Diabetes Family Connection

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
825369641
IRS 990 coverage
2019–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2020, Form 990-N 2018
Location
Raleigh, NC, USA
Phone
7049530749
Rating
81
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Support N.E.C.

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,149,592
Expenses
$1,003,628
Assets
$419,441
Liabilities
$17,564

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

Leadership & pay

14 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Lesley Day (President)
  • Patrick Mertes (President)

People named in this filing

  • Lesley Day (President)
  • Patrick Mertes (President)
  • Jessi Thaller-Moran (Secretary)

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 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The DFCs mission is to positively transform life with diabetes through the power of community. We provide yearround recreationalbased programs focused on building confidence, optimism, teamwork, mentorship, and support of people living with diabetes and their families.

What it reported doing in 2025

Other Program supporting expenses - PMA Care Package Program expanded in 2025, with 80 care packages sent during the year, bringing the total to 257 packages delivered since the programs launch in October 2023. Packages were assembled by 20 volunteers and distributed to individuals across the United States. The program aims to support individuals experiencing diabetes burnout by reducing feelings of isolation and promoting mental well-being. Each package included type 1 diabetes resources, mental health support items, and a personal handwritten letter from a fellow T1D community member focused on cultivating a positive mental attitude. 90% of recipients reported feeling less isolated after receiving their package. Community Support Events include a variety of programs that serve individuals and families impacted by type 1 diabetes across North Carolina. These offerings include both virtual and in-person support groups such as Coffee and Conversation, Real Talk, and one-on-one mentorships. Each initiative is designed to provide emotional support, foster community connection, and reduce the isolation often felt by those living with or caring for someone with type 1 diabetes.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 67% 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.
  • 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. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 75
  • Transparency & Controls: 86
  • Accountability: 88
  • Sustainability: 49
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 76.1%; rating input score 76
  • Program expense ratio: 87%; rating input score 87
  • Fundraising efficiency: $9.33 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 92.9%; 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
    • 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: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 12.7%; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.42; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 12.3% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 19.8% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 33.8% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 76.1% of revenue deployed · 87% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 14 of 14 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $873K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 14 people listed
  • Consistency: 26 of 27 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2019 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 21/100.
  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Schedule A contributions reconciliation did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 45/100.