Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan

Overview

Mission

Inspired Giving. Lasting Impact. Leading Change. We build the resources, relationships and expertise required to expand equitable access to opportunities. Our mission is to make southeast Michigan a desirable place to live, work and play for all residents, today and tomorrow. 40+ Years of Community Impact Southeast Michigan thrives when people have access to opportunities, essential services and vibrant public spaces. This is the theory of change behind our work. We invest in five focus areas to help build strong, connected communities.

What it reported doing in 2024

A collaboration of foundations launched the new economy initiative (nei) at the community foundation in 2007. Nei is working to diversify the regional economy of southeast Michigan and stimulate entrepreneurial development. In 2024, nei funded grants and other important work totaling approximately $6.9 million. Nei primarily concentrates on building a network of support for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Nei's grants support nonprofit service providers who provide technical assistance, such as business planning and concept-testing, and those who provide capital and other resources. In addition, nei provides support to help these networks of service providers connect better to each other and the people they serve. Nei's work is focused on building a resilient and equitable economy by increasing growth and scalability among small businesses in underserved communities that will create jobs and generate wealth for residents.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 78% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 93% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
382530980
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Headquarters
Detroit, MI, US
Phone
313.961.6675
Rating
90
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Community Foundations

Official website

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and reported officer compensation is a large share of total spending, which may reflect staffing concentration.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 92
  • Transparency & Controls: 78
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 88
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 96.6%; rating input score 97
  • Program expense ratio: 87.2%; rating input score 87
  • Fundraising efficiency: $83.38 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 94.1%; rating input score 94; 28th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Grant itemization coverage: 98.9%; rating input score 99; 36th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • 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: 46.7%; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 9.2; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 93; 93rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 2.7%; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 8.5% per year; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 17.1% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 6.9% per year; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 1 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 96.6% of revenue deployed · 87.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 42 of 42 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $114.4M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $720K · 64 people listed · 5 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $3.5M reported
  • Consistency: 34 of 35 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, executive pay, and related organizations
  • Filing history: 4 annual filings from 2020 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 950 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 948 filed related-organization links
  • 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

64 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • RICHARD L DEVORE (PRESIDENT): $719,647 total reported compensation
  • NICOLE SHERARD-FREEMAN (CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER): $416,036 total reported compensation
  • LAURA L BROWNFIELD (GENERAL COUNSEL): $335,856 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.