Destinations & Travel Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
621527945
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2020
Location
Washington, DC, USA
Phone
2022967888
Rating
74
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,408,747
Expenses
$1,081,051
Assets
$2,531,685
Liabilities
$203,027

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

Leadership & pay

34 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • WELSH DONALD (PRESIDENT & CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • WELSH DONALD (PRESIDENT & CEO): $1,160,221 total reported compensation
  • JOHNSON JACK (CHIEF ADVOCACY OFFICER): $381,425 total reported compensation
  • HOCK SOPHIA (CHIEF INCLUSION OFFICER): $336,672 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

To analyze, identify, and fulfill the educational needs of those who are interested or engaged in the profession of destination management and to conduct studies and obtain and disseminate data relating to destination management and destination clients; to produce and distribute such findings.

What it reported doing in 2024

The destinations international foundation's historically black colleges and universities (hbcu) scholarship program is dedicated to supporting underrepresented and ethnically diverse students pursuing degrees in hospitality or tourism management. Since its inception in 2023, the program has awarded $104,000 to thirteen students, providing each with $8,000 in tuition assistance. Beyond financial support, scholars gain access to industry events, networking opportunities, mentorship and professional development throughout the academic year. Notably, recipients are invited to attend destinations international's annual convention, where they are recognized for their achievements and can engage with industry leaders. In 2024, the destinations international foundation raised $113,100 to further expand and strengthen this impactful program, ensuring continued support for the next generation of tourism and hospitality professionals.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 85% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 78% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 64
  • Transparency & Controls: 88
  • Accountability: 84
  • Sustainability: 64
  • Growth: 40

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 59.7%; rating input score 60
  • Program expense ratio: 76.8%; rating input score 77
  • Fundraising efficiency: $14.28 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 93.3%; rating input score 93; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 96.6%; rating input score 97; 26th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 6 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 67
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 23.3%; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.34; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.08; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 23.2%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -0.2% per year; rating input score 0; 17th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 6.7% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -5.8% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 59.7% of revenue deployed · 76.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 28 of 29 board members independent · 6 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $830K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $1.2M · 34 people listed · 5 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 23 of 24 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 13 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 6 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 3 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.

  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 9 not reported.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 49/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Domestic grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 11/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 46/100.