Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
382938949
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Rockford, MI, USA
Phone
6168663066
Rating
84
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Rehabilitative Medical Services

Reported finances

Revenue
$930,546
Expenses
$905,338
Assets
$4,049,419
Liabilities
$24,033

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

Leadership & pay

12 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Kathleen Ryan (Executive Director)
  • Jordan Custer (Vice President)
  • Rachel Mraz (President)

Highest reported compensation

  • Kathleen Ryan (Executive Director): $94,823 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

We improve quality of life through equine-based therapy to physically, mentally and socially/emotionally challenged individuals. Our unique program integrates academic, social and physical skills using the horse as a catalyst.

What it reported doing in 2025

Equine therapy is recognized as one of the more progressive forms of therapy. It combines instruction in traditional horsemanship skills with concepts of physical therapy, occupational therapy and social/emotional therapies to improve the riders in balance, posture, coordination, strength and stamina. Riders also see improvements in areas of sequencing, spatial relationships and auditory short-term knowledge. Social and emotional benefits include improved self confidence, patience, emotional control, interest in the outside world and respect and love for animals and other people. The Equest Center also provides opportunities for senior citizens, military veterans, Gildas Club members, deaf and HOH to ride. We partner with colleges, medical teaching institutions and local high schools for hands-on learning and volunteer opportunities. The Equest Center serves 200 special needs individuals each week assisted by more than 1000 volunteers who served 50,000 hours.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 88% 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 expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 73
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 54
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 76.2%; rating input score 76
  • Program expense ratio: 78.8%; rating input score 79
  • Fundraising efficiency: $11.27 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd 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: 90.9%; rating input score 91; 26th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 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: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 2.7%; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.47; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 10.5%; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 6.3% per year; rating input score 100; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 7.5% per year; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 11% per year; rating input score 100; 58th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 76.2% of revenue deployed · 78.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 11 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $713K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $95K · 12 people listed
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 11 filing years from 2012 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 39/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 39/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 36/100.