Mar-Lu-Ridge Camp and Retreat Center Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
520807630
IRS 990 coverage
2018–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Jefferson, MD, USA
Phone
3018745544
Rating
87
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Affiliation
Christianity

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$890,599
Expenses
$926,836
Assets
$2,231,196
Liabilities
$410,059

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

Leadership & pay

13 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Thomas Wheeler (President)

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

Overview

Mission

Rooted in Christ, we welcome all to encounter Gods love through sacred hospitality, deepening relationships and care for creation.

What it reported doing in 2025

Retreat and conference facilities offered to accommodate groups from 10 to 200 participants. Facilities and services offered include chef- prepared food services, 150-seat banquet room, 200-seat indoor chapel, outdoor pavilions and chapels, 250-seat amphitheater, large-group grills and campfire circles, group initiatives course, zip line, canoeing, archery, hiking trails, and outdoor recreation and playfields. Staff members are available to help design and facilitate retreat conference programs for groups upon request.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
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. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 93
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 77
  • Sustainability: 38
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 97.6%; rating input score 98
  • Program expense ratio: 93.7%; rating input score 94
  • Fundraising efficiency: $26.01 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 62; 62nd 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: 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: 4 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 44
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -4.1%; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.41; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.18; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 9.8%; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5.4% per year; rating input score 100; 38th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 2% per year; rating input score 100; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.5% per year; rating input score 100; 46th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 97.6% of revenue deployed · 93.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 10 board members independent · 4 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $869K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $60K · 13 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $430K reported
  • Consistency: 20 of 20 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 8 filing years from 2018 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

  • Moderate — Accountability: Governance controls: 5 of 9 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 21/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 26/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 38/100.