Fraunhofer USA Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
383203030
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Plymouth, MI, USA
Phone
7343544331
Rating
58
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Medical Research N.E.C.

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$24,176,169
Expenses
$22,849,084
Assets
$19,451,783
Liabilities
$5,975,786

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

Leadership & pay

17 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • PROF DR THOMAS SCHUELKE (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • ROBERT BLEIDT (SR. STRATEGIC ADVISOR): $395,743 total reported compensation
  • PROF DR THOMAS SCHUELKE (PRESIDENT): $373,386 total reported compensation
  • JAN NORDMANN (DIVISION GENERAL MANAGER): $360,243 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

See schedule ofraunhofer USA offers customized, advanced technology research, development and deployment. Fraunhofer USA shall serve market-driven technology needs; promote international cooperation in business; establish strategic alliances with industry, government and academic partners.

What it reported doing in 2024

Fraunhofer USA operates three centers, five locations, throughout the USA. Each center is devoted to a different type of technological research, such as sustainable energy systems and laser technology. The fraunhofer centers undertake advanced research projects to develop key technological innovations in major areas of public concern and educate participants in a variety of technical disciplines. The research is done to benefit the u.s. Industry as a whole, and is often done in collaboration with educational institutions in furtherance of its exempt scientific and educational purposes.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
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

MIXED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and most filed governance safeguards are in place. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and the filing does not identify recipients for some grant dollars.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 63
  • Transparency & Controls: 51
  • Accountability: 78
  • Sustainability: 42
  • Growth: 0

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 69.7%; rating input score 70
  • Program expense ratio: 73.1%; rating input score 73
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Grant itemization coverage: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 62.5%; rating input score 62; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 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: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 5.5%; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.85; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.31; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 10.6%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -6.4% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -4.1% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -6% per year; rating input score 0; 2nd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 69.7% of revenue deployed · 73.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 5 of 8 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $16.7M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $396K · 17 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $1.4M reported
  • Consistency: 34 of 34 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 9 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 — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight scored 0/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Grant itemization coverage scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 55/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 30/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 18/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 46/100.