Orion Communities Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
232074061
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2015
Location
Phoenixville, PA, USA
Phone
6104151140
Rating
90
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$950,742
Expenses
$1,126,221
Assets
$361,543
Liabilities
$32,219

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

18 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • ELLEN SCOTT (PRESIDENT)
  • KEITH BURRESS (PAST PRESIDENT)
  • KEN GEORGE (PAST PRESIDENT)
  • NORA ALVAREZ (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • MARGARITA MIRKIL (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • MARGARITA MIRKIL (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $84,396 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Orion is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that believes all individuals deserve equitable access to life's basic needs of shelter, food, clothing, transportation, access to healthcare and respectful human interactions. For 49 years orion has offered hope for individuals and families experiencing hardship due to poverty, disability, or illness by addressing immediate crises and supporting the discovery of individual pathways to self-reliance. We listen, collaborate, and honor all people, no exceptions. Orion seeks to address systematic challenges by modeling inclusivity and belonging while seeking to ensure all voices are heard at the decision-making table.

What it reported doing in 2025

Financial assistance provides immediate financial relief to keep families afloat. From rental assistance preventing eviction, to help with utility bills that keep the lights on, to assistance with heating oil and propane to keep families warm throughout the winter, these funds ensure that families have the resources to get ahead. To assist our clients with essential personal items, we also distribute clothing, hygiene products, tents and other needed items. Additionally, orion provides access to computers, internet, phone, fax, printers, and charging stations so that clients can use these resources to find employment, enroll in benefits, connect with support systems and access additional resources.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 92% 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

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 fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 92
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 17
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 91.1%; rating input score 91
  • Fundraising efficiency: $19.58 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 55; 55th 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; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 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: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -18.5%; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.32; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.09; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 7.5%; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 17% per year; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 13.8% per year; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 16.6% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 91.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 17 of 17 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 6 filed program accomplishments · $1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $84K · 18 people listed
  • Consistency: 31 of 31 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 12 filing years from 2011 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 4 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • 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 — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 7/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 55/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 16/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 36/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 44/100.