Presque Isle Light Station

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
464865726
IRS 990 coverage
2015–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2016
Location
Erie, PA, USA
Phone
8148333604
Rating
56
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Historical Societies, Related Historical Activities

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$344,084
Expenses
$361,996
Assets
$841,189
Liabilities
$80,109

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

Leadership & pay

14 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • AVERIE SHAUGHNESSY-COMFORT (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • ERIC DAHLSTRAND (VICE-PRESIDENT)
  • GREG HENNING (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • AVERIE SHAUGHNESSY-COMFORT (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $64,904 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

The mission of the presque isle light station shall be to establish and support efforts in the restoration and preservation of the presque isle lighthouse to a period of significance to acquire and maintain safe keeping of building/grounds, artifacts and historical records of presque isle lighthouse; and to create educational and recreational opportunities that accurately interpret the maritime history of presque isle lighthouse for all visitors and preserves it for future generations.

What it reported doing in 2024

The lighthouse seven days a week during the summer months to the public. In addition it was open on weekends in the fall. This allowed visitors from all the states and other countries to tour the historical lighthouse and learn about the maritime experience.

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

MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 14
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 38
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 15%; rating input score 15
  • Program expense ratio: 8.8%; rating input score 9
  • Fundraising efficiency: $4.72 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings

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: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • 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: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -5.2%; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.32; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.1; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 17.9%; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -2.2% per year; rating input score 0; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 10.5% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 15.9% per year; rating input score 100; 79th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 15% of revenue deployed · 8.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 11 of 11 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $32K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $65K · 14 people listed
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 8 filing years from 2015 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • 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: Mission deployment rate scored 15/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 9/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 21/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 29/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 21/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 27/100.