Sustain Charlotte Inc

Overview

Mission

Sustain Charlotte's mission is to create a more equitable, connected, and healthy community by inspiring responsible growth and transportation choices.

What it reported doing in 2024

Sustain Charlotte informs, engages, and empowers residents to tackle the complex sustainability challenges resulting from the regions rapid population growth. We achieve this by creating meaningful opportunities for residents to voice their opinions and advocate for decisions that shape their future; providing accessible, up-to-date information through our website, weekly newsletter, and social media channels; hosting educational and inspiring events that foster community connection and learning; collaborating closely with the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County; partnering with over 100 community organizations to amplify our collective impact; and offering volunteer opportunities for individuals passionate about sustainability.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 96% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
010975452
IRS 990 coverage
2013–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Charlotte, NC, USA
Phone
7043382610
Rating
77
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Urban, Community Economic Development

Official website

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 65
  • Transparency & Controls: 87
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 27
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 75.5%; rating input score 76
  • Program expense ratio: 64.2%; rating input score 64
  • Fundraising efficiency: $3.97 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -16.8%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.13; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.09; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 16.7%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 12.6% per year; rating input score 100; 70th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 12.2% per year; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 18.4% per year; rating input score 100; 79th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 75.5% of revenue deployed · 64.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 15 of 15 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $522K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $136K · 16 people listed
  • Consistency: 25 of 26 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 12 annual filings from 2013 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Leadership & pay

16 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • Shannon Binns (Executive Dir.): $135,604 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.