The Selz Foundation
The Selz Foundation shows highly volatile revenue but maintains substantial assets with zero reported officer compensation.
EIN: 133180806 · New York, NY · Updated: 2026-03-28
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $67.6M |
| Total Expenses | $9.7M |
| Program Spending | 75% |
| CEO/Top Officer Pay | $100 |
| Net Assets | $129.7M |
| Transparency Score | 65/100 |
Is The Selz Foundation Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
The Selz Foundation directs 75% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About The Selz Foundation
The Selz Foundation (EIN: 133180806) is a nonprofit organization based in New York, NY. The organization reported total revenue of $67.6M and total assets of $134.6M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of The Selz Foundation's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
Organization Overview
The Selz Foundation is a major nonprofit that has been operating for 43 years, with 10 years of IRS 990 filings on record (2011–2023).
Financial Trends
| Year | Revenue Change | Expense Change | Asset Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | -137.2% | -41.8% | -14.8% |
| 2022 | +15.9% | +68.9% | +7.0% |
| 2021 | +433.8% | +6.2% | +13.6% |
| 2020 | -69.0% | -41.7% | -22.4% |
| 2019 | +96.8% | +77.0% | +13.5% |
IRS Tax-Exempt Classification
| IRS Classification Codes | 1000 |
| IRS Ruling Date | 1983 |
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 Selz 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: 75%
- fundraising: 10%
According to IRS 990 filings, The Selz 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.
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
- Debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%.
Executive Compensation Analysis
The Selz Foundation consistently reports 0% officer compensation across all available filings, which is unusual for an organization with assets exceeding $100 million and annual expenses often in the millions. This could indicate a fully volunteer executive team or that compensation is reported under a different category not captured in the 'Officer Comp' field, warranting further investigation for full transparency.
Executive compensation data is sourced from IRS 990 filings, which require nonprofits to disclose the compensation of officers, directors, trustees, and key employees. NonprofitSpending analyzes this data relative to the organization's total revenue and sector benchmarks to assess whether executive pay is reasonable.
Red Flags
The following concerns were identified during AI analysis of The Selz Foundation's IRS 990 filings:
- Highly volatile revenue, including a significant negative revenue in 2023 ($-10,556,682), which could indicate unstable funding or major investment losses.
- Consistent reporting of $1 in liabilities across all filings, which is highly unusual and may suggest an oversimplification or misreporting of actual liabilities.
- Lack of detailed expense breakdown (program, admin, fundraising) in the provided data, hindering a full assessment of spending efficiency.
- Consistent 0% officer compensation reported, which is atypical for an organization with over $100 million in assets and annual expenses in the millions, potentially obscuring leadership costs.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for The Selz Foundation:
- Maintains substantial assets, consistently over $129 million, indicating strong financial reserves.
- Low reported liabilities ($1 across all filings), suggesting a strong balance sheet and minimal debt.
- Long filing history (10 filings), indicating consistent compliance with IRS reporting requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions about The Selz Foundation
Is The Selz Foundation a legitimate charity?
The Selz Foundation (EIN: 133180806) is a registered tax-exempt nonprofit based in New York. Our AI analysis gives it a Mission Score of 65/100. It has 10 years of IRS 990 filings on record. Total revenue: $67.6M. 4 red flags identified. 3 strengths noted. Financial health grade: B.
How does The Selz Foundation spend its money?
The Selz Foundation directs 75% of its spending to programs and services. Fundraising costs 10%. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark.
Are donations to The Selz Foundation tax-deductible?
The Selz Foundation is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 133180806). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
How much does the The Selz Foundation CEO make?
The Selz Foundation's highest-compensated officer earns $100 annually. The organization reported $67.6M in total revenue. Executive compensation data is disclosed in IRS 990 filings.
What percentage of The Selz Foundation's spending goes to programs?
The Selz Foundation directs 75% to programs, 10% to fundraising. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark for efficient nonprofits.
Where is The Selz Foundation located?
The Selz Foundation is headquartered in New York, New York and files with the IRS under EIN 133180806.
How many years of IRS 990 filings does The Selz Foundation have?
The Selz 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 $67.6M in total revenue.
Why does The Selz Foundation report 0% officer compensation across all filings?
The consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation is unusual for an organization of this size and could indicate a volunteer-led executive team or that compensation is categorized differently in their full 990 filings, requiring further review of the detailed forms.
What caused the negative revenue of $-10,556,682 in the 2023 fiscal period?
A negative revenue figure often indicates significant investment losses or substantial returns of contributions. Without access to the full 990, the specific cause cannot be determined, but it represents a substantial financial event for the organization.
How does The Selz Foundation manage its highly fluctuating revenue streams?
The organization's ability to maintain substantial assets despite significant revenue volatility (e.g., $78M in 2014 vs. -$10M in 2023) suggests robust asset management and potentially a reliance on investment income or endowment draws to cover expenses during low-revenue periods.
What is the NTEE Code for The Selz Foundation and how does it align with its activities?
The NTEE Code is currently unknown. Identifying this code would clarify the organization's primary mission and allow for better comparison of its financial metrics against peer organizations in the same sector.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for The Selz Foundation showing financial trends over 10 years of public records:
Over 10 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), The Selz Foundation's revenue has declined by 225.6%, moving from $8.4M to $-10,556,682. Total assets increased by 43.8% over the same period, from $90.2M to $129.7M. Total functional expenses rose by 25.2%, from $7.7M to $9.7M. The organization holds $1 in liabilities against $129.7M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%), resulting in net assets of $129.7M.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $-10,556,682 | $9.7M | $129.7M | $1 | — | — |
| 2022 | $28.3M | $16.7M | $152.3M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2021 | $24.5M | $9.9M | $142.4M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2020 | $4.6M | $9.3M | $125.4M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2019 | $14.8M | $15.9M | $161.5M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $7.5M | $9.0M | $142.4M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $78.2M | $12.6M | $163.3M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $10.0M | $8.1M | $93.7M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $9.6M | $8.0M | $91.8M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2011 | $8.4M | $7.7M | $90.2M | $1 | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2023: Revenue of $-10,556,682, expenses of $9.7M, and assets of $129.7M (revenue -137.2% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $28.3M, expenses of $16.7M, and assets of $152.3M (revenue +15.9% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $24.5M, expenses of $9.9M, and assets of $142.4M (revenue +433.8% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $4.6M, expenses of $9.3M, and assets of $125.4M (revenue -69.0% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $14.8M, expenses of $15.9M, and assets of $161.5M (revenue +96.8% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $7.5M, expenses of $9.0M, and assets of $142.4M (revenue -90.4% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $78.2M, expenses of $12.6M, and assets of $163.3M (revenue +685.5% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $10.0M, expenses of $8.1M, and assets of $93.7M (revenue +4.0% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $9.6M, expenses of $8.0M, and assets of $91.8M (revenue +13.9% year-over-year).
- 2011: Revenue of $8.4M, expenses of $7.7M, and assets of $90.2M.
View Individual Filing Years
Explore detailed financial data from each IRS 990 filing year for The Selz Foundation:
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for The Selz 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.