Downtown Dsm Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
421174898
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Des Moines, IA, USA
Phone
5152864950
Rating
79
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$701,534
Expenses
$911,071
Assets
$247,728
Liabilities
$101,834

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

Leadership & pay

37 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • TIFFANY TAUSCHECK (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • TIFFANY TAUSCHECK (PRESIDENT): $449,934 total reported compensation
  • AMANDA BRIGGS (TREASURER): $243,853 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Provides leadership, initiative, and advocacy in order to achieve shared solutions and a shared vision for the future of downtown des moines.

What it reported doing in 2025

The downtown dsm: future forward vision plan was developed through an inclusive process designed to build upon the momentum of downtown dsm and set up downtown for future success. The growth of the downtown population, amenities and overall vibrancy has mirrored the growth of the region in the last 20 years. This vision plan creates a roadmap for the next chapter of downtown and helps the region build upon the excitement that already exists through events, attractions, major projects, major employers, small business and nearby neighborhoods. The plan addresses a long-term vision of the region, looking more than 15 years into the future.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 69% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
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 - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and program spending has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 89
  • Transparency & Controls: 77
  • Accountability: 91
  • Sustainability: 14
  • Growth: 20

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • 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: Limited
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • 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: -29.9%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.27; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.41; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 4.7%; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -4.6% per year; rating input score 0; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -0.5% per year; rating input score 0; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 1% per year; rating input score 100; 19th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 100% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 38 of 38 board members independent · 7 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $359K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $450K · 37 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 18 of 18 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2011 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Related organizations: 2 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.

  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 4/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 9 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 14/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 15/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 51/100.