Bittersweet Autism Foundation Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
331136261
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Whitehouse, OH, USA
Phone
4198756986
Rating
76
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Private Grantmaking Foundations

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$545,153
Expenses
$572,110
Assets
$2,200,728
Liabilities
$5,342

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

Leadership & pay

10 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • HENRY GEHA (PRESIDENT)
  • ROBERT ST CLAIR (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • LISA R LULFS (INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • NATASHA BAILEY (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (FROM 3/18-7/08))
  • MEGAN THOMPSON (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (BEGAN 08/19))

Highest reported compensation

  • LISA R LULFS (INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $31,605 total reported compensation
  • NATASHA BAILEY (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (FROM 3/18-7/08)): $14,440 total reported compensation
  • MEGAN THOMPSON (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (BEGAN 08/19)): $14,006 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Supporting the mission and operations of bittersweet, inc., with a focus on the development and investment management practices and owning and operating real estate and providing other affordable independent housing opportunities to individuals with autism.

What it reported doing in 2024

Owning and operating real estate and providing affordable, independent housing opportunities to individuals with autism, with an emphasis on long-term stability, community integration, and positive neighborhood impact.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 77% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 71% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 59
  • Transparency & Controls: 90
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 51
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 65.6%; rating input score 66
  • Program expense ratio: 61%; rating input score 61
  • Fundraising efficiency: $4.39 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 99%; rating input score 99; 48th 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: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • 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: -4.9%; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.85; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0.7%; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 9.7% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 5.4% per year; rating input score 100; 46th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 4.6% per year; rating input score 100; 37th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 65.6% of revenue deployed · 61% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 7 of 7 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $349K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $32K · 10 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $183K reported
  • Consistency: 28 of 29 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • 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 15/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 24/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Domestic grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.