Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
310900246
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Berea, KY, USA
Phone
8599862373
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Standard
Sector
Rural Economic Development

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$6,960,560
Expenses
$6,933,941
Assets
$35,347,429
Liabilities
$6,091,977

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

Leadership & pay

10 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • PETER HILLE (PRESIDENT)
  • ROBIN GABBARD (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • PETER HILLE (PRESIDENT): $186,462 total reported compensation
  • WILLIAM COOMES (CORPORATE VP): $115,337 total reported compensation
  • KACIE ZECHMAN (CORPORATE TR): $112,302 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

We serve our mission to build a new economy by offering flexible loans and technical support to existing and startup businesses and organizations; helping businesses, nonprofits, public agencies and homeowners find much- needed energy savings; and by engaging in research, communications and advocacy for policy and narrative change. We also work with partners on a variety of projects to demonstrate what's possible in eastern Kentucky.

What it reported doing in 2024

4d. Other program services central appalachian network the central appalachian network (can)'s mission is to develop and deploy economic strategies that build wealth in local communities, conserve natural and cultural resources, and empower marginalized communities. Can works in collaboration across sectors, partnering with other non-profits, community groups, funders, educational institutions, local government, and private business. Can actively pursues economic transition in central appalachian communities through a variety of economic sectors and market- based strategies. Mountain association serves as fiscal sponsor for can. Strategic initiatives the strategic initiatives program works to build relationships with communities in eastern Kentucky by helping them design and build unique and place-based interventions in economic sectors that fill gaps and demonstrates what's possible in the region's new economy. General community development historically, mountain association has provided administrative support services to and has maintained a joint employer relationship with two small nonprofits whose missions closely align with the organization-- Kentucky natural lands trust (knlt) and Kentucky center for economic policy (ky policy). Knlt is a nonprofit conservation organization working to secure funds to protect natural lands and provide for their long-term stewardship. Ky policy produces credible research to kentuckians around complex issues such as public investments, taxes, education, criminal justice, health care, jobs, and the economy. As part of its mission, mountain association also serves as a fiscal sponsor for unincorporated nonprofit projects doing work that supports our goals. Fiscally sponsored projects are direct activities of mountain association. Expenses/grants to other organizations/revenues 1,039,550/77,695/368,785

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 81% 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

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and reported officer compensation is a large share of total spending, which may reflect staffing concentration.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 74
  • Transparency & Controls: 84
  • Accountability: 81
  • Sustainability: 50
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 75.3%; rating input score 75
  • Program expense ratio: 75.4%; rating input score 75
  • Fundraising efficiency: $22.07 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 93.3%; rating input score 93; 17th 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: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 96.4%; rating input score 96; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 66.7%; rating input score 67; 11th 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: 0.4%; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 5.1; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.17; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 10.2%; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 2.8% per year; rating input score 100; 26th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 1.7% per year; rating input score 100; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 5.2% per year; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 75.3% of revenue deployed · 75.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 4 of 6 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $5.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $186K · 10 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 4 contractors listed · $498K reported
  • Consistency: 33 of 34 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, executive pay, and related organizations
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 16 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 11 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.
  • 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 35/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 29/100.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Domestic grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 47/100.