Sage Foundation
Sage Foundation maintains substantial assets despite fluctuating revenues and occasional operating deficits.
EIN: 200404771 · Arlington, WA · NTEE: T20 · Updated: 2026-03-28
Is Sage Foundation Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
Sage Foundation directs 80% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About Sage Foundation
Sage Foundation (EIN: 200404771) is a nonprofit organization based in Arlington, WA, classified under NTEE code T20. The organization reported total revenue of $31.5M and total assets of $53.8M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Sage Foundation'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 Sage Foundation with a Mission Score of 75 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: 15%
- programs: 80%
- fundraising: 5%
According to IRS 990 filings, Sage Foundation 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
Executive compensation is reported as 0% across all available filings, which is highly unusual for an organization with current assets of over $53 million and annual revenues in the millions, suggesting either a fully volunteer executive team or that compensation is categorized differently.
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 Sage Foundation's IRS 990 filings:
- Significant operating deficit in 2023 ($3.18 million)
- Unusually low reported liabilities ($1 across all filings) which may not reflect full financial picture
- 0% officer compensation reported, which is atypical for an organization of this size and could indicate a lack of transparency in reporting executive pay.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for Sage Foundation:
- Strong and growing asset base ($53,802,619 currently)
- Consistent IRS 990 filing history (10 filings), indicating good compliance
- Minimal reported liabilities, suggesting a very low debt burden
- Significant revenue generation in several years (e.g., $18.4M in 2015)
Frequently Asked Questions about Sage Foundation
Is Sage Foundation a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Sage Foundation (EIN: 200404771) some concerns. Mission Score: 75/100. 3 red flags identified, 4 strengths noted.
How does Sage Foundation spend its money?
Sage Foundation directs 80% of its spending to programs and services. The remaining budget covers administration and fundraising costs.
Are donations to Sage Foundation tax-deductible?
Sage Foundation is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 200404771). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
How does Sage Foundation manage its significant asset base of $53,802,619 given its fluctuating annual revenues?
The organization's substantial assets likely provide a buffer against revenue fluctuations, allowing it to sustain operations even in years with lower income or operating deficits, such as the $3.18 million deficit in 2023.
What is the nature of the '0% Officer Compensation' reported across all filings?
This could indicate that executive leadership is entirely volunteer-based, or that compensation is paid through a related entity or categorized under other expense lines, which would require further detail from the full 990 forms to clarify.
Why did expenses significantly exceed revenue in 2023 ($5,914,355 expenses vs. $2,733,916 revenue)?
This operating deficit suggests either a planned draw-down from reserves, a temporary funding gap, or increased program activity not fully covered by that year's revenue. It warrants investigation into the specific expense categories for that period.
Given the NTEE code T20 (Grantmaking), what percentage of expenses are direct grants versus operational costs?
As a grantmaking foundation, a significant portion of its program spending should ideally be in the form of grants to other organizations. The provided data does not break this down, but it's a critical aspect for evaluating its programmatic efficiency.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for Sage Foundation showing financial trends over 10 years of public records:
Over 10 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Sage Foundation's revenue has grown by 5798.9%, moving from $46K to $2.7M. Total assets increased by 2623.8% over the same period, from $1.9M to $53.1M. Total functional expenses rose by 35866.6%, from $16K to $5.9M. In its most recent filing year (2023), Sage Foundation reported a deficit of $3.2M, with expenses exceeding revenue. The organization holds $1 in liabilities against $53.1M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%), resulting in net assets of $53.1M.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $2.7M | $5.9M | $53.1M | $1 | — | — |
| 2022 | $9.8M | $6.6M | $56.3M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2021 | $7.2M | $3.9M | $53.0M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2020 | $11.0M | $11.2M | $49.7M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2019 | $5.2M | $4.8M | $49.9M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $18.4M | $2.4M | $35.2M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $6.3M | $2.0M | $11.4M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $5.0M | $608K | $7.1M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $972K | $5K | $2.9M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2011 | $46K | $16K | $1.9M | $1 | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2023: Revenue of $2.7M, expenses of $5.9M, and assets of $53.1M (revenue -72.2% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $9.8M, expenses of $6.6M, and assets of $56.3M (revenue +36.5% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $7.2M, expenses of $3.9M, and assets of $53.0M (revenue -34.2% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $11.0M, expenses of $11.2M, and assets of $49.7M (revenue +110.3% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $5.2M, expenses of $4.8M, and assets of $49.9M (revenue -71.7% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $18.4M, expenses of $2.4M, and assets of $35.2M (revenue +190.3% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $6.3M, expenses of $2.0M, and assets of $11.4M (revenue +27.8% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $5.0M, expenses of $608K, and assets of $7.1M (revenue +411.1% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $972K, expenses of $5K, and assets of $2.9M (revenue +1996.5% year-over-year).
- 2011: Revenue of $46K, expenses of $16K, and assets of $1.9M.
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for Sage 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.