Project 515

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
208876339
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2012
Forms available
Form 990 2012
Location
Minneapolis, MN, USA
Phone
6126772200
Rating confidence
Limited
Sector
Alliance/Advocacy

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$329,170
Expenses
$363,171
Assets
$146,328
Liabilities
$3,896

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2012. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

16 people listed

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2012. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To achieve equal rights and considerations under the law for same-sex couples and their families in Minnesota.

What it reported doing in 2012

Project 515 spent significant resources lobbying at the state capitol to improve legal relationship recognition for same-sex couples and their families in 2012. It was a leader in the ballot measure campaign that sought to ban marrige for same-sex couples in the state's constitution and allocated significant resources to that effort as well. Accomplishments in 2012: helped lead the minnesotans united for all families coalition to defeat the proposed constitutional amendment that would have limited the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in the state. The coalition grew from the two founding partners, project 515 and outfront Minnesota, to more than 700 organizations, and a movement of over 27,000 volunteers. Worked with minnesotans united for all families to build a massive grassroots network and conducted extensive public outreach through personal conversations and through paid, earned and social media. Was part of making history when that coalition defeated the amendment in november 2012, making Minnesota the first in more than 30 states to defeat such an amendment. Helped position the minnesotans united coalition to leverage the momentum from 2012 to continue the conversation with minnesotans about full equality and relationship recognition for same-sex couples and their families.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Cannot be determined from the filing. The filing does not provide enough consistent spending detail to tell whether the nonprofit works directly or through others.

The verdict

- The available evidence is not sufficient to produce an overall rating for this filing. This is not a warning sign.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: NotEnoughData
  • Transparency & Controls: 86
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 27
  • Growth: NotEnoughData

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: Limited
  • Program expense ratio: Limited
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 90.9%; rating input score 91; 13th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 90.9%; rating input score 91; 47th percentile among comparable filings
  • 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: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -10.3%; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.4; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 52; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 14%; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: Limited
  • Revenue growth: Limited
  • Asset growth: Limited

Details

  • Where the money goes: Financial trends and filed revenue, expense, asset, and liability detail
  • Governance: 15 of 15 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $258K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $101K · 16 people listed
  • Consistency: 25 of 26 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: 2 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 22/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 23/100.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Domestic grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 31/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 52/100.