Community Builders of Kansas City

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
431583953
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Kansas City, MO, US
Phone
816.627.2140
Rating
85
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Standard
Sector
Housing Development, Construction, Management

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$11,002,477
Expenses
$11,893,003
Assets
$109,614,045
Liabilities
$29,699,588

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

Leadership & pay

15 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • EMMET PIERSON JR (PRESIDENT/CEO)
  • STEPHEN R WEATHERFORD (VICE PRESIDENT/CFO)
  • MICHAEL DAYTON (SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • EMMET PIERSON JR (PRESIDENT/CEO): $387,295 total reported compensation
  • ALLISON BERGMAN (CHIEF LEGAL COUNSEL): $183,623 total reported compensation
  • SHANNON HESTERBERG (TREASURER/COO AND RE OFFICER): $162,526 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Community Builders of Kansas City changes the landscape by igniting and fueling equity, access, opportunity and advocacy

What it reported doing in 2024

Cbkc is responsible for the oversight and operation of nearly 650 units of subsidized, affordable, multifamily rental housing. Approximately 80% of households across all eight affordable multi-family properties are headed by single parents with children. These units are designed to meet the needs of low- to moderately low-income residents.one of cbkc's multi-family properties serves low- to moderate-income seniors, while another community is dedicated to individuals with special needs.throughout 2024, occupancy levels across cbkc's nine multi-family properties were consistently maintained at or above 90%. Cbkc's rental housing portfolio continues to receive above-average ratings from the Missouri housing development commission (mhdc). Significant development and renovation milestones include:- completion of 64 new residential units in november 2022, the rochester,- completion of renovations on 80 duplexes in 2023, the cleveland,- ongoing renovation of 54 units financed through low-income housing tax credits. The twin elmsapartments (41 & paseo east llc), consisting of 54 units financed through low-income housing taxcredits.- renovations are in progress at ivanhoe gardens apartments (80 units), supported by a shared successfund grant awarded by the city.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
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

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 86
  • Transparency & Controls: 80
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 40
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 80.4%; rating input score 80
  • Fundraising efficiency: $8.28 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd 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: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th 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: -8.1%; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 9.22; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.27; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 10.6%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5.5% per year; rating input score 100; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 5.8% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 3.1% per year; rating input score 100; 23rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 3 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 80.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 8 of 8 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $9.6M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $387K · 15 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $3.1M reported
  • Consistency: 34 of 34 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors, executive pay, and related organizations
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 8 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 34 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.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 33/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 12/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 18/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 50/100.