Great Lakes Bay Health Centers

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
381908328
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Saginaw, MI, US
Phone
(989) 921-5377
Rating
86
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Ambulatory Health Center, Community Clinic

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$109,497,075
Expenses
$102,849,745
Assets
$72,869,574
Liabilities
$24,320,841

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

Leadership & pay

28 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Brenda Coughlin (CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • Brenda Coughlin (CEO): $530,621 total reported compensation
  • Bradley Merrills MD (Physician): $458,040 total reported compensation
  • Lisa Call (Deputy Director): $424,036 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 mission of Great Lakes Bay Health Centers is to provide excellent health care to individuals and communities, especially those who are underserved, uninsured, or underinsured. The services provided are sensitive to the needs of the community, are not based on the ability to pay and are offered without discrimination.

What it reported doing in 2024

Medical, dental, and behavioral health services were provided to more than 51,000 persons in FY 2024. Target populations include migrant and seasonal farm workers, low income individuals, uninsured/underinsured individuals, and other populations with limited access to health care services. GLBHC programs continue to grow and develop with the goal of positively impacting the health and well-being of community residents by improving health outcomes such as infant mortality, diabetes, chronic diseases, behavioral health issues, and other health conditions. The organization was a leader in service area efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 response included the provision of accessible testing, community education, and vaccination services for vulnerable populations.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 83% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
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. Total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown and reported officer compensation is a large share of total spending, which may reflect staffing concentration.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 80
  • Transparency & Controls: 89
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 45
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 78.7%; rating input score 79
  • Program expense ratio: 84.2%; rating input score 84
  • Fundraising efficiency: $49.9 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th 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: 6.1%; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.71; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.33; rating input score 52; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 4.7%; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 10.7% per year; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 9.1% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 9.4% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 5 programs and campaigns described on the official site
  • Where the money goes: 78.7% of revenue deployed · 84.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 13 of 13 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $86.6M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $531K · 28 people listed · 5 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 38 of 38 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 15 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 28/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 19/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 52/100.