Midwest Environmental Advocates Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
392006475
IRS 990 coverage
2015–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Madison, WI, USA
Phone
6082515047
Rating
83
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Legal Services

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,175,265
Expenses
$1,153,892
Assets
$1,877,957
Liabilities
$224,988

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

Leadership & pay

17 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • SUSAN DAVIDSON (PRESIDENT)
  • TRICIA ZUNKER (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • ANTHONY WILKIN GIBART (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • ANTHONY WILKIN GIBART (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $101,760 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Midwest environmental advocates is a nonprofit law center that combines the power of law with the resolve of communities facing environmental injustice to secure and protect the rights of all people to healthy water, land, and air.

What it reported doing in 2024

Activities related to combining the power of law with the resolve of communities facing environmental injustice to secure and protect the rights of all people to healthy water, land, and air. $0 for amicus briefing and participation for a non-profit organizations in a case that will determine the effectiveness of Wisconsin's toxic spills law to protect water quality and public health.$0 for litigation related to enforcement of Wisconsin's public records law, which advances the public's right to transparency in the operations of government.$0 for litigation to defend permitting requirements for facilities that discharge pollutants to surface water and groundwater, which protect water quality and public health.$0 for representation of community members in an administrative proceeding related to a pollution discharge permit to advocate for conditions that protect water quality and public health.$14,997 for representation of a non-profit organization to contest the issuance of wetland and waterways permits in order to protect water quality and natural resources.$0 for amicus briefing to support separation of powers and faithful implementation of state environmental laws.$0 for representation for a non-profit organization to participate in public service commission proceedings about the affordability of rooftop solar and electricity rates.$0 for representation of non-profit organizations to ensure agencies' compliance with the national environmental policy act in connection with highway expansion.$0 for representation of community members in an administrative proceeding related the authorization of the expansion of a powerplant to advocate for conditions that protect public health and the environment.$3,000 for amicus briefing for a non-profit organization to advocate for consumer choice and distributed renewable energy generation.$0 for litigation to allow the state to consider air pollution impacts and require renewable electricity generation when considering proposals for new generating facilities.$10,439 for representation of a federally recognized indian tribe in a court proceeding regarding standards for permitting exploratory mining operations, ensuring the protection of water quality and natural resources.$0 for representation of a federally recognized indian tribe in an administrative proceeding regarding the permitting process for herbicide applications, to protect water quality and environmental protection.$0 for representation of community members in an administrative proceeding related to a pollution discharge permit to advocate for conditions that protect water quality and public health.$0 for litigation related to enforcement of Wisconsin's public records law, which advances the public's right to transparency in the operations of government.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 88% 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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

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: 70
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 46
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 75.9%; rating input score 76
  • Program expense ratio: 75.7%; rating input score 76
  • Fundraising efficiency: $5.74 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 21; 21st 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; 63rd 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: 1.8%; rating input score 41; 41st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.63; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.12; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 8.8%; rating input score 41; 41st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 3.5% per year; rating input score 100; 34th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 6.7% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 19.4% per year; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 75.9% of revenue deployed · 75.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 16 of 16 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $873K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $102K · 17 people listed
  • Consistency: 34 of 34 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 10 filing years from 2015 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 — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 21/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 41/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 58/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 40/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 41/100.