Cats Cradle Shelter Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
453595537
IRS 990 coverage
2014–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2013, Form 990-N 2011
Location
Fargo, ND, USA
Phone
7013567877
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Animal Protection and Welfare

Reported finances

Revenue
$724,522
Expenses
$279,767
Assets
$1,935,617
Liabilities
$2,613

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

6 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Gail Adams-Ventzke (Executive Director)
  • Carol Stefonek (President)

Highest reported compensation

  • Gail Adams-Ventzke (Executive Director): $50,800 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Our main focus is on rescuing adoptable cats from the three local pounds, and preventing their euthanasia. Our mission is to educate the citizens of our community in the proper and humane care of not only cats, but all animals.

What it reported doing in 2025

Rescued 816 displaced cats and kittens Provided safe shelter and care for cats in need, including strays, abandoned litters, and at-risk animals. Delivered comprehensive medical care to all 816 cats and kittens. Ensured every animal received necessary veterinary services, including exams, vaccinations, spay/neuter surgeries, and treatment for illness or injury. Successfully placed cats into loving homes. Matched over 750 adoptable cats and kittens with responsible adopters, giving them a second chance at a safe and permanent home. Improved overall animal welfare outcomes Reduced suffering and overpopulation through proactive rescue, medical intervention, and adoption efforts. Strengthened community impact Continued to serve as a vital resource for animal rescue, education, and responsible pet ownership in the community.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 78% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% 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 total spending goes to programs. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 64
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 80
  • Sustainability: 80
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 41.6%; rating input score 42
  • Program expense ratio: 92%; rating input score 92
  • Fundraising efficiency: $158.91 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 83.3%; rating input score 83; 22nd 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: Fail
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 61.4%; rating input score 93; 93rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 6.92; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 18.2%; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 4.6% per year; rating input score 100; 35th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 10.7% per year; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 18.5% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 41.6% of revenue deployed · 92% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 5 of 6 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $257K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $51K · 6 people listed
  • Consistency: 41 of 41 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 12 filing years from 2014 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 42/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 19/100.