Montana School Boards Association

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
810247703
IRS 990 coverage
2016–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Helena, MT, USA
Phone
4064422180
Rating
82
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Management & Technical Assistance

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$6,463,308
Expenses
$6,211,287
Assets
$11,432,441
Liabilities
$4,332,506

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

Leadership & pay

28 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • LANCE MELTON (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • KRYSTAL ZENTNER (PRESIDENT & DIR. REGION 9)

Highest reported compensation

  • LANCE MELTON (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $483,791 total reported compensation
  • DEBRA SILK (CHIEF LEGAL COUNSEL/ASSOC EXEC DIR.): $385,326 total reported compensation
  • SHAWN BUBB (DIR. INSURANCE SERVICES): $327,630 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Mtsba's mission is to develop the full potential of each child through school board leadership.

What it reported doing in 2024

Self funded insurance programs for members.see sch o.the Montana school boards association (mtsba) administers the Montana school districts' workers' compensation risk and retention program (wcrrp), the largest self-funded program of its kind in the state. Serving over 25,000 public school employees, wcrrp stands as a testament to our commitment to enhance workplace safety and provide exceptional workers' compensation coverage.our program offers competitively priced coverage alongside an extensive suite of value added services tailored to each member district. These services include but are not limited to comprehensive training in all facets of school district risk management, equipping our members with the tools they need to effectively mitigate risks. By focusing on proactive risk management, we not only drive down the costs of coverage-resulting in significant savings for our member districts-but also foster a safer work environment, leading to fewer claims against the districts. Through wcrrp, we exemplify our dedication to the well-being of our school employees and the financial health of our Montana's public schools.the Montana school boards association (mtsba) administers a self-funded property and casualty program that provides comprehensive coverage to our members at highly competitive rates. Our program goes beyond the typical market options, delivering exceptional member services that are tailored to the unique needs of each of our school districts.by offering lower costs for coverage, we enable member districts to achieve substantial savings, allowing them to allocate resources more effectively to support their educational missions. Additionally, our strong emphasis on risk management not only assists districts in minimizing potential liabilities but also leads to a significant reduction in the number of claims. Through our property and casualty program, we demonstrate our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the interests of Montana's public schools, ensuring a secure environment for students, staff, and the broader community.the Montana school boards association (mtsba) administers the Montana schools unemployment insurance program (mtsuip), a self-funded insurance pool designed to provide outstanding coverage for our member districts. Our competitive rates are significantly lower than those offered by the state of Montana, ensuring that our members receive exceptional value.the financial benefits of lower coverage costs directly translate into substantial savings for member districts, allowing them to allocate resources more effectively toward enriching educational programs. Additionally, our program places a strong emphasis on effective risk management practices through multiple trainings and other available resources, which leads to a notable reduction in claims against the districts. Through mtsuip, we reaffirm our dedication to supporting Montana's public schools by promoting fiscal responsibility and enhancing the overall stability of our educational workforce

Operating model

Revenue model
Other-operating. 72% of the money available for current operations came from other operating revenue.
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. Expenses are high relative to revenue and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 71
  • Transparency & Controls: 88
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 43
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 79.2%; rating input score 79
  • Program expense ratio: 81.3%; rating input score 81
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Limited
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 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: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 3.9%; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.84; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.38; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 44.5%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5.2% per year; rating input score 100; 41st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 5.4% per year; rating input score 100; 44th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8.2% per year; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 79.2% of revenue deployed · 81.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 20 of 20 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 9 filed program accomplishments · $5M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $484K · 28 people listed · 5 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $363K reported
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes executive pay
  • Filing history: 8 filing years from 2016 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 10 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.

  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 47/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 59/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 2/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 28/100.