Montana Equestrian Events Inc
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 810530627
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2010–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024
- Location
- Whitefish, MT, USA
- Phone
- 4068628286
- Rating
- 70
- Verdict
- SUPPORTED
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Human Services
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $1,402,206
- Expenses
- $1,373,105
- Assets
- $220,053
- Liabilities
- $12,671
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
9 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- JANE KARAS (PRESIDENT)
People named in this filing
- JANE KARAS (PRESIDENT)
- DAVID DITTMAN (SECRETARY)
- JEROME BROUSSARD (TREASURER)
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
Promote amateur equestrian competition in the western united states
What it reported doing in 2024
The organization gives equestrians of all ages the opportunity to compete in the western united states in competitions that are sanctioned by a national parent organization, the united states eventing association (usea), headquartered in leesburg, Virginia and the international sanctioning organization, federation equestre internationale, switzerland.the primary service accomplishment is staging the main competition called the event at rebecca farm in july of each year for approximately 580 entrants. The rider and horse perform a combination of the equestrian discipline of dressage, cross country and stadium jumping over a 3 day period. There are multiple divisions from novice to advanced including international divisions. It is part of a circuit of similar events that take place across the u.s. And the world as it serves as a springboard for the horse and rider to advance to major national and international equestrian competitions, including the olympics.over several months prior to the event, the course is prepared to appropriate standards, temporary stables are installed and qualified officials are hired. Several hundred volunteers also help in the production of the event. Planned fundraising takes place to solicit sponsors to offset the cost not covered by entry fees such as program production, prizes, organization fees, security, toilet rental and garbage removal, etc. Over 20,000 spectators attend and admission is free; handicap access is provided. A trade fair takes place over the 3 days attracting vendors and food concessionaires. An evening barbecue is also a traditional part of the festivities. The community not only benefits in the recreation provided, but also from an economic standpoint. The average competitor from out of the area (approximately 3/4 of the entrants) bring 4-5 helpers with them and stay an average of 5 days. Equestrian enthusiasts from all over the u.s. And canada flock to the event each july to take it all in and thus supporting local tourism.along with the main event, several clinics, show jumping competitions and a dressage show take place throughout the season. They too are sanctioned by parent organizations respectively as per the equestrian discipline. Expert clinicians teach 20-30 students over weekends and judges officiate at the jumping and dressage shows which average 80 competitors. Again, these events attract equestrians from all over the u.s. And canada.in 2012, in memory of the event's founder, rebecca broussard, her daughter, sarah g. Broussard, launched "halt cancer at x" - an initiative to raise money for breast cancer research. The name comes from the dressage test - where the first movement is for the rider to halt the horse at x, a station marked in the arena. A parking donation was collected each day at the event to help support this campaign and participating competitors also raised money through soliciting pledges. A total of $69,000 was awarded to national and local organizations in the fight against breast cancer.
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 94% 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
SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of voting board members are independent and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 81
- Transparency & Controls: 94
- Accountability: 12
- Sustainability: 38
- Growth: 100
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 86.4%; rating input score 86
- Program expense ratio: 88.4%; rating input score 88
- Fundraising efficiency: $10.31 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 39; 39th 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
- Related-party transparency: Limited
Accountability
- Independent voting board: 0%; rating input score 0; 5th percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 2 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 29
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
- Whistleblower policy: Fail
- Document-retention policy: Fail
- 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: 2.1%; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.16; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 2.7% per year; rating input score 100; 30th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 2.8% per year; rating input score 100; 29th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 14.1% per year; rating input score 100; 70th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 86.4% of revenue deployed · 88.4% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 0 of 4 board members independent · 2 of 7 filing controls reported
- Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.2M in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 9 people listed
- Consistency: 25 of 25 current checks pass
- Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
- Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 5 filed money-flow records
- Related organizations: 5 filed related-organization links
- 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 — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 0/100.
- High — Accountability: Governance controls: 4 of 6 not reported.
- Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 39/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 42/100.
- High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 8/100.
- Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 50/100.