Fuel Fund of Maryland Inc
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 521204629
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2010–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024
- Location
- Timonium, MD, USA
- Phone
- 4102359080
- Rating
- 85
- Verdict
- STRONG
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Housing Expense Reduction Support
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $4,784,611
- Expenses
- $4,387,435
- Assets
- $8,208,926
- Liabilities
- $55,130
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
12 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- DALE W LINAWEAVER (PRESIDENT)
- SCOTT THOMPSON (VICE PRESIDENT)
- DEBORAH BROWN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
Highest reported compensation
- DEBORAH BROWN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $130,302 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
The fuel fund of Maryland (ffm) has been supporting bge residential customers since 1981. While we originated from bge, we operate independently to provide financial assistance grants specifically for bge residential customers at risk of losing power and for those already disconnected.our mission is carried out by our utility assistance department, supported by a robust donor program developed and managed by the development department. Ffm does not receive funding from federal, state, county, or city levels.
What it reported doing in 2024
The fuel fund of Maryland is a crucial, non-governmental part of the social safety net, offering flexibility through independence, accountability through sound governance, and quality service delivery backed by over four decades of experience. Our support benefits the broader community by preventing fires, enabling children to have cooked meals and do their homework, freeing up resources for rent, supporting life-saving medications, and saving money for future utility bills.through the utility assistance department, ffm provides financial and community resources to bge customers who have been disconnected or in receipt of impending shutoff notice. A key component of our support is the distribution of energy credits. Bge allocates up to $2 million in ratepayer-funded credits annually, administered by ffm. For every $1 of private money paid on a bill, ffm applies $0.50 in bge credits, significantly increasing the financial grant awarded to a bge customer. For instance, ffm can cover a $300 client bill using $100 in donated funds, bge credits, other charitable contributions (such as foundation funds), and a payment from the client. Ffm is the only organization in Maryland that can leverage bge ratepayer-funded credits.from july 1, 2024, to june 30, 2025, ffm provided financial grants to 3,332 households within the bge service with no power or facing an imminent turn off notice.the silver lights program, launched on fy 22, continues to address the needs of older adults (60+) and individuals with critical medical conditions. Over 20% of the households served by ffm are through the silver lights program.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 94% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
- Distribution model
- Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 95% of its reported program spending out as 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. Program spending has declined or grown slowly and revenue has declined or grown slowly.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 81
- Transparency & Controls: 94
- Accountability: 100
- Sustainability: 63
- Growth: 20
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 81.5%; rating input score 82
- Program expense ratio: 87.1%; rating input score 87
- Fundraising efficiency: $19.3 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 58; 58th 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: 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; 63rd 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: 8.3%; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.87; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 3%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: -8.5% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: -4.5% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 1% per year; rating input score 100; 16th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 81.5% of revenue deployed · 87.1% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 11 of 11 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
- Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $3.8M in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $130K · 12 people listed
- Consistency: 35 of 35 current checks pass
- Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
- Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
- Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
- 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: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
- High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
- Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 58/100.
- Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 59/100.
- Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 59/100.