Meher Spiritual Center Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
570422620
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
Phone
8432728793
Rating
83
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$4,172,759
Expenses
$2,335,504
Assets
$22,968,328
Liabilities
$61,725

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

Leadership & pay

11 people listed

People named in this filing

  • CARENBRAMLETTE (DIRECTOR)
  • NAOZER DADACHANJI (DIRECTOR)
  • JOHANNA GARD'NER (SECRETARY)

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 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To maintain a spiritual retreat for rest, meditation and renewal of spiritual life.

What it reported doing in 2024

The center operates a nonsectarian spiritual retreat dedicated to the teachings of thje late meher baba. Approximately 3,000 overnight visitors annually come to the centerfor rest, contemplation and renewal of the spiritual life. They stay for up to two weeks in simple rustic cabins, surrounded by tranquil natural beauty of the environment. A library and meeting room are maintained and devotional programs are offered. In 2022, there were 11,390 day visitors who enjoyed the center's atmosphere and participated in day and evening activities. Normally over 20,000 day visitors participate. A youth retreat program is offered annually for one week in the summer, involving approximately 55 high school students and 60 younf adults, along with 25 staff providing a wide range of devotional activities.

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 total spending goes to programs and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 70
  • Transparency & Controls: 86
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 90
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 59.4%; rating input score 59
  • Program expense ratio: 79.2%; rating input score 79
  • Fundraising efficiency: $2,638.92 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 99; 99th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 92.9%; rating input score 93; 13th 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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • 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: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 44%; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 9.83; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 6.8% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 9.7% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.7% per year; rating input score 100; 49th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 59.4% of revenue deployed · 79.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 11 of 11 board members independent · 7 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $1.8M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 11 people listed
  • Consistency: 22 of 22 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 59/100.