Arkansas Economic Defense Fund
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 455220405
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2016–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2018, Form 990-N 2013
- Location
- Fayetteville, AR, USA
- Phone
- 4795270006
- Rating
- 62
- Verdict
- SUPPORTED
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Civil Liberties
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $160,554
- Expenses
- $4,799
- Assets
- $825,435
- Liabilities
- $50,000
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
2 people listed
People named in this filing
- JOSEPH MAYNARD (CHAIRMAN, EX)
- BRENDA VASSAUR-TAYLOR (DIRECTOR, PR)
Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
Arkansas economic defense fund, inc. (aedf) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of the economic rights and interests of every arkansan by specifically assisting in the legal defense of their economic liberty from over taxation, excessive government regulation, and an unchecked legal system. Aedf works to educate and expose the public to illegal, unjust, and wrongful 1) exaction of taxes and the tax policies that produce them; 2) anti-business and job-killing regulations; and 3) unfair and unpredictable civil injustice within our current judicial system. We promote knowledge and involvement from the local community to allow the democratic process to proceed fairly and favorably to achieve economic freedom for all. Based in fayetteville Arkansas, we regularly monitor local and state-wide issues and the activity of our elected officials in order to provide arkansans with a free economic environment which allows all citizens to rise fairly 'up the economic ladder.' aedf
What it reported doing in 2024
The Arkansas economic defense fund monitors local and state committees, boards, legislative bodies, and the courts to insure the citizens of the state of Arkansas not only know, but understand the economic impact that these entities have on each of us. Fair and open creation, implementation, and consequences of the actions of these entities are our primary concerns. We not only educate, but also litigate when standards are not met, obfuscation occurs, and when freedoms are abused. We stand on the principal that without good and balanced economics, little else can be accomplished to promote the welfare of our citizens.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 71% 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.
The verdict
SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 36
- Transparency & Controls: 92
- Accountability: 64
- Sustainability: 88
- Growth: 60
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 5.3%; rating input score 5
- Program expense ratio: 100%; rating input score 100
- Fundraising efficiency: Limited
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th 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: 1 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 14
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
- Whistleblower policy: Fail
- Document-retention policy: Fail
- CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
- Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
- Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Missing
- Independent financial-statement audit: Fail
Sustainability
- Operating margin: 97%; rating input score 100; 100th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 172; rating input score 100; 100th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 6.3% per year; rating input score 100; 59th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: -16.7% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 7.9% per year; rating input score 100; 59th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 5.3% of revenue deployed · 100% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 2 of 2 board members independent · 1 of 7 filing controls reported
- Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $5K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 2 people listed
- Consistency: 15 of 15 current checks pass
- Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
- Filing history: 7 filing years from 2016 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- 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.
- High — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 5/100.
- High — Accountability: Governance controls: 5 of 6 not reported.
- High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 31/100.