Zet Foundation

Zet Foundation shows highly volatile revenue with consistent zero officer compensation.

EIN: 205819853 · Cos Cob, CT · NTEE: T20 · Updated: 2026-03-28

$9KRevenue

$204KAssets

65/100Mission Score (Good)

T20

About Zet Foundation

Zet Foundation (EIN: 205819853) is a nonprofit organization based in Cos Cob, CT, classified under NTEE code T20. The organization reported total revenue of $9K and total assets of $204K according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Zet Foundation's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.

AI Transparency Report

The Zet Foundation exhibits a highly variable financial history, with significant fluctuations in revenue and expenses over the past decade. While the latest reported revenue is $8,947 and assets are $204,289, the organization has experienced several years of negative revenue, indicating reliance on asset drawdowns or inconsistent funding. For instance, in 2021, 2020, 2019, 2015, 2014, and 2012, the foundation reported negative revenue figures. This volatility makes it challenging to assess long-term financial stability based solely on recent filings.

The foundation consistently reports zero officer compensation, which is a positive indicator for donor confidence regarding executive pay. However, without a detailed breakdown of expenses beyond total expenses, it's difficult to ascertain spending efficiency across programs, administration, and fundraising. The NTEE code T20 (Philanthropy, Voluntarism, and Grantmaking Foundations) suggests its primary activity is grantmaking, but the small revenue and expense figures in many years raise questions about the scale of its philanthropic impact.

Transparency is generally good in terms of filing history, with 10 filings available. However, the lack of detailed expense categories in the provided data limits a thorough analysis of how funds are allocated. The consistent reporting of minimal liabilities ($0 or $1) suggests a healthy balance sheet in terms of debt, but the overall financial health is impacted by the revenue instability.

Mission Effectiveness Score

NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Zet 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, Zet 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.

Executive Compensation Analysis

The Zet Foundation consistently reports 0% officer compensation across all available filings, indicating that no salaries or benefits are paid to its executives, which is highly favorable for donor perception and 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 Zet Foundation's IRS 990 filings:

Highly volatile and often negative revenue, indicating unstable funding.
Small scale of operations relative to asset base, raising questions about impact efficiency.
Lack of detailed expense breakdown prevents thorough analysis of program vs. administrative spending.

Strengths

The following positive indicators were identified for Zet Foundation:

Consistent 0% officer compensation, indicating no executive salaries.
Low liabilities ($0 or $1) across all filings, suggesting good debt management.
Consistent filing of IRS Form 990s, demonstrating transparency in reporting.

Frequently Asked Questions about Zet Foundation

What is the primary source of Zet Foundation's funding given its volatile revenue?

The foundation's revenue has been highly inconsistent, with several years of negative revenue. This suggests a reliance on investment income, asset sales, or highly irregular donations rather than a stable, recurring funding stream.

How does Zet Foundation manage to operate with such low and often negative revenue?

The foundation likely operates on a very small scale, potentially utilizing its existing assets (e.g., $208,948 in 2023) to cover expenses during periods of low or negative revenue. The low expense figures in many years (e.g., $1,052 in 2021) support this.

What are the specific program activities of Zet Foundation?

Based on the NTEE code T20 (Philanthropy, Voluntarism, and Grantmaking Foundations), the foundation's primary activity is likely grantmaking. However, without more detailed expense breakdowns, the specific programs or beneficiaries are not discernible from the provided data.

Filing History

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

Over 10 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Zet Foundation's revenue has declined by 33.8%, moving from $46K to $31K. Total assets increased by 94.3% over the same period, from $108K to $209K. Total functional expenses rose by 45.6%, from $9K to $12K. In its most recent filing year (2023), Zet Foundation reported a surplus of $18K, with revenue exceeding expenses. The organization holds $1 in liabilities against $209K in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%), resulting in net assets of $209K.

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Liabilities	Officer Comp.	PDF
2023	$31K	$12K	$209K	$1	—	—
2022	$5K	$19K	$189K	$1	—	View 990
2021	$-111	$1K	$202K	$1	—	—
2020	$-5,362	$3K	$59K	$1	—	—
2019	$-4,289	$2K	$66K	$1	—	—
2015	$-509	$7K	$78K	$0	—	View 990
2014	$-8,429	$8K	$86K	$0	—	View 990
2013	$9K	$3K	$102K	$0	—	View 990
2012	$-2,396	$8K	$97K	$0	—	View 990
2011	$46K	$9K	$108K	$0	—	View 990

Year-by-Year Financial Summary

2023: Revenue of $31K, expenses of $12K, and assets of $209K (revenue +540.5% year-over-year).
2022: Revenue of $5K, expenses of $19K, and assets of $189K.
2021: Revenue of $-111, expenses of $1K, and assets of $202K.
2020: Revenue of $-5,362, expenses of $3K, and assets of $59K.
2019: Revenue of $-4,289, expenses of $2K, and assets of $66K.
2015: Revenue of $-509, expenses of $7K, and assets of $78K.
2014: Revenue of $-8,429, expenses of $8K, and assets of $86K (revenue -189.1% year-over-year).
2013: Revenue of $9K, expenses of $3K, and assets of $102K.
2012: Revenue of $-2,396, expenses of $8K, and assets of $97K (revenue -105.2% year-over-year).
2011: Revenue of $46K, expenses of $9K, and assets of $108K.

Data Sources and Methodology

This transparency report for Zet 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.