Better Way Ministries

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
311173550
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Columbus, OH, USA
Phone
6145473138
Rating
70
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Christianity
Affiliation
Christianity

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,665,090
Expenses
$1,634,433
Assets
$818,496
Liabilities
$699,271

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

Leadership & pay

3 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • CRIS GORDON (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • STEVE CAMPBELL (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • CRIS GORDON (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $156,239 total reported compensation
  • TODD MARRAH (DIRECTOR): $75,143 total reported compensation
  • STEVE CAMPBELL (PRESIDENT): $50,000 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Better way ministries, d/b/a columbus dream center, is a volunteer-driven organization dedicated to providing hope to low-income, homeless, and under-served individuals and families in columbus, Ohio. (continued on schedule o)the dream center forms partnerships with area churches, organizations, and individuals to fund and provide resources for its various outreach programs.

What it reported doing in 2024

Columbus dream center served the community through various events and programs including the following: adopt-a-block - a free grocery and resource delivery service to 10 neighborhoods across central Ohio. Summer block parties - parties during the summer in local communities to connect with the kids and families of the area and provide resources during the non-school season. Super saturdays where the dream center engaged in youth mentorship activities for elementary aged kids. (continued on schedule o)hosting meal nights, breakfast serves, laundry/shower services, and haircuts to the homeless community weekly. Brotherhood and sisterhood - programming specifically geared toward mentoring middle and high school boys and girls in a small group setting. Holiday-specific outreach for thanksgiving, christmas, and easter.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 84% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 54% for direct work, and 46% for 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. A relatively small share of voting board members are independent and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 79
  • Transparency & Controls: 79
  • Accountability: 42
  • Sustainability: 30
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 79%; rating input score 79
  • Program expense ratio: 80.2%; rating input score 80
  • Fundraising efficiency: $38.75 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 73; 73rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 0%; rating input score 0; 5th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • 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: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 1.8%; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.5; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.85; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 16.5%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 8.7% per year; rating input score 100; 58th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 9.7% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 11.9% per year; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 79% of revenue deployed · 80.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 0 of 3 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $1.3M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $156K · 3 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 33 of 33 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 9 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 8 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 2 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 — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 42/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 23/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 8/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 20/100.