Neighborhood Bike Works

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
233012779
IRS 990 coverage
2015–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Phone
2153860316
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Youth Centers, Clubs

Reported finances

Revenue
$699,377
Expenses
$676,242
Assets
$818,507
Liabilities
$335,264

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

Leadership & pay

13 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JESSICA DAY WEST (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • PATRICIA BAKELY (PRESIDENT)
  • LAURA SHELLEY (VICE PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • JESSICA DAY WEST (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $83,366 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Neighborhood bike works provides equitable access to bicycling and bike repair through education, recreation, leadership and career building opportunites.

What it reported doing in 2024

Neighborhood Bike Works (NBW) leverages the power of bicycles to create opportunities for learning, mobility, and economic advancement. Through an integrated model of youth and adult programming, NBW provides equitable access to bicycling and bike repair while building practical skills, confidence, and long-term pathways to success. Our Youth Bicycle Education and Empowerment Program (YBEEP) engages young people-primarily from under-resourced communities- in hands-on learning that combines bicycle mechanics, riding, and leadership development. Youth earn bicycles, develop problem-solving and teamwork skills, explore their city and regional trails, and progress into advanced opportunities including paid internships, apprenticeships, and peer leadership roles. For adults, NBW operates a community bike shop and free, volunteer-supported DIY repair program (Bike Church), providing affordable access to bikes, tools, and technical guidance. These programs support individuals who rely on bicycles for transportation, work, and daily life, while fostering independence, resourcefulness, and social connection. Across all programs, NBW removes barriers to participation by offering free or low-cost services, transportation support, and welcoming, relationship-centered environments. By connecting education, recreation, and workforce development, NBW helps participants of all ages build skills, expand access to opportunity, and strengthen the neighborhoods we serve.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 97% 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

SUPPORTED - 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 program spending has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 71
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 42
  • Growth: 20

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 80.2%; rating input score 80
  • Program expense ratio: 70.4%; rating input score 70
  • Fundraising efficiency: $6.96 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 26; 26th 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: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • 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: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 3.3%; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.21; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.41; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 12.3%; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -3.2% per year; rating input score 0; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -1.5% per year; rating input score 0; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 6.8% per year; rating input score 100; 47th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 80.2% of revenue deployed · 70.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 12 of 12 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $476K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $83K · 13 people listed
  • Consistency: 26 of 26 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 8 filing years from 2015 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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 26/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 46/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 49/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 19/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 30/100.