Grid Alternatives Colorado Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
461815422
IRS 990 coverage
2018–2019
Forms available
Form 990 2019
Location
Oakland, CA, USA
Phone
5107311310
Rating
93
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Standard
Sector
Energy Resources Conservation and Development

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$4,494,407
Expenses
$4,923,454
Assets
$1,442,578
Liabilities
$4,849,674

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2019. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

11 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • SARAH KEANE (PRESIDENT)
  • ADRIENNE DORSEY (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • ADRIENNE DORSEY (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $103,870 total reported compensation
  • KAMALJIT JASPAR (PROGRAM DIRECTOR): $89,438 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2019. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To provide energy cost savings to low-income homeowners through installation of solar electric systems and training in energy efficiency, while providing hands-on solar installation opportunities to job training organizations and community volunteers.

What it reported doing in 2019

Provided alternative renewable energy for low-income residents through consultation and installation of renewable solar electrical systems. In-kind services donated to the organization in 2019 included skilled solar installation assistance through grid alternatives' volunteer team leader program.

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

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 93
  • Transparency & Controls: 100
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 16
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 91.9%; rating input score 92
  • Fundraising efficiency: $20.93 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd 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: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th 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: -9.5%; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.29; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 3.36; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 3.9%; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 46.5% per year; rating input score 100; 97th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 51% per year; rating input score 100; 98th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 50.3% per year; rating input score 100; 98th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 91.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 6 of 6 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $4.5M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $104K · 11 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 4 contractors listed · $976K reported
  • Consistency: 33 of 33 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 2 filing years from 2018 to 2019
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 10 filed related-organization links
  • 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 — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 13/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 10/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 1/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 59/100.