Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
208267965
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Park Ridge, IL, USA
Phone
8476565487
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Emergency Assistance

Reported finances

Revenue
$387,303
Expenses
$302,614
Assets
$411,333
Liabilities
$23,402

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

Leadership & pay

7 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MIKE DITKA (PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR)
  • KAREN WRIGHT (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • KAREN WRIGHT (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $65,000 total reported compensation
  • STEVE JENNERJOHN (TREASURER/SECRETARY): $2,500 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 gridiron greats assistance fund, inc. (ggaf) is to assist retired nfl players in dire need who were pioneers of the game and have greatly contributed to the nfl's status as the most popular sport in america.

What it reported doing in 2024

Player assistance grants are made on behalf of retired national football league players and their immediate families for medical, shelter, or other basic needs who are indigent, in poverty, or have medical needs beyond their ability to pay. In most instances, payments are made directly to service providers or vendors to cover costs that have been incurred by players who have met established guidelines for medical costs, housing, food, shelter, and other basic needs that qualify under ggaf's policies. Ggaf is only able to provide emergency funding on a temporary basis. Accordingly, ggaf works with players to attempt to locate long-term solutions to their needs. Ggaf also attempts to raise awareness of the significant needs of the many retired national football league players who are struggling financially due to injuries incurred while playing in the league. By raising awareness with the nfl, nfl players association, current players, and the public, ggaf hopes a long-term solution for these players can be established.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 98% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 54% for direct work, and 46% for grants.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and program spending has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 64
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 56
  • Growth: 20

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 60%; rating input score 60
  • Program expense ratio: 75.9%; rating input score 76
  • Fundraising efficiency: $11.83 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 80th 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: 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: 21.9%; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.36; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 22.3%; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -6.4% per year; rating input score 0; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -2.2% per year; rating input score 0; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 1.4% per year; rating input score 100; 30th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 60% of revenue deployed · 75.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 5 of 5 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $230K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $65K · 7 people listed
  • Consistency: 33 of 33 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • 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.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 44/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 49/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 17/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 31/100.