Miracle Messages

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
824179328
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2019
Location
San Francisco, CA, USA
Phone
6503820663
Rating
68
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Centers to Support the Independence of Specific Populations

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$3,679,363
Expenses
$1,409,522
Assets
$3,486,768
Liabilities
$14

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

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • KEVIN ADLER (PRESIDENT)
  • MARY CARL (CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • KEVIN ADLER (PRESIDENT): $163,687 total reported compensation
  • MARY CARL (CEO): $161,097 total reported compensation
  • COLETTE LAY COO (TREASURER (TO 10/2024)): $136,957 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Miracle messages helps people experiencing homelessness rebuild their social support systems and financial security, primarily through family reunification services, a phone buddy program, and basic income pilots.

What it reported doing in 2024

Miracle money: miracle money explores direct cash through different distribution models.the combination of cash and social connection supports agency, well-being, and a sense of belonging-key ingredients for sustainable transformation. We take a "cash plus" approach, which includes additional supports that create conditions for lasting change, allowing people to move beyond survival and toward long-term stability and self-determined success. Distribution models include: a) direct cash transfers of $300/monthly for one year to participants who have engaged in our phone buddy program for a minimum of 6 months (dignity funds); b) $750/monthly for one year for participants associated with programs run by 5 partnering homeless service organizations (thriving community fund); c) other forms of cash such as travel funds for specific reunion needs or one time backup relief funds. We have distributed $1.1m through miracle money, $970k of which was through basic income.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 98% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 80% for direct work, and 20% for grants.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - 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 some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 49
  • Transparency & Controls: 83
  • Accountability: 76
  • Sustainability: 76
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 29.5%; rating input score 29
  • Program expense ratio: 74%; rating input score 74
  • Fundraising efficiency: $35.17 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 75%; rating input score 75; 13th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 61.7%; rating input score 95; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.47; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 94; 94th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 32.8%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 30.5% per year; rating input score 100; 93rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 35.3% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 43.6% per year; rating input score 100; 97th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 29.5% of revenue deployed · 74% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 6 of 8 board members independent · 7 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $164K · 9 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 4 filing years from 2020 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 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.
  • 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.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 29/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 9 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 4/100.