Otter Cove Childrens Museum

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
833891315
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Fergus Falls, MN, USA
Phone
2189985438
Rating
73
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Reported finances

Revenue
$328,590
Expenses
$405,732
Assets
$446,362
Liabilities
$3,491

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

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • KATIE GANOE (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • KELSEY EVAVOLD (President)
  • MIKE WINGE (Vice President)

Highest reported compensation

  • KATIE GANOE (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $57,374 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Our mission is to support the optimal development of our region's children by intentionally creating the environment for abundant play opportunities that launch children's imaginations, stimulate skill development, and instill a sense of place and purpose that lasts a lifetime

What it reported doing in 2024

265 annual memberships were purchased/renewed (encompassing 1,050 individuals). 49 3-month memberships were purchased/renewed (196 individuals), 5 childcare memberships were purchased/renewed (28 individuals), 230 free access to play memberships were awarded (1,056 individuals), and numerous daily passes were sold in 2024. Otter cove hosted 51 field trips, 57 birthday parties, and 5 private rentals in 2024. A total of 27,486 visitors were sersved in 2024 through prgrams such as music makers, homeschool hangouts and early explorers. Children and families thourgh west-central mn also participate in the otter cove on the go program and playdates where museum activities are prout to communities in the region so all kids have a chance to experience otter cove, even when they can't make it to the museum.

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 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

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 73
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 63
  • Sustainability: 27
  • Growth: 40

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 89.2%; rating input score 89
  • Program expense ratio: 72.2%; rating input score 72
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th 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: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -23.5%; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.1; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 14.1%; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 18.9% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -9.7% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -2.8% per year; rating input score 0; 15th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 89.2% of revenue deployed · 72.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 8 of 8 board members independent · 1 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $293K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $57K · 9 people listed
  • Consistency: 28 of 28 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 4 filing years from 2020 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 — Accountability: Governance controls: 6 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 12/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 43/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 25/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 47/100.