Link Houston

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
822124290
IRS 990 coverage
2017–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Houston, TX, USA
Phone
7133534604
Rating
84
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Public Transportation Systems

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$153,014
Expenses
$825,842
Assets
$1,391,799
Liabilities
$22,455

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

18 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • ROBIN HOLZER (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • INES SIGEL (INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • GABE CAZARES (PAST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • PETER ECCLES (DIR POLICY AND PLANNING): $132,163 total reported compensation
  • CHERRELLE DUNCAN (DIR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT): $122,348 total reported compensation
  • NICHOLAS ARCOS (DIR COMMUNICATION): $115,982 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Advocates for a robust and equitable transportation network so all people can reach opportunity.

What it reported doing in 2025

Increase transportation access to opportunity reliable transportation is a critical component of economic mobility and quality of life. Through community engagement and data-driven research, the organization documents barriers residents face when trying to reach jobs, schools, grocery stores, healthcare, parks, and other essential destinations. The organization works to improve equitable access to opportunity by advancing high-quality, affordable, safe, and environmentally sustainable transportation options including sidewalks, bikeways, and frequent public transit. The organization advocates for decision-makers to consider housing and transportation costs together as they work to improve affordability and develop new housing. Through coalition building and policy advocacy, the organization works to ensure that decisions are made with equity, affordability, and long-term community prosperity in mind, and to expand access and strengthen communities across the region.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 93% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

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 expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 82
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 21
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 75.2%; rating input score 75
  • Fundraising efficiency: $3.16 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 14; 14th 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: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th 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: -439.7%; rating input score 0; 0th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.69; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 67.6%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 10.7% per year; rating input score 100; 69th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -8.3% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 10.1% per year; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 75.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 12 of 12 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $621K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $132K · 18 people listed
  • Consistency: 31 of 31 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 9 filing years from 2017 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 6 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.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 14/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 55/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 1/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 36/100.