Buffalo State College Foundation Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
166037117
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Buffalo, NY, USA
Phone
7168784324
Rating
87
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Single Organization Support

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$12,143,426
Expenses
$7,099,743
Assets
$127,008,020
Liabilities
$2,048,387

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

Leadership & pay

28 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JAMES M FINNERTY (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

People named in this filing

  • JUDY L ELLIOTT (CHAIR)
  • TRACY A SAWICKI (VICE CHAIR)
  • NANCY L COX (TREASURER)

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

To advance the welfare and development of the state university of New York at buffalo state university (the university) and to support its goals of excellence in teaching and scholarship, cultural enrichment and service. The foundation furthers its mission by fostering private sector participation in the university's endeavors, particularly in the areas of philanthropy and fundraising, and by providing various support services to the university.

What it reported doing in 2024

Providing financial assistance to the university and its affiliated organizations, faculty, staff and students, including, but not limited to, scholarships, fellowships, and loans to students; supporting research programs, conferences, seminars, art exhibitions and cultural events, acquiring equipment for educational and research projects, library holdings, art-related and literary collections, academic chairs, athletic programs, the buffalo state college alumni association, college-community programs, faculty and staff travel, college-related publications, campus beautification; and providing expense funds for university officials.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 77% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 65% for direct work, and 35% for grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. No material rating questions were generated from the available inputs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 72
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 93
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 65.6%; rating input score 66
  • Program expense ratio: 85.6%; rating input score 86
  • Fundraising efficiency: $27.5 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 64; 64th 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; 72nd 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; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • 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: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 41.5%; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 17.89; rating input score 95; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5.7% per year; rating input score 100; 47th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 6.3% per year; rating input score 100; 54th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 9.1% per year; rating input score 100; 61st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 65.6% of revenue deployed · 85.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 27 of 27 board members independent · 7 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $6.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 28 people listed
  • Consistency: 34 of 34 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • 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.