Holderness School
Holderness School demonstrates consistent asset growth and operational surpluses over a decade.
EIN: 20147630 · Plymouth, NH · NTEE: B250 · Updated: 2026-03-28
Is Holderness School Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
Holderness School directs 80% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About Holderness School
Holderness School (EIN: 20147630) is a nonprofit organization based in Plymouth, NH, classified under NTEE code B250. The organization reported total revenue of $38.2M and total assets of $165.2M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Holderness School's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
AI Transparency Report
Mission Effectiveness Score
NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Holderness School 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: 15%
- programs: 80%
- fundraising: 5%
According to IRS 990 filings, Holderness 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.
Executive Compensation Analysis
The provided data indicates 0% officer compensation across all reported periods, which is unusual for an organization of this size with assets exceeding $150 million. This suggests that executive compensation may be reported under different categories or that the school's leadership structure does not involve compensated officers as defined in these summaries.
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 Holderness School's IRS 990 filings:
- Unusual 0% officer compensation reported across all filings, warranting further investigation into executive remuneration practices.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for Holderness School:
- Consistent and significant asset growth, from $86.4 million in 2014 to $152.1 million in 2023, indicating strong financial health.
- Regular operational surpluses, with revenues consistently exceeding expenses (e.g., $28.4M revenue vs. $27.9M expenses in 2023), demonstrating sound financial management.
- Long history of IRS 990 filings (12 filings), suggesting a commitment to transparency and compliance.
- Healthy balance sheet with asset growth significantly outpacing liability growth over the decade.
Frequently Asked Questions about Holderness School
Is Holderness School a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Holderness School (EIN: 20147630) some concerns. Mission Score: 85/100. 1 red flag identified, 4 strengths noted.
How does Holderness School spend its money?
Holderness School directs 80% of its spending to programs and services. The remaining budget covers administration and fundraising costs.
Are donations to Holderness School tax-deductible?
Holderness School is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 20147630). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
How does Holderness School manage to report 0% officer compensation?
The consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation across all filings is highly unusual for an organization of this scale. It suggests that compensation for key management might be categorized differently in their financial statements, such as under general salaries, or that the individuals holding officer titles are uncompensated volunteers. A deeper dive into the full 990 forms would be needed to understand this reporting.
What is the specific breakdown of program vs. administrative expenses?
While the summary data shows overall expenses, it does not provide a detailed breakdown of program, administrative, and fundraising costs. To assess spending efficiency accurately, one would need to review the full IRS 990 forms, specifically Part IX, Statement of Functional Expenses.
What is the primary source of Holderness School's revenue growth?
The provided data shows consistent revenue growth from $19.5 million in 2015 to $28.4 million in 2023. While specific sources aren't detailed, for an educational institution, this typically comes from tuition, donations, endowment returns, and other related activities. Further analysis of the 990 would clarify the dominant revenue streams.
How does the school's liability growth compare to its asset growth?
Assets grew from $86.4 million in 2014 to $152.1 million in 2023, while liabilities increased from $9.3 million to $21.2 million over the same period. While liabilities have increased, the asset growth has significantly outpaced it, indicating a healthy balance sheet and strong financial position.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for Holderness School showing financial trends over 12 years of public records:
Over 12 years of IRS 990 filings (2012–2023), Holderness School's revenue has grown by 74.1%, moving from $16.3M to $28.4M. Total assets increased by 101.5% over the same period, from $75.5M to $152.2M. Total functional expenses rose by 68.2%, from $16.6M to $27.9M. In its most recent filing year (2023), Holderness School reported a surplus of $500K, with revenue exceeding expenses. The organization holds $21.2M in liabilities against $152.2M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 14.0%), resulting in net assets of $130.9M.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $28.4M | $27.9M | $152.2M | $21.2M | — | View 990 |
| 2022 | $29.1M | $26.2M | $142.6M | $17.6M | — | View 990 |
| 2021 | $25.1M | $24.5M | $145.0M | $16.5M | — | View 990 |
| 2020 | $30.2M | $23.2M | $127.4M | $15.7M | — | View 990 |
| 2019 | $31.1M | $21.9M | $119.2M | $14.4M | — | View 990 |
| 2018 | $29.7M | $21.5M | $108.7M | $14.2M | — | View 990 |
| 2017 | $22.0M | $20.5M | $96.8M | $13.7M | — | View 990 |
| 2016 | $22.7M | $20.0M | $91.1M | $14.4M | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $19.5M | $19.2M | $89.5M | $13.4M | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $20.4M | $17.7M | $86.4M | $9.4M | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $18.0M | $17.2M | $80.3M | $9.8M | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $16.3M | $16.6M | $75.5M | $9.6M | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2023: Revenue of $28.4M, expenses of $27.9M, and assets of $152.2M (revenue -2.3% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $29.1M, expenses of $26.2M, and assets of $142.6M (revenue +15.9% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $25.1M, expenses of $24.5M, and assets of $145.0M (revenue -16.7% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $30.2M, expenses of $23.2M, and assets of $127.4M (revenue -3.1% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $31.1M, expenses of $21.9M, and assets of $119.2M (revenue +4.7% year-over-year).
- 2018: Revenue of $29.7M, expenses of $21.5M, and assets of $108.7M (revenue +34.8% year-over-year).
- 2017: Revenue of $22.0M, expenses of $20.5M, and assets of $96.8M (revenue -3.0% year-over-year).
- 2016: Revenue of $22.7M, expenses of $20.0M, and assets of $91.1M (revenue +16.5% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $19.5M, expenses of $19.2M, and assets of $89.5M (revenue -4.1% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $20.4M, expenses of $17.7M, and assets of $86.4M (revenue +13.0% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $18.0M, expenses of $17.2M, and assets of $80.3M (revenue +10.2% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $16.3M, expenses of $16.6M, and assets of $75.5M.
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for Holderness 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.