Berkshire United Way Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
042104841
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Pittsfield, MA, USA
Phone
4134426948
Rating
72
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$2,402,859
Expenses
$2,392,354
Assets
$5,555,142
Liabilities
$1,517,725

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

Leadership & pay

23 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • THOMAS BERNARD THRU 62825 (PRESIDENT/CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • THOMAS BERNARD THRU 62825 (PRESIDENT/CEO): $150,509 total reported compensation
  • GRETCHEN FAIRFIELD (FINANCE & ADMIN MANAGER): $67,471 total reported compensation
  • JOHN TWADDLE BEG 12924 (FINANCE & ADMIN DIRECTOR): $3,086 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Berkshire united way ignites the collective power of individuals and organizations to build a stronger and more equitable community where everyone can thrive. We magnify your contributions to make lasting, positive change right here in the berkshires. We are committed to supporting individuals and strengthening families where we live, work, and play.

What it reported doing in 2024

Berkshire united way brings together financial resources, community partners and leaders, and volunteers to advance long-term solutions that improve lives throughout berkshire county. Through employee giving, corporate gifts, sponsorships, grants, and individual donations, buw strategically invested in 29 high-quality nonprofit organizations that provide a strong early educational foundation, create college and career pathways for youth, support household stability, and expand access to mental health services. By providing flexible, general operating support, berkshire united way empowers organizations to sustain and grow the essential programs our community relies on.beyond funding, berkshire united way leads collaborative initiatives and convenings to address pressing community needs. During the fiscal year ending june 30, 2025, buw served more than 20,000 children, youth, and adults -- approximately 16% of berkshire county residents through our priority work. United is the way we help ensure every neighbor has the opportunity to thrive.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 94% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 63% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and program spending has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 70
  • Transparency & Controls: 72
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 44
  • Growth: 20

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 80.4%; rating input score 80
  • Program expense ratio: 70.8%; rating input score 71
  • Fundraising efficiency: $4.17 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 94.1%; rating input score 94; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 96.4%; rating input score 96; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • 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: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • 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: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 0.4%; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.32; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.27; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 9.2%; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -2.5% per year; rating input score 0; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -0.7% per year; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 3.5% per year; rating input score 100; 27th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 80.4% of revenue deployed · 70.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 20 of 20 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.7M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $151K · 23 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 36 of 37 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 34 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 31 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 13/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 35/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Form 990 shared with the board not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 32/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 36/100.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Domestic grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.