Rate Foundation Nfp

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
454204135
IRS 990 coverage
2013–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Chicago, IL, USA
Phone
7735166800
Rating
86
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Scholarships, Student Financial Aid Services, Awards

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$542,381
Expenses
$443,460
Assets
$1,708,066
Liabilities
$0

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

Leadership & pay

5 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • SCOTT UBERSOX (VICE PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR)
  • VICTOR CIARDELLI (PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • JASON OLENICZAK (SENIOR DIRECTOR, GR FOUNDA): $130,223 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Foundation was created by guaranteed rate, inc. To fulfill charitable and benevolent purposes by providing support and assistance to families and persons in need and at times of crisis. With the financial assistance of private donors, the foundation and its volunteers will collect money and items for donation as well as provide assistance in the sponsorship and organization of benefit drives. The foundation intends to provide assistance to the public at large, but will focus its efforts, both in fundraising and aid distribution, in the real estate and mortgage origination communities throughout the united states. The collection and distribution efforts will benefit the recipients, foster a sense of community and encourage continued charitable activities.

What it reported doing in 2025

The foundation provides financial support to people in situations arising from unforeseen hardship and/or emergency circumstances. Requests have ranged from food, clothing and shelter following a natural disaster to assisting with housing, transportation and outstanding bills as a result of a job loss or medical emergency.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 87% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 100% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

STRONG - 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.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 80
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 88
  • Sustainability: 67
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 84.1%; rating input score 84
  • Program expense ratio: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

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: 100%; rating input score 100; 55th 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; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • 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: 18.2%; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.85; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: Limited

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 10.5% per year; rating input score 100; 59th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 8.4% per year; rating input score 100; 55th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 4.7% per year; rating input score 100; 34th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 84.1% of revenue deployed · 100% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 10 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $443K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $130K · 5 people listed
  • Consistency: 17 of 17 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 13 filing years from 2013 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 11 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 12 filed related-organization links
  • 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.

  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 7 not reported.