The Borgen Project
The Borgen Project shows fluctuating revenue and recent operating deficits, with no reported officer compensation.
EIN: 200536470 · Tacoma, WA · NTEE: Q01 · Updated: 2026-03-28
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $507K |
| Total Expenses | $667K |
| Program Spending | 75% |
| Net Assets | $934K |
| Transparency Score | 80/100 |
Is The Borgen Project Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
The Borgen Project directs 75% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About The Borgen Project
The Borgen Project (EIN: 200536470) is a nonprofit organization based in Tacoma, WA, classified under NTEE code Q01. The organization reported total revenue of $507K and total assets of $799K according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of The Borgen Project's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
Organization Overview
The Borgen Project is a small nonprofit that has been operating for 22 years, with 12 years of IRS 990 filings on record (2012–2023). Revenue has grown at a compound annual rate of 22.3%.
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
| Total Revenue | $574K |
| Total Expenses | $667K |
| Surplus / Deficit | $-92,428 |
| Total Assets | $950K |
| Total Liabilities | $16K |
| Net Assets | $934K |
| Operating Margin | -16.1% |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio | 1.7% |
| Months of Reserves | 17.1 months |
Financial Health Grade: B
In 2023, The Borgen Project reported a deficit of $92K with expenses exceeding revenue, holds 17.1 months of operating reserves (strong position), has a debt-to-asset ratio of 1.7% (very low leverage).
Financial Trends
Over 12 years of filings (2012–2023), The Borgen Project's revenue has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.3%.
| Year | Revenue Change | Expense Change | Asset Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +37.0% | +10.7% | -4.7% |
| 2022 | -54.0% | -10.4% | -21.9% |
| 2021 | -30.3% | +12.1% | +27.6% |
| 2020 | +175.6% | +34.0% | +267.0% |
| 2019 | +17.7% | -1.8% | +23.5% |
IRS Tax-Exempt Classification
| IRS Classification Codes | 2000 |
| IRS Ruling Date | 2004 |
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 The Borgen Project with a Mission Score of 80 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: 15%
- programs: 75%
- fundraising: 10%
According to IRS 990 filings, The Borgen Project allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 15%, programs: 75%, fundraising: 10%. With 75% 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 deficit of $92K, with expenses exceeding revenue.
- Debt-to-asset ratio: 1.7%.
Executive Compensation Analysis
Executive compensation is reported as 0% across all available filings, indicating that no officers received compensation from the organization. This is a highly positive sign for a nonprofit of its size, suggesting a strong commitment to directing funds towards its mission.
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 The Borgen Project's IRS 990 filings:
- Operating deficits in recent years (2022 and 2023), where expenses exceeded revenue.
- Significant fluctuation and recent decline in revenue from a peak of $1,308,273 in 2020 to $574,196 in 2023.
- Decrease in net assets from $1,277,204 in 2021 to $949,871 in 2023.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for The Borgen Project:
- Consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation across all available filings, indicating high financial integrity.
- Long history of IRS 990 filings (12 periods), demonstrating strong transparency and compliance.
- Low liabilities relative to assets, suggesting responsible debt management.
- Significant growth in assets and revenue over the past decade, despite recent fluctuations.
Frequently Asked Questions about The Borgen Project
Is The Borgen Project a legitimate charity?
The Borgen Project (EIN: 200536470) is a registered tax-exempt nonprofit based in Washington. Our AI analysis gives it a Mission Score of 80/100. It has 12 years of IRS 990 filings on record. Total revenue: $507K. 3 red flags identified. 4 strengths noted. Financial health grade: B.
How does The Borgen Project spend its money?
The Borgen Project directs 75% of its spending to programs and services. Fundraising costs 10%. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark.
Are donations to The Borgen Project tax-deductible?
The Borgen Project is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 200536470). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
What percentage of The Borgen Project's spending goes to programs?
The Borgen Project directs 75% to programs, 10% to fundraising. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark for efficient nonprofits.
How does The Borgen Project compare to similar nonprofits?
With a transparency score of 80/100 (Excellent), The Borgen Project is above average for NTEE category Q01 nonprofits. The score reflects financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance quality based on IRS 990 data.
Where is The Borgen Project located?
The Borgen Project is headquartered in Tacoma, Washington and files with the IRS under EIN 200536470. It is classified under NTEE code Q01.
How many years of IRS 990 filings does The Borgen Project have?
The Borgen Project has 12 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 $507K in total revenue.
Is The Borgen Project a good charity?
Based on the provided data, The Borgen Project exhibits strong transparency with consistent 990 filings and no reported officer compensation. However, recent operating deficits (expenses exceeding revenue in 2022 and 2023) suggest potential financial sustainability challenges that warrant further investigation into their spending and revenue generation strategies.
Why did The Borgen Project's revenue decrease significantly from 2020 to 2022?
The organization's revenue peaked at $1,308,273 in 2020, then dropped to $911,644 in 2021 and further to $419,026 in 2022. This significant decline could be due to various factors such as changes in funding sources, economic conditions, or specific fundraising campaign cycles, which would require reviewing the detailed 990 forms for explanations.
What caused the operating deficits in 2022 and 2023?
In 2022, expenses ($602,173) exceeded revenue ($419,026), and in 2023, expenses ($666,624) exceeded revenue ($574,196). This indicates that the organization spent more than it brought in during these periods. A detailed analysis of the expense categories in the 990 forms would be needed to understand if this was due to increased program spending, administrative costs, or fundraising efforts, or a combination with declining revenue.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for The Borgen Project showing financial trends over 12 years of public records:
Over 12 years of IRS 990 filings (2012–2023), The Borgen Project's revenue has grown by 812.6%, moving from $63K to $574K. Total assets increased by 1058% over the same period, from $82K to $950K. Total functional expenses rose by 2502.5%, from $26K to $667K. In its most recent filing year (2023), The Borgen Project reported a deficit of $92K, with expenses exceeding revenue. The organization holds $16K in liabilities against $950K in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 1.7%), resulting in net assets of $934K.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $574K | $667K | $950K | $16K | — | — |
| 2022 | $419K | $602K | $997K | $9K | — | — |
| 2021 | $912K | $672K | $1.3M | $7K | — | View 990 |
| 2020 | $1.3M | $600K | $1.0M | $7K | — | — |
| 2019 | $475K | $448K | $273K | $7K | — | View 990 |
| 2018 | $403K | $456K | $221K | $4K | — | View 990 |
| 2017 | $376K | $348K | $275K | $1K | — | View 990 |
| 2016 | $271K | $238K | $237K | $2K | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $207K | $194K | $200K | $4K | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $206K | $157K | $181K | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $101K | $49K | $133K | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $63K | $26K | $82K | $0 | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2023: Revenue of $574K, expenses of $667K, and assets of $950K (revenue +37.0% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $419K, expenses of $602K, and assets of $997K (revenue -54.0% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $912K, expenses of $672K, and assets of $1.3M (revenue -30.3% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $1.3M, expenses of $600K, and assets of $1.0M (revenue +175.6% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $475K, expenses of $448K, and assets of $273K (revenue +17.7% year-over-year).
- 2018: Revenue of $403K, expenses of $456K, and assets of $221K (revenue +7.4% year-over-year).
- 2017: Revenue of $376K, expenses of $348K, and assets of $275K (revenue +38.9% year-over-year).
- 2016: Revenue of $271K, expenses of $238K, and assets of $237K (revenue +31.0% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $207K, expenses of $194K, and assets of $200K (revenue +0.5% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $206K, expenses of $157K, and assets of $181K (revenue +104.4% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $101K, expenses of $49K, and assets of $133K (revenue +59.8% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $63K, expenses of $26K, and assets of $82K.
View Individual Filing Years
Explore detailed financial data from each IRS 990 filing year for The Borgen Project:
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for The Borgen Project 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.