Littleliving Org Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
994337605
IRS 990 coverage
2025–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2024
Location
Ocean View, DE, USA
Phone
3015189322
Rating
53
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Housing Development, Construction, Management

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$741,273
Expenses
$48,072
Assets
$826,015
Liabilities
$87,801

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

Leadership & pay

6 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • George Meringolo (President & Director)

People named in this filing

  • George Meringolo (President & Director)
  • Thomas McElroy (Treasurer & Director)
  • Anthony Vinicguera (Secretary & Director)

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 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Little Living was formed for the purpose of acquiring, developing and building affordable little living homes and villages, primarily in Sussex and Kent Counties in Delaware. The homes will be available to qualified individuals who are seniors, veterans or working couples whose earnings range between 50% -80% of Average Median Income for these Counties. Depending on the location and local rules, the homes will either be rented or sold to individuals using a land-lease model. Homes will be either 1, 2 or 3 bedroom units. Rents are expected to range from $1,000-$1,200/mth and sales of units will range from $107,600 to $135,200. Funding for Little Living will be derived from Grants, Donations, Operating Income and/or debt financing, if needed.

What it reported doing in 2025

Market Street Village is Little Living's highest organizational priority. Sussex County's continued growth has increased pressure on the supply and cost of housing. Market Street Village will provide a long-term response by adding 20 permanently affordable homes in central Sussex County. The project has advanced well beyond the conceptual stage. Little Living has acquired the properties, advanced development approvals, begun demolition and environmental remediation, assembled its professional development and construction team, and secured significant public and philanthropic support. Little Living has also worked with the Town of Georgetown to obtain a revised ordinance and zoning to support this type of affordable cottage housing. Major supporters include DNREC, Longwood Foundation, Welfare Foundation, Healthy Communities Delaware, Energize Delaware and M&T Charitable Foundation, along with donated land, financing (County Bank and NeighborGood Partner) and other public and private resources. The project is now moving from remediation and development into site preparation, infrastructure and residential construction. Additional capital is particularly valuable at this stage because it helps convert the substantial investments already made in land, environmental remediation, and planning into completed homes. This will ultimately minimize any debt funding that may be needed for the project. Market Street Village will create 20 affordable cottage-style rental homes on three parcels at 501, 503 and 515 East Market Street (Collectively known as 515 E. Market St) in Georgetown. The development will include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom homes serving income-qualified households, including working families, seniors, veterans and others who face difficulty obtaining quality affordable housing in Sussex County. A particularly important aspect of Market Street Village is the transformation of environmentally challenged properties into a productive community asset. Portions of the site are designated Brownfield properties requiring substantial environmental remediation before residential development can occur. Little Living is working with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and qualified environmental professionals to complete the necessary remediation and prepare the properties for safe residential use. DNREC has provided grant funding to cover the cost of the remediation assessment, clean-up and restoration. The completed homes will incorporate energy-efficient construction and solar energy. Reducing residents' utility expenses is an important component of Little Living's approach to affordability because the true cost of housing includes both rent and the ongoing cost of occupying a home (i.e. utilities and internet access). The development will also include shared outdoor and community amenities designed to encourage recreation, gardening, social interaction, and a strong sense of community.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 79% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
No current program activity. The filing reports no program spending for the current year.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

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: 0
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 88
  • Sustainability: 88
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 0%; rating input score 0
  • Program expense ratio: 0%; rating input score 0
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

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: 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: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • 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: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 93.5%; rating input score 99; 99th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 17.18; rating input score 95; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.11; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: Limited
  • Revenue growth: 165.8% per year; rating input score 100; 100th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 169.9% per year; rating input score 100; 100th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 0% of revenue deployed · 0% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 8 of 8 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 6 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $210K reported
  • Consistency: 43 of 43 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • 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 0/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 34/100.