Semmes-murphey Foundation

Overview

Mission

(1) to advance the art and science of neurosurgery, neurology and related disciplines through the practice of clinical medicine, the provision of surgical care, and the development of improved methods, systems, techniques, and resources in furtherance thereof. (2) to establish and promote opportunities for graduate and postgraduate medical education in coordination and cooperation with colleges and medicine, science and health professions, hospitals, public and private agencies and others. (3) to engage in clinical and scientific research in conjuction with the professional practice of medicine and surgery. (4) to provide professional medical and surgical patient care, health education and guidance, and other therapeutic health services for individuals and families without regard to race, creed, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, disability, health status, veteran status or (within the economic resources available to the corporation) ability to pay.

What it reported doing in 2024

Compiled data for various clinical research studies and other registries, including the national neurosurgery outcomes database (qod).

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
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
383790195
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Memphis, TN, USA
Phone
9012595316
Rating
70
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Graduate, Professional Schools (Separate Entities)

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$2,411,234
Expenses
$3,044,294
Assets
$691,852
Liabilities
$572,964

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of voting board members are independent and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 87
  • Transparency & Controls: 66
  • Accountability: 50
  • Sustainability: 7
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 80.9%; rating input score 81
  • Fundraising efficiency: $10.84 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 93.3%; rating input score 93; 17th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 33.3%; rating input score 33; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -26.3%; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.23; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.83; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 21.3%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 10.3% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 10.9% per year; rating input score 100; 71st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 6.5% per year; rating input score 100; 42nd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 80.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 4 of 12 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $2.5M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $282K · 16 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 4 contractors listed · $820K reported
  • Consistency: 29 of 30 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 annual filings from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 4 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 33/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 40/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 5/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 7/100.
  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Schedule A contributions reconciliation did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 9/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 11/100.

Leadership & pay

16 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • JENNIFER BALINK (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $281,511 total reported compensation
  • COURTNEY L BERRYMAN (CLINICAL RESEARCH MANAGER): $144,628 total reported compensation
  • NICOLAS K KHATTAR (PHYSICIAN): $117,783 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024.