Soulardarity

Overview

Mission

Soulardarity is working to install solar-powered streetlights, save money on energy bills, and work together with Highland Park, MI and neighboring communities to build a just and equitable energy system for all. Soulardarity endeavors to achieve this goal through education, organizing, and people-powered clean energy.

What it reported doing in 2024

Asset Development: Highland Park Campaign Team-a campaign to make Highland Park, MI a global model of sustainability and self-determination, targeted at the City of Highland Park, organized around the Blueprint for Energy Democracy, the product of seven years of community organizing, research, and democratic practice and guide for our multi-issue work. Grow Solar Highland Park-Detroit-a public education and bulk purchasing program that makes going solar easier and more affordable. Creates access to energy-related products and services for Low-to-Moderate-Income ratepayers and members in support of a just transition to clean energy. Eligibility extends to property owners throughout the Detroit metro area and Wayne County. Once per year we offer the MREA sponsored RiseUP Training course established in 2020 to support workforce development efforts and expand employment access in advanced energy by providing solar training scholarships and facilitation paid solar internships. Graduates of the RiseUP Training Program provide students with free, hands-on solar training that can take them from "square one" all the way to their NABCP PV Associate Exam. We are currently working with Polar Bear Sustainable Energy Co-op to implement a home solar bulk purchase program and weatherization/home repair program as case studies of community wealth building through clean energy. Under this program we are preparing to launch a Loan Loss Reserve program - a credit enhancement approach commonly used by state and local governments to provide partial risk coverage to lenders-meaning that the reserve will cover a pre-specified amount of loan losses for those looking to weatherize, electrify, and participate in the bulk purchase or solarize their homes.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% 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
472733535
IRS 990 coverage
2018–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2017, Form 990-N 2014
Headquarters
Highland Park, MI, USA
Phone
3133491063
Rating
79
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Energy Resources Conservation and Development

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 78
  • Transparency & Controls: 80
  • Accountability: 79
  • Sustainability: 55
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 81.1%; rating input score 81
  • Program expense ratio: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 84.6%; rating input score 85; 2nd 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: 4 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • 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: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 18.9%; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.76; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.14; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 6.3%; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 25.8% per year; rating input score 100; 87th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 22.8% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 24.3% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 81.1% of revenue deployed · 100% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 6 of 6 board members independent · 4 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $1.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $70K · 7 people listed
  • Consistency: 41 of 42 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 7 annual filings from 2018 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 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.

Leadership & pay

7 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • Shimekia Nichols (Executive Director): $69,750 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.