Better Future Michigan

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
842077783
IRS 990 coverage
2019–2020
Forms available
Form 990 2020
Location
Williamston, MI, USA
Phone
6172314328
Rating
79
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Reported finances

Revenue
$2,202,000
Expenses
$2,152,625
Assets
$34,318
Liabilities
$0

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2020. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

4 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MAX ANDREWS WEINER (PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • MAX ANDREWS WEINER (PRESIDENT)
  • JOE KAISER (TREASURER)
  • TOM ISAACS (SECRETARY)

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 2020. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The corporation's primary exempt purpose is to educate and engage the public on the need for leadership committed to taking action to secure a better future through strong national security, and increased economic and educational opportunities with the objective of ensuring everyone the opportunity to achieve the american dream. The corporation will at all times be conducted as an organization described in section 501(c)(4) of the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended (the "code") and will not carry on any activities which are not permitted to be carried on by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(4) of the code, or the Michigan non-profit corporation act.

What it reported doing in 2020

Better future Michigan is an organization dedicated to educating michiganders on important policy issues. Bfm educated michiganders on issues such as the green new deal, medicare for all, and taxpayer spending on benefits for elected officials through advertisements and earned media.

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 92% 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 a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 66
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 88
  • Sustainability: 36
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 72.3%; rating input score 72
  • Program expense ratio: 74%; rating input score 74
  • Fundraising efficiency: $5.5 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 71st 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; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 2.2%; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.02; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 98; 98th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 129.6% per year; rating input score 100; 99th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 123.2% per year; rating input score 100; 99th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8% per year; rating input score 100; 55th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 72.3% of revenue deployed · 74% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 3 of 3 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.6M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 4 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $1.7M reported
  • Consistency: 18 of 18 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 2 filing years from 2019 to 2020
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 4 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 3 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.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 13/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 29/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 1/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.