Lazar Foundation

Lazar Foundation consistently spends down its endowment with no officer compensation.

EIN: 136088182 · Sisters, OR · Updated: 2026-03-28

$2.2MRevenue

$16.2MAssets

85/100Mission Score (Excellent)

About Lazar Foundation

Lazar Foundation (EIN: 136088182) is a nonprofit organization based in Sisters, OR. The organization reported total revenue of $2.2M and total assets of $16.2M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Lazar Foundation's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.

AI Transparency Report

The Lazar Foundation, with current assets of $16,164,269, appears to be a grant-making foundation based on its consistent pattern of expenses exceeding revenue in most recent years, indicating it is spending down its endowment. For example, in 2023, revenue was $597,192 while expenses were $1,318,154, and in 2022, revenue was $663,258 against expenses of $1,409,732. This trend suggests a strategic approach to fulfilling its mission through disbursements rather than continuous fundraising for operational costs.

The organization demonstrates strong financial transparency by consistently filing its IRS 990 forms, with no officer compensation reported across all available filings, which is a positive indicator of efficient use of funds. However, without a detailed breakdown of expenses into program, administrative, and fundraising categories, it's challenging to fully assess spending efficiency. The consistent decline in assets from a high of $23,643,285 in 2013 to $16,164,269 currently, while expected for a spend-down foundation, warrants monitoring to understand the long-term sustainability of its grant-making capacity.

Overall, the Lazar Foundation exhibits a clear financial strategy focused on deploying its assets for its mission, supported by a strong record of transparency and no executive compensation. The primary area for further analysis would be the specific allocation of its significant expenses to confirm program effectiveness.

Mission Effectiveness Score

NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Lazar 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: 90%
fundraising: 0%

According to IRS 990 filings, Lazar 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.

Executive Compensation Analysis

The Lazar Foundation reports 0% officer compensation across all ten available IRS 990 filings, indicating that no executives are paid from the organization's funds, which is highly favorable for donor confidence and efficient 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 Lazar Foundation's IRS 990 filings:

Consistent decline in assets over the past decade, from $23,643,285 in 2013 to $16,164,269 currently, indicating a spend-down model without clear replenishment.
Lack of detailed expense breakdown (program, admin, fundraising) in the provided summary makes it difficult to fully assess spending efficiency beyond the absence of officer compensation.

Strengths

The following positive indicators were identified for Lazar Foundation:

Zero officer compensation reported across all ten filings, demonstrating excellent financial stewardship and commitment to mission.
Consistent IRS 990 filing history, indicating strong transparency and compliance.
Significant asset base ($16,164,269) allows for substantial grant-making or program activities.
Clear strategy of deploying assets, as evidenced by expenses consistently exceeding revenue in recent years.

Frequently Asked Questions about Lazar Foundation

Is Lazar Foundation a good charity?

Based on the available data, Lazar Foundation appears to be a well-managed grant-making foundation with no executive compensation and a consistent history of spending down its assets to fulfill its mission. Its transparency in filing 990s is also a positive sign.

Why are expenses consistently higher than revenue?

The consistent trend of expenses exceeding revenue (e.g., $1,318,154 expenses vs. $597,192 revenue in 2023) suggests that Lazar Foundation operates as a spend-down foundation, utilizing its endowment to fund its activities rather than relying solely on annual contributions.

What is the long-term financial outlook for Lazar Foundation?

The foundation's assets have steadily declined from $23,643,285 in 2013 to $16,164,269 currently. While this is consistent with a spend-down strategy, it implies a finite operational lifespan unless new significant endowments or revenue streams are established.

Filing History

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

Over 10 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Lazar Foundation's revenue has declined by 65.9%, moving from $1.8M to $597K. Total assets decreased by 25.6% over the same period, from $23.3M to $17.3M. Total functional expenses fell by 10%, from $1.5M to $1.3M. In its most recent filing year (2023), Lazar Foundation reported a deficit of $721K, with expenses exceeding revenue. The organization holds $1 in liabilities against $17.3M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%), resulting in net assets of $17.3M.

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Liabilities	Officer Comp.	PDF
2023	$597K	$1.3M	$17.3M	$1	—	View 990
2022	$663K	$1.4M	$18.1M	$1	—	View 990
2021	$1.8M	$1.3M	$18.8M	$1	—	View 990
2020	$822K	$1.2M	$18.4M	$1	—	—
2019	$766K	$1.3M	$19.1M	$0	—	View 990
2015	$-113,301	$1.3M	$21.6M	$45K	—	View 990
2014	$721K	$1.2M	$23.1M	$38K	—	View 990
2013	$2.1M	$1.3M	$23.6M	$91K	—	View 990
2012	$651K	$1.3M	$22.7M	$11K	—	View 990
2011	$1.8M	$1.5M	$23.3M	$0	—	View 990

Year-by-Year Financial Summary

2023: Revenue of $597K, expenses of $1.3M, and assets of $17.3M (revenue -10.0% year-over-year).
2022: Revenue of $663K, expenses of $1.4M, and assets of $18.1M (revenue -62.6% year-over-year).
2021: Revenue of $1.8M, expenses of $1.3M, and assets of $18.8M (revenue +115.6% year-over-year).
2020: Revenue of $822K, expenses of $1.2M, and assets of $18.4M (revenue +7.4% year-over-year).
2019: Revenue of $766K, expenses of $1.3M, and assets of $19.1M.
2015: Revenue of $-113,301, expenses of $1.3M, and assets of $21.6M (revenue -115.7% year-over-year).
2014: Revenue of $721K, expenses of $1.2M, and assets of $23.1M (revenue -66.3% year-over-year).
2013: Revenue of $2.1M, expenses of $1.3M, and assets of $23.6M (revenue +228.7% year-over-year).
2012: Revenue of $651K, expenses of $1.3M, and assets of $22.7M (revenue -62.9% year-over-year).
2011: Revenue of $1.8M, expenses of $1.5M, and assets of $23.3M.

Data Sources and Methodology

This transparency report for Lazar 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.