FUSE Mississippi

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
881504756
IRS 990 coverage
2023–2023
Forms available
Form 990 2023
Location
Jackson, MS, USA
Phone
6626389500
Rating
51
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Reported finances

Revenue
$150,000
Expenses
$25,812
Assets
$134,194
Liabilities
$0

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2023. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

3 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • Hannah Orlansky (Co-Chair): $6,000 total reported compensation
  • Kelcy Higgins (Co-Chair): $6,000 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2023. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

FUSE Mississippi seeks to be responsive to the needs of Mississippi progressive values. As the landscape shifts and we build power FUSE will adapt too as we continue to fulfill our mission of supporting the advocates candidates and elected officials we work alongside.

What it reported doing in 2023

Fuse is working to establish a longitudinal focus group program that studies how voters feelings and behaviors shift over time across issues and candidates and use this information to inform how to best fill in the information gaps we know make it more difficult to reach voters during and outside of election cycles. The data we collect and analyze will be used to inform how we more effectively reach voters during the 2027 statewide election cycle and beyond. Fuse will facilitate focus groups in different pockets of Mississippi with a cross-section of Mississippi voters to learn more about their concerns and fears about the state what they believe is working and how to address the information gap we know exists across party lines. These Fuse-led focus groups will follow each group of voters for four years and check in quarterly. Well compensate these participants for their time and go to their communities to conduct our meetings as we seek to obtain an even deeper understanding of whats happening in our states towns and cities.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% 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.

The verdict

MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up and revenue comfortably covers expenses. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of voting board members are independent.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 30
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 35
  • Sustainability: 80
  • Growth: NotEnoughData

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 12.2%; rating input score 12
  • Program expense ratio: 70.7%; rating input score 71
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

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: 33.3%; rating input score 33; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 3 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 38
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Fail
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 82.8%; rating input score 98; 98th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 5.2; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 46.5%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: Limited
  • Revenue growth: Limited
  • Asset growth: Limited

Details

  • Where the money goes: 12.2% of revenue deployed · 70.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 1 of 3 board members independent · 3 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $18K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $6K · 3 people listed
  • Consistency: 39 of 39 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 2 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • 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 — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 12/100.
  • Moderate — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 33/100.
  • Moderate — Accountability: Governance controls: 5 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 4/100.