Joshua M Freeman Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
208592383
IRS 990 coverage
2015–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Selbyville, DE, USA
Phone
3024363015
Rating
88
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Standard
Sector
Performing Arts Organizations

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$15,313,896
Expenses
$14,346,886
Assets
$9,469,872
Liabilities
$625,227

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

Leadership & pay

20 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MICHELLE FREEMAN (CHAIR/PRESIDENT)
  • CHRISTINE SHREVE (VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR)
  • PATTI GRIMES (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • PATTI GRIMES (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $305,964 total reported compensation
  • KATIE RAYMON (DEPUTY DIRECTOR): $150,114 total reported compensation
  • MELISSA DONNELLY (DIRECTOR OF FINANCE): $148,321 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Advancing arts access for all through performance, education and advocacy.

What it reported doing in 2024

Joshua m. Freeman foundation (jmff) is a not-for-profit organization, incorporated in the state of Delaware in 2007. Jmff has an independent public board representing the community it serves. Its purpose is creating opportunities that elevate the human spirit. Its current principal activity is through two programs, the arts access initiative and freeman arts pavilion, our outside performance venue. Collectively, over 127,091 patrons enjoyed arts programming presented by jmff in 2024. The arts access initiative program provides k-12 students, community partners and families throughout delmarva access to year-round, high-quality, diverse arts experiences at no cost. Programming for the arts access initiative includes live music, dance, comedy and many other forms of the arts through performances at freeman arts pavilion throughout the summer months, as well as year-round arts opportunities with our partner locations throughout delmarva. During 2024, 23,071 participants enjoyed arts access initiative programming, which is at the core of jmff's mission. The freeman arts pavilion program is our outdoor performance venue in selbyville, de and is a well-known arts destination in the region. During the june through september 2024 season, there were 66 performances and a total of 642 artists that graced the pavilion's stage. In total, 104,020 patrons from over 46 states enjoyed live arts performances safely at the pavilion's outdoor setting. The patron attendance of the arts programming presented by jmff has driven tourism and economic impact to the area. Pursuant to an independent study conducted by the university of Delaware in 2022, jmff and freeman arts pavilion created over $23.4m in annual economic impact in the region. Jmff's vision of transforming lives through the arts will continue as we strategically expand diverse programming which provides access for all to enjoy live arts experiences and present world class artists that enhance the quality of life for the entire community.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 66% for direct work, and 34% for 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. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 89
  • Transparency & Controls: 84
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 49
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 94.8%; rating input score 95
  • Program expense ratio: 91.6%; rating input score 92
  • Fundraising efficiency: $15.68 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • 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: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th 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: 6.3%; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.66; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.07; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 5.9%; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 16.6% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 18.2% per year; rating input score 100; 90th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 10.7% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 94.8% of revenue deployed · 91.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 12 of 12 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $13.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $306K · 20 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $1.6M reported
  • Consistency: 40 of 40 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 9 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, executive pay, and related organizations
  • Filing history: 9 filing years from 2015 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 6 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 2 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.
  • 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.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 51/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 23/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 58/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 44/100.