revenue of $10.9M, expenses of $10.9M, and assets of $39.8M (revenue +10.1% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $9.9M, expenses of $9.0M, and assets of $40.1M (revenue -16.3% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $11.8M, expenses of $8.9M, and assets of $39.9M (revenue -22.7% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $15.3M, expenses of $8.3M, and assets of $36.4M (revenue +78.0% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $8.6M, expenses of $7.5M, and assets of $28.3M.
View Individual Filing Years
Explore detailed financial data from each IRS 990 filing year for Gow School:
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for Gow School 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.