The Onestar Foundation
Onestar Foundation experiences extreme financial volatility with significant revenue and asset declines.
EIN: 200166368 · Austin, TX · NTEE: S80 · Updated: 2026-03-28
Is The Onestar Foundation Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
The Onestar Foundation directs 75% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About The Onestar Foundation
The Onestar Foundation (EIN: 200166368) is a nonprofit organization based in Austin, TX, classified under NTEE code S80. The organization reported total revenue of $3.2M and total assets of $1.7M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of The Onestar 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 The Onestar Foundation with a Mission Score of 55 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: 15%
- programs: 75%
- fundraising: 10%
According to IRS 990 filings, The Onestar Foundation 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.
Executive Compensation Analysis
The Onestar Foundation consistently reports 0% officer compensation across all available filings, indicating that no portion of its budget is allocated to executive salaries, which is highly unusual for an organization of its past scale and current revenue. This suggests either a fully volunteer-led executive team or that executive compensation is reported under other expense categories, which would reduce transparency.
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 Onestar Foundation's IRS 990 filings:
- Extreme financial volatility with inconsistent revenue and expense patterns, making long-term planning difficult.
- Significant decline in assets from $51.5 million in 2017 to $1.7 million in the latest period, indicating a substantial reduction in financial reserves or operational scale.
- Expenses exceeding revenue in multiple periods (e.g., 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015), suggesting potential operational deficits.
- Reporting 0% officer compensation for an organization of its past and current scale, which is unusual and may warrant further scrutiny into how executive leadership is compensated or structured.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for The Onestar Foundation:
- Consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation, indicating a potential commitment to directing funds towards mission-related activities rather than executive salaries.
- Long filing history (12 filings), suggesting a sustained presence and compliance with IRS reporting requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions about The Onestar Foundation
Is The Onestar Foundation a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, The Onestar Foundation (EIN: 200166368) some concerns. Mission Score: 55/100. 4 red flags identified, 2 strengths noted.
How does The Onestar Foundation spend its money?
The Onestar Foundation directs 75% of its spending to programs and services. The remaining budget covers administration and fundraising costs.
Are donations to The Onestar Foundation tax-deductible?
The Onestar Foundation is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 200166368). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
What caused the extreme fluctuations in revenue and expenses, particularly the $58.8 million revenue in 2017 followed by a sharp decline?
The provided data does not specify the reasons for these dramatic shifts, but such volatility could be due to large, time-limited grants, specific project funding, or significant changes in fundraising strategies or economic conditions.
How does The Onestar Foundation sustain operations with 0% reported officer compensation?
It is highly unusual for an organization with revenues reaching tens of millions to report 0% officer compensation. This could imply a fully volunteer executive team, or that compensation is categorized differently, which would require further investigation into their detailed IRS Form 990 filings.
What is the current financial strategy given the significant decline in assets from $51.5 million in 2017 to $1.7 million currently?
The substantial reduction in assets suggests a significant change in the organization's financial strategy, possibly involving asset liquidation, major program expenditures, or a shift away from holding large reserves. Further details from their financial statements would be needed to understand this strategy.
What are the specific program activities and their impact, given the NTEE code S80 (Philanthropy, Voluntarism, and Grantmaking Foundations)?
As a grantmaking foundation, its primary program activities would involve distributing grants to other organizations. The impact would be measured by the effectiveness of the grantees it supports, which is not directly discernible from these financial summaries.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for The Onestar Foundation showing financial trends over 12 years of public records:
Over 12 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2022), The Onestar Foundation's revenue has grown by 268.4%, moving from $3.0M to $10.9M. Total assets increased by 297.9% over the same period, from $541K to $2.2M. Total functional expenses rose by 288.8%, from $3.0M to $11.5M. In its most recent filing year (2022), The Onestar Foundation reported a deficit of $565K, with expenses exceeding revenue. The organization holds $368K in liabilities against $2.2M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 17.1%), resulting in net assets of $1.8M.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $10.9M | $11.5M | $2.2M | $368K | — | View 990 |
| 2021 | $3.4M | $3.1M | $2.5M | $116K | — | View 990 |
| 2020 | $3.9M | $5.9M | $3.1M | $1.0M | — | View 990 |
| 2019 | $15.8M | $43.2M | $14.8M | $10.7M | — | View 990 |
| 2018 | $36.5M | $54.3M | $40.0M | $8.6M | — | View 990 |
| 2017 | $58.8M | $9.6M | $51.5M | $2.3M | — | View 990 |
| 2016 | $2.4M | $2.3M | $175K | $175K | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $2.3M | $2.5M | $254K | $289K | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $2.0M | $2.0M | $423K | $296K | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $1.9M | $1.9M | $516K | $402K | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $2.2M | $2.2M | $458K | $344K | — | View 990 |
| 2011 | $3.0M | $3.0M | $541K | $430K | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2022: Revenue of $10.9M, expenses of $11.5M, and assets of $2.2M (revenue +223.9% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $3.4M, expenses of $3.1M, and assets of $2.5M (revenue -14.1% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $3.9M, expenses of $5.9M, and assets of $3.1M (revenue -75.1% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $15.8M, expenses of $43.2M, and assets of $14.8M (revenue -56.8% year-over-year).
- 2018: Revenue of $36.5M, expenses of $54.3M, and assets of $40.0M (revenue -37.9% year-over-year).
- 2017: Revenue of $58.8M, expenses of $9.6M, and assets of $51.5M (revenue +2387.8% year-over-year).
- 2016: Revenue of $2.4M, expenses of $2.3M, and assets of $175K (revenue +3.3% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $2.3M, expenses of $2.5M, and assets of $254K (revenue +15.1% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $2.0M, expenses of $2.0M, and assets of $423K (revenue +3.0% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $1.9M, expenses of $1.9M, and assets of $516K (revenue -11.8% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $2.2M, expenses of $2.2M, and assets of $458K (revenue -26.2% year-over-year).
- 2011: Revenue of $3.0M, expenses of $3.0M, and assets of $541K.
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for The Onestar 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.