La Crosse Public Education Foundation Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
391610700
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
La Crosse, WI, USA
Phone
6087870226
Rating
84
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Reported finances

Revenue
$679,196
Expenses
$428,577
Assets
$2,576,095
Liabilities
$9,200

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

Leadership & pay

18 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • LAURA HUBER (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • HEIDI ODEGAARD (PRESIDENT)
  • TOM THOMPSON (PAST PRESIDENT)
  • NELL SAUNDERS-SCOTT (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • NELL SAUNDERS-SCOTT (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $79,426 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 the la crosse public education foundation is to enhance learning opportunities for students in the school district of la crosse and to promote community understanding and support for public education.

What it reported doing in 2024

Random acts of kindness - overcoming road blocks to student achievement such as the purchase of eye glasses, field trip fees, and graduation caps and gowns for students whose families struggle financially.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 80% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 88% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - 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 reported officer compensation is a large share of total spending, which may reflect staffing concentration.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 68
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 78
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 65.9%; rating input score 66
  • Program expense ratio: 76.3%; rating input score 76
  • Fundraising efficiency: $15.29 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 51; 51st 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th 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: 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: 36.9%; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 6.01; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 18.5%; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 3.3% per year; rating input score 100; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 6% per year; rating input score 100; 49th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.5% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 65.9% of revenue deployed · 76.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 15 of 15 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $327K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $79K · 18 people listed
  • Consistency: 30 of 30 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 12 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.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 51/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 17/100.