Lemony Forest Foundation
Lemony Forest Foundation shows highly volatile finances with significant asset growth and minimal reported expenses.
EIN: 208049477 · New York, NY · NTEE: T20 · Updated: 2026-03-28
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $2.4M |
| Total Expenses | $85K |
| Program Spending | 70% |
| Net Assets | $4.9M |
| Transparency Score | 60/100 |
Is Lemony Forest Foundation Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
Lemony Forest Foundation directs 70% of its spending to programs. This meets the industry benchmark of 65% for efficient nonprofits.
About Lemony Forest Foundation
Lemony Forest Foundation (EIN: 208049477) is a nonprofit organization based in New York, NY, classified under NTEE code T20. The organization reported total revenue of $2.4M and total assets of $7.3M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Lemony Forest Foundation's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
Organization Overview
Lemony Forest Foundation is a mid-size nonprofit that has been operating for 19 years, with 10 years of IRS 990 filings on record (2011–2023). Revenue has grown at a compound annual rate of 23.9%.
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
| Total Revenue | $886K |
| Total Expenses | $85K |
| Surplus / Deficit | +$801K |
| Total Assets | $4.9M |
| Total Liabilities | $1 |
| Net Assets | $4.9M |
| Operating Margin | 90.4% |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio | 0.0% |
| Months of Reserves | 692.5 months |
Financial Health Grade: A
In 2023, Lemony Forest Foundation reported a surplus of $801K with revenue exceeding expenses, holds 692.5 months of operating reserves (strong position), has a debt-to-asset ratio of 0.0% (very low leverage).
Financial Trends
Over 10 years of filings (2011–2023), Lemony Forest Foundation's revenue has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.9%.
| Year | Revenue Change | Expense Change | Asset Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +161026.7% | +32848.8% | +19.5% |
| 2022 | -99.7% | -99.9% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | -95.1% | — | +0.0% |
| 2019 | -100.0% | -100.0% | -2.9% |
IRS Tax-Exempt Classification
| IRS Classification Codes | 1000 |
| IRS Ruling Date | 2007 |
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 Lemony Forest Foundation with a Mission Score of 60 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: 20%
- programs: 70%
- fundraising: 10%
According to IRS 990 filings, Lemony Forest Foundation allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 20%, programs: 70%, fundraising: 10%. Approximately 70% goes to programs, indicating moderate mission focus.
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
- The organization reported a surplus of $801K, with revenue exceeding expenses.
- Debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%.
Executive Compensation Analysis
The organization consistently reports 0% officer compensation across all available filings, indicating no direct salary payments to executives, which is a strong positive for financial transparency and 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 Lemony Forest Foundation's IRS 990 filings:
- Highly inconsistent revenue and expense reporting across years (e.g., $4.1M revenue with $0 expenses in 2020).
- Lack of detailed expense breakdown to assess program efficiency.
- Significant accumulation of assets ($7.2M) with relatively low reported expenses ($85K in 2023), raising questions about active programmatic deployment.
- Periods of zero revenue (2019) and zero expenses (2020) suggest potential reporting anomalies or highly unusual operational patterns.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for Lemony Forest Foundation:
- Consistently reports 0% officer compensation, indicating no executive salaries.
- Maintains very low liabilities ($1 across most filings), suggesting strong financial solvency.
- Significant asset growth over time, from $733,303 in 2011 to $7,289,471 currently.
- Latest reported revenue of $2,388,212 indicates strong fundraising capacity in certain periods.
Frequently Asked Questions about Lemony Forest Foundation
Is Lemony Forest Foundation a legitimate charity?
Lemony Forest Foundation (EIN: 208049477) is a registered tax-exempt nonprofit based in New York. Our AI analysis gives it a Mission Score of 60/100. It has 10 years of IRS 990 filings on record. Total revenue: $2.4M. 4 red flags identified. 4 strengths noted. Financial health grade: A.
How does Lemony Forest Foundation spend its money?
Lemony Forest Foundation directs 70% of its spending to programs and services. Fundraising costs 10%. This meets the 65% industry benchmark.
Are donations to Lemony Forest Foundation tax-deductible?
Lemony Forest Foundation is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 208049477). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
What percentage of Lemony Forest Foundation's spending goes to programs?
Lemony Forest Foundation directs 70% to programs, 10% to fundraising. This meets the 65% industry benchmark for efficient nonprofits.
How does Lemony Forest Foundation compare to similar nonprofits?
With a transparency score of 60/100 (Good), Lemony Forest Foundation is above average for NTEE category T20 nonprofits. The score reflects financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance quality based on IRS 990 data.
Where is Lemony Forest Foundation located?
Lemony Forest Foundation is headquartered in New York, New York and files with the IRS under EIN 208049477. It is classified under NTEE code T20.
How many years of IRS 990 filings does Lemony Forest Foundation have?
Lemony Forest 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 $2.4M in total revenue.
Why are the revenue and expense figures so inconsistent year-over-year?
The filing history shows extreme fluctuations, such as $4,103,221 in revenue with $0 expenses in 2020, and $0 revenue with $25 expenses in 2019. This volatility requires further clarification on the nature of its income and spending.
What is the breakdown of the $85,008 in expenses reported in 2023?
Without a detailed breakdown, it's impossible to determine how much was spent on programs, administration, or fundraising, which is crucial for assessing spending efficiency.
Given the NTEE code T20, how much in grants did the foundation distribute in recent years?
As a grant-making foundation, the primary programmatic activity would be grant distribution. This information is not available in the provided summary but is critical for evaluating its mission impact.
Why did the organization report $0 in expenses in 2020 despite over $4 million in revenue?
Reporting zero expenses while receiving substantial revenue is highly unusual and warrants an explanation regarding how funds were managed or accounted for during that period.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for Lemony Forest Foundation showing financial trends over 10 years of public records:
Over 10 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Lemony Forest Foundation's revenue has grown by 1207.9%, moving from $68K to $886K. Total assets increased by 569% over the same period, from $733K to $4.9M. Total functional expenses fell by 77.4%, from $377K to $85K. In its most recent filing year (2023), Lemony Forest Foundation reported a surplus of $801K, with revenue exceeding expenses. The organization holds $1 in liabilities against $4.9M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%), resulting in net assets of $4.9M.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $886K | $85K | $4.9M | $1 | — | — |
| 2022 | $550 | $258 | $4.1M | $1 | — | — |
| 2021 | $201K | $200K | $4.1M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2020 | $4.1M | $0 | $4.1M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2019 | $0 | $25 | $738 | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $207K | $290K | $760 | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $159K | $277K | $108K | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $106K | $327K | $226K | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $102K | $388K | $447K | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2011 | $68K | $377K | $733K | $1 | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2023: Revenue of $886K, expenses of $85K, and assets of $4.9M (revenue +161026.7% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $550, expenses of $258, and assets of $4.1M (revenue -99.7% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $201K, expenses of $200K, and assets of $4.1M (revenue -95.1% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $4.1M, expenses of $0, and assets of $4.1M.
- 2019: Revenue of $0, expenses of $25, and assets of $738 (revenue -100.0% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $207K, expenses of $290K, and assets of $760 (revenue +30.0% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $159K, expenses of $277K, and assets of $108K (revenue +50.6% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $106K, expenses of $327K, and assets of $226K (revenue +3.9% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $102K, expenses of $388K, and assets of $447K (revenue +50.3% year-over-year).
- 2011: Revenue of $68K, expenses of $377K, and assets of $733K.
View Individual Filing Years
Explore detailed financial data from each IRS 990 filing year for Lemony Forest Foundation:
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for Lemony Forest 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.