Economic Opportunity for Savannah- Chatham County Area Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
580952632
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Savannah, GA, USA
Phone
9122382960
Rating
84
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$12,675,296
Expenses
$12,704,943
Assets
$8,068,169
Liabilities
$1,746,813

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

Leadership & pay

17 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • BERNADETTE BALL-OLIVER (INTERIM CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • MR TERRY TOLBERT (EXECUTIVE DI): $120,736 total reported compensation
  • TERESA LARRY (FISCAL OFFIC): $112,976 total reported compensation
  • ALYCIA BROWN (H/S / EARLY): $110,692 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 provide community-based services which empower citizens to attain economic independence and a higher quality of life.

What it reported doing in 2024

Low-income home energy assistance - the objective of this program is to help low-income people meet the costs of home energy, defined as heating and cooling of residences, as well as the costs of drinking water and wastewater of residences. A primary purpose is meeting immediate home energy and water utility needs. The target population is low income households, especially those with the lowest incomes and the highest home energy and water costs or needs in relation to income. Additional targets are low-income households with members who are especially vulnerable, including the elderly, persons with disabilities, and young children.

Operating model

Revenue model
Grant-funded. 99% of the money available for current operations came from government grants.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 80% for direct work, and 20% for grants.
  • 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. Revenue has declined or grown slowly and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 81
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 35
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 91.5%; rating input score 92
  • Program expense ratio: 91.2%; rating input score 91
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -0.2%; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.64; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.22; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 2.7%; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 2.1% per year; rating input score 100; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -0.2% per year; rating input score 0; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 0.4% per year; rating input score 100; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 91.5% of revenue deployed · 91.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 13 of 13 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $11.6M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $121K · 17 people listed
  • Consistency: 36 of 36 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 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.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 30/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 21/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Form 990 shared with the board not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 56/100.