Landon's Light Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
843421530
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2019
Location
West Fargo, ND, USA
Phone
7018663474
Rating
61
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Fund Raising and Fund Distribution

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$494,603
Expenses
$382,915
Assets
$1,077,095
Liabilities
$229,534

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

Leadership & pay

7 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • TRAVIS SOLBERG (PRESIDENT, T)

Highest reported compensation

  • JULIE CHRISTIANSON (EXECUTIVE DI): $87,735 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Landon's light supports children battling serious medical illness by providing hope and joy during their difficult journey. We also inspire all children to grow in their academics, faith and physical well-being, so they may live as the best version of themselves.

What it reported doing in 2024

The following are our community programs: the scholarship program provided scholarships to 10 local high school seniors who displayed characteristics consistent with the core values of the foundation. Project kindness provided 2091 children, with funding to support and give back to the community with a kindness project that they decide on. Elementary, middle and high school classrooms are involved. The team sponsorship program provides financial support to local teams to allow children to grow in their physical well-being. 12 teams, or 290 children, were impacted. Grant provided to lend a hand up which supports families during hardship. Backpacks were purchased for the united way school supply drive.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 87% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 56% for direct work, and 44% for grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and program spending has grown recently. A relatively small share of voting board members are independent and a relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 54
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 16
  • Sustainability: 60
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 50.8%; rating input score 51
  • Program expense ratio: 63%; rating input score 63
  • Fundraising efficiency: $11.18 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 42; 42nd 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: 0%; rating input score 0; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 3 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 38
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 22.6%; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.81; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.21; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 22.9%; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 24.9% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 24.3% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 33.2% per year; rating input score 100; 93rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 50.8% of revenue deployed · 63% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 0 of 6 board members independent · 3 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $241K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $88K · 7 people listed
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 4 filing years from 2020 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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 — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 0/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 51/100.
  • Moderate — Accountability: Governance controls: 4 of 7 not reported.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 42/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 16/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 19/100.