Croatan Institute

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
463673347
IRS 990 coverage
2014–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2013
Location
Durham, NC, USA
Phone
9197947440
Rating
82
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Natural Resources Conservation and Protection

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,201,287
Expenses
$1,703,190
Assets
$1,586,847
Liabilities
$1,565,849

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

Leadership & pay

10 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JOSHUA HUMPHREYS (PRESIDENT/CHAIR, SENIOR FELLOW)
  • ABRAHAM JONES (VICE PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • JOSHUA HUMPHREYS (PRESIDENT/CHAIR, SENIOR FELLOW): $149,901 total reported compensation
  • CHRISTI ELECTRIS (ED, SR. FELLOW, AND BOARD DIRECTOR): $129,903 total reported compensation
  • SHARLENE BROWN (TREASURER (THRU NOV), SENIOR FELLOW): $120,404 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Croatan institute is an independent, nonprofit research and action institute whose mission is to build social equity and ecological resilience by leveraging finance to create pathways to a just economy.

What it reported doing in 2024

Ecological resilience - continued development of the North Carolina soil wealth areas, place-based financing districts that connect regenerative agriculture producers and value chain businesses with aligned capital and technical assistance. Organized a convening of over 40 stakeholders in nc for a two-day working session for deep discussions, field visits, and trust building. Launched a new cohort of ten farmers to support on-farm implementation of conservation practices, develop business plans, and connect farmers to aligned capital. Released a new report, "models and opportunities for financing grain chains in the midwest." finalized research on two projects, one on agroforestry finance and one on the market potential of the nutritional and ecosystem benefits of regenerative agriculture which will culminate in forthcoming reports to be released in 2025. Finalized and premiered its first-ever short film, "soil wealth: investing in regenerative agriculture," which demonstrates effective practical solutions for funding the future of resilient and sustainable food systems.

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: 85
  • Transparency & Controls: 86
  • Accountability: 81
  • Sustainability: 15
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 73.3%; rating input score 73
  • Fundraising efficiency: $12.23 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 93.3%; rating input score 93; 22nd 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: 66.7%; rating input score 67; 14th 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: -41.8%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.93; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.99; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 28.3%; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 21.7% per year; rating input score 100; 84th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 22.2% per year; rating input score 100; 87th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 29% per year; rating input score 100; 90th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 73.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 6 of 9 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $1.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $150K · 10 people listed
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 11 filing years from 2014 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 7 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 44/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 4/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 40/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 6/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 8/100.