Justice Foundation of West Michigan Trust

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
382245940
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Phone
6164545550
Rating
50
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$52,678
Expenses
$39,742
Assets
$399,046
Liabilities
$64,090

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

Leadership & pay

18 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MICHAEL D ADAMS (PRESIDENT)
  • RICHARD HILLARY (PRESIDENT EL)

People named in this filing

  • MICHAEL D ADAMS (PRESIDENT)
  • PHILLIP STROM (VICE PRESIDE)
  • KRISTIN BRITT (SECRETARY)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

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

Overview

Mission

To serve the west Michigan public and legal community through the funding of programs that promote or provide legal services to the disadvantaged, improve the administration of justice, and educate the public about core democratic values.

What it reported doing in 2024

Support for improvements in the administration of justice and provide legal assistance for those with low income.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 100% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 5
  • Transparency & Controls: 90
  • Accountability: 88
  • Sustainability: 63
  • Growth: 0

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 4.1%; rating input score 4
  • Program expense ratio: 2.5%; rating input score 3
  • Fundraising efficiency: $0.64 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings

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: Limited
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • 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: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 24.6%; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 10.04; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.16; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -25.3% per year; rating input score 0; 14th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -1.5% per year; rating input score 0; 54th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -0.9% per year; rating input score 0; 35th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 4.1% of revenue deployed · 2.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 14 of 14 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 18 people listed
  • Consistency: 21 of 21 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • 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.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 4/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 3/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 13/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 16/100.