Stern Family Foundation
Stern Family Foundation faces significant financial challenges with declining assets and persistent operational deficits.
EIN: 208015847 · Columbia, SC · NTEE: T22 · Updated: 2026-03-28
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $48K |
| Total Expenses | $103K |
| Program Spending | 70% |
| Net Assets | $188K |
| Transparency Score | 45/100 |
Is Stern Family Foundation Legit?
Significant Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
Stern Family Foundation directs 70% of its spending to programs. This meets the industry benchmark of 65% for efficient nonprofits.
About Stern Family Foundation
Stern Family Foundation (EIN: 208015847) is a nonprofit organization based in Columbia, SC, classified under NTEE code T22. The organization reported total revenue of $48K and total assets of $192K according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Stern Family Foundation's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
Organization Overview
Stern Family Foundation is a micro 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 -1.3%.
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
| Total Revenue | $3K |
| Total Expenses | $103K |
| Surplus / Deficit | $-99,363 |
| Total Assets | $188K |
| Total Liabilities | $1 |
| Net Assets | $188K |
| Operating Margin | -3133.5% |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio | 0.0% |
| Months of Reserves | 22.0 months |
Financial Health Grade: B
In 2023, Stern Family Foundation reported a deficit of $99K with expenses exceeding revenue, holds 22.0 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), Stern Family Foundation's revenue has declined at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -1.3%.
| Year | Revenue Change | Expense Change | Asset Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | -36.1% | +4367.7% | -29.9% |
| 2022 | -34.4% | -84.6% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | -63.3% | +1598.9% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | +316.0% | -88.3% | +8.0% |
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 Stern Family Foundation 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, Stern Family 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 deficit of $99K, with expenses exceeding revenue.
- Debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%.
Executive Compensation Analysis
Executive compensation has consistently been reported as 0% across all available filings, indicating that officers are not drawing salaries from the foundation. This is a positive aspect for a small foundation, as it minimizes administrative overhead related to leadership salaries.
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 Stern Family Foundation's IRS 990 filings:
- Consistent operational deficits, with expenses significantly exceeding revenue in multiple years (e.g., $102,534 expenses vs. $3,171 revenue in 2023).
- Significant decline in total assets over time, from $600,711 in 2011 to $188,093 in 2023, indicating unsustainable spending.
- Negative revenue reported in some years (e.g., -$11,580 in 2015), which is unusual and warrants further investigation into its financial activities.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for Stern Family Foundation:
- Zero officer compensation reported across all filings, indicating a commitment to minimizing executive overhead.
- Minimal liabilities reported ($0-$1 across all filings), suggesting the organization is not burdened by debt.
Frequently Asked Questions about Stern Family Foundation
Is Stern Family Foundation a legitimate charity?
Stern Family Foundation (EIN: 208015847) is a registered tax-exempt nonprofit based in South Carolina. Our AI analysis gives it a Mission Score of 45/100. It has 10 years of IRS 990 filings on record. Total revenue: $48K. 3 red flags identified. 2 strengths noted. Financial health grade: B.
How does Stern Family Foundation spend its money?
Stern Family Foundation directs 70% of its spending to programs and services. Fundraising costs 10%. This meets the 65% industry benchmark.
Are donations to Stern Family Foundation tax-deductible?
Stern Family Foundation is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 208015847). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
What percentage of Stern Family Foundation's spending goes to programs?
Stern Family Foundation directs 70% to programs, 10% to fundraising. This meets the 65% industry benchmark for efficient nonprofits.
How does Stern Family Foundation compare to similar nonprofits?
With a transparency score of 45/100 (Fair), Stern Family Foundation is near average for NTEE category T22 nonprofits. The score reflects financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance quality based on IRS 990 data.
Where is Stern Family Foundation located?
Stern Family Foundation is headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina and files with the IRS under EIN 208015847. It is classified under NTEE code T22.
How many years of IRS 990 filings does Stern Family Foundation have?
Stern Family 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 $48K in total revenue.
What is the Stern Family Foundation's primary source of revenue, given its fluctuating and often low income?
The provided data shows highly variable revenue, including negative figures in some years (e.g., -$11,580 in 2015, -$7,889 in 2013), suggesting reliance on investment income or other non-consistent sources, or significant losses. A stable, positive revenue stream is not evident.
How does the Stern Family Foundation plan to address its consistent operational deficits and declining asset base?
The filings consistently show expenses exceeding revenue, leading to a significant reduction in assets from $600,711 in 2011 to $188,093 in 2023. Without a change in strategy, this trend is unsustainable.
What specific programs or grants does the Stern Family Foundation support, and what is their impact?
The provided IRS 990 summary data does not detail specific program expenditures or the nature of the foundation's grants, making it difficult to assess its programmatic impact.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for Stern Family Foundation showing financial trends over 10 years of public records:
Over 10 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Stern Family Foundation's revenue has declined by 14.7%, moving from $4K to $3K. Total assets decreased by 68.7% over the same period, from $601K to $188K. Total functional expenses rose by 295.3%, from $26K to $103K. In its most recent filing year (2023), Stern Family Foundation reported a deficit of $99K, with expenses exceeding revenue. The organization holds $1 in liabilities against $188K in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%), resulting in net assets of $188K.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $3K | $103K | $188K | $1 | — | — |
| 2022 | $5K | $2K | $268K | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2021 | $8K | $15K | $267K | $1 | — | — |
| 2020 | $21K | $876 | $267K | $1 | — | — |
| 2019 | $5K | $7K | $247K | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $-11,580 | $180K | $280K | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $14K | $108K | $461K | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $-7,889 | $54K | $512K | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $18K | $62K | $557K | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2011 | $4K | $26K | $601K | $0 | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2023: Revenue of $3K, expenses of $103K, and assets of $188K (revenue -36.1% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $5K, expenses of $2K, and assets of $268K (revenue -34.4% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $8K, expenses of $15K, and assets of $267K (revenue -63.3% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $21K, expenses of $876, and assets of $267K (revenue +316.0% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $5K, expenses of $7K, and assets of $247K.
- 2015: Revenue of $-11,580, expenses of $180K, and assets of $280K (revenue -184.0% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $14K, expenses of $108K, and assets of $461K.
- 2013: Revenue of $-7,889, expenses of $54K, and assets of $512K (revenue -144.4% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $18K, expenses of $62K, and assets of $557K (revenue +377.6% year-over-year).
- 2011: Revenue of $4K, expenses of $26K, and assets of $601K.
View Individual Filing Years
Explore detailed financial data from each IRS 990 filing year for Stern Family Foundation:
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for Stern Family 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.