Making Waves Academy

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Making Waves Academy Form 990, Revenue, CEO Pay, and IRS Filing Signals

Making Waves Academy is surfaced here as a decision-ready nonprofit financial profile, not just a charity listing. The page consolidates IRS Form 990 revenue, expenses, assets, tax-exempt classification, executive compensation, mission score, red flags, and year-by-year filing history so donors, researchers, journalists, and grant teams can answer the common search questions around Making Waves Academy in one place.

Is Making Waves Academy Legit?

Some Concerns

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

IRS 990 Data Cockpit

Where the Money Comes From and Where It Goes

Across stored filings, Making Waves Academy shows contribution history pending. Next enrichment targets: revenue-source fields, IRS BMF classification.

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Keep the Investigation Moving

Making Waves Academy directs 85% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.

About Making Waves Academy

Making Waves Academy (EIN: 208967421) is a nonprofit organization based in Richmond, CA, classified under NTEE code B29. The organization reported total revenue of $30.3M and total assets of $17.1M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Making Waves Academy's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.

Organization Overview

Making Waves Academy is a large nonprofit that has been operating for 17 years, with 13 years of IRS 990 filings on record (2011–2023). Revenue has grown at a compound annual rate of 13.4%.

Key Financial Metrics (2023)

From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:

Financial Health Grade: A

In 2023, Making Waves Academy reported a surplus of $1.1M with revenue exceeding expenses, holds 6.5 months of operating reserves (strong position), has a debt-to-asset ratio of 46.8% (moderate leverage).

Financial Trends

Over 13 years of filings (2011–2023), Making Waves Academy's revenue has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.4%.

IRS Tax-Exempt Classification

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 Making Waves Academy with a Mission Score of 90 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, Making Waves Academy 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.

Key Financial Metrics (2023)

From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:

• The organization reported a surplus of $1.1M, with revenue exceeding expenses.
• Debt-to-asset ratio: 46.8%.

Executive Compensation Analysis

Making Waves Academy reports 0% officer compensation across all available filings, which is highly unusual for an organization of its size with over $30 million in annual revenue. This suggests either a unique compensation structure where key executives are compensated through other means not classified as 'officer compensation' on the 990, or a highly volunteer-driven leadership model, which would be exceptional for an organization of this scale.

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 Making Waves Academy's IRS 990 filings:

• Unusually low (0%) reported officer compensation for an organization of this size, which may obscure the full picture of executive remuneration.

Strengths

The following positive indicators were identified for Making Waves Academy:

• Consistent and significant revenue growth, from $13.1M in 2014 to over $30M currently.
• Strong asset accumulation, growing from $3.5M in 2014 to $17M currently, indicating financial stability.
• Positive net income in most years, demonstrating sound financial management (e.g., $1.1M in 202306).
• No reported officer compensation, suggesting a high dedication to mission or unique compensation structure.

Frequently Asked Questions about Making Waves Academy

Filing History

IRS 990 filing history for Making Waves Academy showing financial trends over 13 years of public records:

Over 13 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Making Waves Academy's revenue has grown by 350.2%, moving from $6.5M to $29.3M. Total assets increased by 1025% over the same period, from $1.4M to $15.3M. Total functional expenses rose by 356.1%, from $6.2M to $28.1M. In its most recent filing year (2023), Making Waves Academy reported a surplus of $1.1M, with revenue exceeding expenses. The organization holds $7.1M in liabilities against $15.3M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 46.8%), resulting in net assets of $8.1M.

Year-by-Year Financial Summary

• 2023: Revenue of $29.3M, expenses of $28.1M, and assets of $15.3M (revenue +7.1% year-over-year).
• 2022: Revenue of $27.3M, expenses of $26.0M, and assets of $9.8M (revenue +4.5% year-over-year).
• 2021: Revenue of $26.2M, expenses of $22.7M, and assets of $7.9M (revenue +13.6% year-over-year).
• 2020: Revenue of $23.0M, expenses of $24.4M, and assets of $6.1M (revenue -2.1% year-over-year).
• 2019: Revenue of $23.5M, expenses of $23.0M, and assets of $4.9M (revenue +21.5% year-over-year).
• 2018: Revenue of $19.4M, expenses of $19.3M, and assets of $4.1M (revenue +21.2% year-over-year).
• 2017: Revenue of $16.0M, expenses of $15.9M, and assets of $3.8M (revenue +11.0% year-over-year).
• 2016: Revenue of $14.4M, expenses of $13.9M, and assets of $3.7M (revenue +19.6% year-over-year).
• 2015: Revenue of $12.0M, expenses of $12.0M, and assets of $3.9M (revenue -8.5% year-over-year).
• 2014: Revenue of $13.1M, expenses of $12.0M, and assets of $3.6M (revenue +32.7% year-over-year).
• 2013: Revenue of $9.9M, expenses of $9.8M, and assets of $2.1M (revenue +19.9% year-over-year).
• 2012: Revenue of $8.3M, expenses of $8.2M, and assets of $1.4M (revenue +27.1% year-over-year).
• 2011: Revenue of $6.5M, expenses of $6.2M, and assets of $1.4M.

View Individual Filing Years

Explore detailed financial data from each IRS 990 filing year for Making Waves Academy:

Data Sources and Methodology

This transparency report for Making Waves Academy 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.