Polaris Foundation Inc

Polaris Foundation Inc. experiences significant asset decline over a decade despite recent positive revenue-to-expense ratio.

EIN: 134012835 · Jaffrey, NH · NTEE: T20 · Updated: 2026-03-28

$87KRevenue

$176KAssets

45/100Mission Score (Fair)

T20

About Polaris Foundation Inc

Polaris Foundation Inc (EIN: 134012835) is a nonprofit organization based in Jaffrey, NH, classified under NTEE code T20. The organization reported total revenue of $87K and total assets of $176K according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Polaris Foundation Inc's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.

AI Transparency Report

Polaris Foundation Inc. demonstrates a concerning financial trend with declining assets and inconsistent revenue generation over its filing history. While the organization reported $86,659 in latest revenue, its assets have significantly decreased from $479,569 in 2011 to $176,118 in 2020. This indicates that expenses have frequently outpaced revenue, as seen in periods like 2014 (revenue $32,002, expenses $127,185) and 2013 (revenue $20,534, expenses $119,064). The organization's financial health appears to be in a state of contraction, with a substantial reduction in its asset base over the past decade.

The spending efficiency is difficult to fully assess without a detailed breakdown of program, administrative, and fundraising expenses. However, the consistent pattern of expenses exceeding revenue in multiple years suggests potential inefficiencies or a reliance on drawing down existing assets. The latest filing (2020) shows revenue of $41,435 against expenses of $14,078, which is a positive shift, but this single period does not offset the long-term trend of asset depletion. The lack of reported officer compensation across all filings suggests that a significant portion of its operational costs are not related to executive salaries.

In terms of transparency, the consistent filing of IRS Form 990s is a positive indicator. However, without more detailed information on the nature of their programs and how expenses are allocated, a complete assessment of their operational transparency is limited. The consistent reporting of $1 in liabilities across all filings is unusual and warrants further investigation to understand its implications, though it could simply indicate minimal debt.

Mission Effectiveness Score

NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Polaris Foundation Inc with a Mission Score of 45 out of 100 (Fair). 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, Polaris Foundation Inc allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 20%, programs: 70%, fundraising: 10%. Approximately 70% goes to programs, indicating moderate mission focus.

Executive Compensation Analysis

Officer compensation has consistently been reported as 0% across all available filings, indicating that the organization's leadership is either unpaid or compensated through non-officer roles, which is unusual for an organization with assets over $176,000.

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 Polaris Foundation Inc's IRS 990 filings:

Significant and consistent decline in assets over a decade (from $479,569 in 2011 to $176,118 in 2020).
Expenses frequently exceeding revenue in multiple past periods, indicating unsustainable spending.
Unusual consistent reporting of $1 in liabilities across all filings.
Lack of reported officer compensation, which can sometimes obscure how leadership is supported or if there are uncompensated roles.

Strengths

The following positive indicators were identified for Polaris Foundation Inc:

Consistent filing of IRS Form 990s, indicating compliance with reporting requirements.
Positive revenue-to-expense ratio in the most recent filing (2020: revenue $41,435, expenses $14,078), suggesting a recent improvement in financial management.
Zero reported officer compensation, which could indicate a volunteer-driven leadership structure.

Frequently Asked Questions about Polaris Foundation Inc

Is Polaris Foundation Inc. financially stable?

No, the organization shows a significant decline in assets from $479,569 in 2011 to $176,118 in 2020, indicating a long-term trend of financial instability and asset depletion, despite a positive revenue-to-expense ratio in the most recent filing.

What is the primary reason for the asset decline?

The primary reason for the asset decline appears to be that expenses frequently exceeded revenue in multiple periods, such as 2014 (expenses $127,185 vs. revenue $32,002) and 2013 (expenses $119,064 vs. revenue $20,534), leading to the organization drawing down its existing assets.

How does Polaris Foundation Inc. fund its operations?

Based on the filings, Polaris Foundation Inc. funds its operations through a combination of revenue generation and, historically, by utilizing its existing asset base, as evidenced by the consistent decline in assets over time when expenses outpaced revenue.

Filing History

IRS 990 filing history for Polaris Foundation Inc showing financial trends over 7 years of public records:

Over 7 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2020), Polaris Foundation Inc's revenue has grown by 147.9%, moving from $17K to $41K. Total assets decreased by 63.3% over the same period, from $480K to $176K. Total functional expenses fell by 79.8%, from $70K to $14K. In its most recent filing year (2020), Polaris Foundation Inc reported a surplus of $27K, with revenue exceeding expenses. The organization holds $1 in liabilities against $176K in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%), resulting in net assets of $176K.

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Liabilities	Officer Comp.	PDF
2020	$41K	$14K	$176K	$1	—	—
2019	$6K	$18K	$149K	$1	—	View 990
2015	$33K	$63K	$202K	$1	—	View 990
2014	$32K	$127K	$233K	$1	—	View 990
2013	$21K	$119K	$328K	$1	—	View 990
2012	$17K	$70K	$426K	$1	—	View 990
2011	$17K	$70K	$480K	$1	—	View 990

Year-by-Year Financial Summary

2020: Revenue of $41K, expenses of $14K, and assets of $176K (revenue +597.0% year-over-year).
2019: Revenue of $6K, expenses of $18K, and assets of $149K (revenue -81.9% year-over-year).
2015: Revenue of $33K, expenses of $63K, and assets of $202K (revenue +2.5% year-over-year).
2014: Revenue of $32K, expenses of $127K, and assets of $233K (revenue +55.8% year-over-year).
2013: Revenue of $21K, expenses of $119K, and assets of $328K (revenue +21.4% year-over-year).
2012: Revenue of $17K, expenses of $70K, and assets of $426K (revenue +1.2% year-over-year).
2011: Revenue of $17K, expenses of $70K, and assets of $480K.

Data Sources and Methodology

This transparency report for Polaris Foundation Inc 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.