Swanson Family Foundation

Swanson Family Foundation experiences volatile revenue and consistent operating deficits, leading to asset decline.

EIN: 208249043 · Phoenix, AZ · NTEE: T20 · Updated: 2026-03-28

$248KRevenue
$1.1MAssets
65/100Mission Score (Good)
T20
Swanson Family Foundation Financial Summary
MetricValue
Total Revenue$248K
Total Expenses$326K
Program Spending80%
Net Assets$1.4M
Transparency Score65/100

Is Swanson Family Foundation Legit?

Some Concerns

GoodFiling Consistency
ExcellentSpending Efficiency
GoodTransparency
3 FoundRed Flags

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

Swanson Family Foundation directs 80% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.

About Swanson Family Foundation

Swanson Family Foundation (EIN: 208249043) is a nonprofit organization based in Phoenix, AZ, classified under NTEE code T20. The organization reported total revenue of $248K and total assets of $1.1M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Swanson Family Foundation's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.

Organization Overview

17Years Operating
SmallSize Classification
10Years of Filings
MixedRevenue Trajectory

Swanson Family Foundation is a small nonprofit that has been operating for 17 years, with 10 years of IRS 990 filings on record (2011–2023). Revenue has grown at a compound annual rate of 37.7%.

Key Financial Metrics (2023)

From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:

Total Revenue$48K
Total Expenses$326K
Surplus / Deficit$-277,380
Total Assets$1.4M
Total Liabilities$1
Net Assets$1.4M
Operating Margin-572.9%
Debt-to-Asset Ratio0.0%
Months of Reserves53.0 months

Financial Health Grade: B

In 2023, Swanson Family Foundation reported a deficit of $277K with expenses exceeding revenue, holds 53.0 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), Swanson Family Foundation's revenue has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 37.7%.

YearRevenue ChangeExpense ChangeAsset Change
2023+289.0%+71.5%-16.2%
2022-99.6%+17.4%-9.8%
2021+22256.9%+452.4%+15891.3%
2020-55.8%-38.2%-57.8%
2019-80.9%-67.7%+0.8%

IRS Tax-Exempt Classification

IRS Classification Codes1200
IRS Ruling Date2009

Classification data from ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Additional BMF data may be available after enrichment.

AI Transparency Report

The Swanson Family Foundation exhibits inconsistent financial activity, with revenue fluctuating significantly over the past decade. For instance, revenue was $2,901,925 in 2021 but dropped to $48,417 in 2023. The organization consistently reports zero officer compensation, which is a positive indicator for resource allocation directly to its mission. However, the foundation has frequently operated at a deficit, with expenses often exceeding revenue, such as in 2023 where expenses were $325,797 against $48,417 in revenue. This pattern suggests reliance on prior year assets or external funding beyond annual revenue to cover operational costs. The consistent reporting of minimal liabilities ($1) across most years indicates a healthy balance sheet in terms of debt management. While the foundation's transparency regarding executive compensation is excellent (reporting 0%), a detailed breakdown of program versus administrative and fundraising expenses is not readily available in the provided summary data, making a precise assessment of spending efficiency challenging. The significant decrease in assets from $1,903,759 in 2021 to $1,440,014 in 2023, alongside consistent deficits, raises questions about the sustainability of its financial model if not addressed. The foundation's NTEE code T20 (Philanthropy, Voluntarism, and Grantmaking Foundations) suggests its primary activity is grantmaking, which typically involves distributing funds rather than direct program delivery, influencing how its 'program spending' might be interpreted. Overall, the Swanson Family Foundation demonstrates strong transparency in executive compensation and low liabilities. However, its financial health is marked by volatile revenue and consistent operating deficits, leading to a decline in assets in recent years. A deeper dive into the allocation of its expenses would be necessary to fully assess its spending efficiency and the impact of its grantmaking activities.

Mission Effectiveness Score

NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Swanson Family Foundation with a Mission Score of 65 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, Swanson Family 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.

Key Financial Metrics (2023)

From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:

$48KTotal Revenue
$326KTotal Expenses
$1.4MTotal Assets
$1Total Liabilities
$1.4MNet Assets
  • The organization reported a deficit of $277K, with expenses exceeding revenue.
  • Debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%.

Executive Compensation Analysis

The Swanson Family Foundation consistently reports 0% officer compensation across all available filings, indicating that no executive salaries are paid, which is highly favorable for 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 Swanson Family Foundation's IRS 990 filings:

  • Consistent operating deficits (e.g., 2023 expenses $325,797 vs. revenue $48,417)
  • Significant decline in assets from $1,903,759 in 2021 to $1,440,014 in 2023
  • Highly volatile revenue streams, making financial planning unpredictable

Strengths

The following positive indicators were identified for Swanson Family Foundation:

  • Zero officer compensation reported across all filings, indicating efficient use of funds for leadership costs.
  • Consistently low liabilities ($1 in most recent filings), suggesting good debt management.
  • Long filing history (10 filings) indicates consistent reporting and operational presence.

Frequently Asked Questions about Swanson Family Foundation

Is Swanson Family Foundation a legitimate charity?

Swanson Family Foundation (EIN: 208249043) is a registered tax-exempt nonprofit based in Arizona. Our AI analysis gives it a Mission Score of 65/100. It has 10 years of IRS 990 filings on record. Total revenue: $248K. 3 red flags identified. 3 strengths noted. Financial health grade: B.

How does Swanson Family Foundation spend its money?

Swanson Family Foundation directs 80% of its spending to programs and services. Fundraising costs 5%. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark.

Are donations to Swanson Family Foundation tax-deductible?

Swanson Family Foundation is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 208249043). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.

What percentage of Swanson Family Foundation's spending goes to programs?

Swanson Family Foundation directs 80% to programs, 5% to fundraising. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark for efficient nonprofits.

How does Swanson Family Foundation compare to similar nonprofits?

With a transparency score of 65/100 (Good), Swanson Family 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 Swanson Family Foundation located?

Swanson Family Foundation is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona and files with the IRS under EIN 208249043. It is classified under NTEE code T20.

How many years of IRS 990 filings does Swanson Family Foundation have?

Swanson 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 $248K in total revenue.

Is the Swanson Family Foundation financially sustainable given its consistent operating deficits?

The foundation has frequently spent more than it earned, for example, $325,797 in expenses against $48,417 in revenue in 2023. This pattern, coupled with a decline in assets from $1,903,759 in 2021 to $1,440,014 in 2023, suggests potential long-term sustainability challenges if not addressed.

What caused the significant revenue spike in 2021 and subsequent decline?

In 2021, the foundation reported $2,901,925 in revenue, a substantial increase from previous and subsequent years. Without further detail from the 990, it's unclear if this was due to a large one-time donation, investment gains, or another extraordinary event, and why it wasn't sustained.

How does the foundation allocate its expenses between grants and operational costs?

The provided data only shows total expenses. As a grantmaking foundation (NTEE T20), understanding the proportion of expenses dedicated to actual grants versus administrative overhead is crucial for assessing its programmatic efficiency.

Filing History

IRS 990 filing history for Swanson Family Foundation showing financial trends over 10 years of public records:

Over 10 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Swanson Family Foundation's revenue has grown by 4551%, moving from $1K to $48K. Total assets increased by 1781.4% over the same period, from $77K to $1.4M. Total functional expenses rose by 16052.6%, from $2K to $326K. In its most recent filing year (2023), Swanson Family Foundation reported a deficit of $277K, with expenses exceeding revenue. The organization holds $1 in liabilities against $1.4M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%), resulting in net assets of $1.4M.

YearRevenueExpensesAssetsLiabilitiesOfficer Comp. %PDF
2023 $48K $326K $1.4M $1
2022 $12K $190K $1.7M $1 View 990
2021 $2.9M $162K $1.9M $1
2020 $13K $29K $12K $1
2019 $29K $47K $28K $1
2015 $154K $147K $28K $1 View 990
2014 $53K $70K $21K $1 View 990
2013 $131K $123K $38K $0 View 990
2012 $1K $47K $31K $0 View 990
2011 $1K $2K $77K $0 View 990

Year-by-Year Financial Summary

  • 2023: Revenue of $48K, expenses of $326K, and assets of $1.4M (revenue +289.0% year-over-year).
  • 2022: Revenue of $12K, expenses of $190K, and assets of $1.7M (revenue -99.6% year-over-year).
  • 2021: Revenue of $2.9M, expenses of $162K, and assets of $1.9M (revenue +22256.9% year-over-year).
  • 2020: Revenue of $13K, expenses of $29K, and assets of $12K (revenue -55.8% year-over-year).
  • 2019: Revenue of $29K, expenses of $47K, and assets of $28K (revenue -80.9% year-over-year).
  • 2015: Revenue of $154K, expenses of $147K, and assets of $28K (revenue +190.6% year-over-year).
  • 2014: Revenue of $53K, expenses of $70K, and assets of $21K (revenue -59.6% year-over-year).
  • 2013: Revenue of $131K, expenses of $123K, and assets of $38K (revenue +8835.1% year-over-year).
  • 2012: Revenue of $1K, expenses of $47K, and assets of $31K (revenue +40.4% year-over-year).
  • 2011: Revenue of $1K, expenses of $2K, and assets of $77K.

View Individual Filing Years

Explore detailed financial data from each IRS 990 filing year for Swanson Family Foundation:

2023 Filing 2022 Filing 2021 Filing 2020 Filing 2019 Filing 2015 Filing 2014 Filing 2013 Filing 2012 Filing 2011 Filing

Data Sources and Methodology

This transparency report for Swanson 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.

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