Rhode Island Bar Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
056009376
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Cranston, RI, USA
Phone
4014215740
Rating
70
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Fund Raising and Fund Distribution

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$3,484,268
Expenses
$1,646,238
Assets
$12,594,772
Liabilities
$1,054,058

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

Leadership & pay

24 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • ARMANDO E BATASTINI (PRESIDENT)
  • DAVID N BAZAR (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • MICHAEL A ST PIERRE (PAST PRESIDENT DIRECTOR)
  • SUSAN LEACH DEBLASIO (PAST PRESIDENT DIRECTOR)
  • JOSEPH J ROSZKOWSKI (PAST PRESIDENT DIRECTOR)
  • JOHN A TARANTINO (PAST PRESIDENT DIRECTOR)

People named in this filing

  • ARMANDO E BATASTINI (PRESIDENT)
  • DAVID N BAZAR (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • ETIE-LEE SCHAUB (SECRETARY)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

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

Overview

Mission

Rhode Island bar foundation's mission is to foster and maintain the honor and integrity of the profession of law and to study, improve and facilitate the administration of justice in Rhode Island, as well as promote the study of law, research therein and diffusion of knowledge and to promote high standards of legal education.

What it reported doing in 2024

The interest on lawyers trust accounts - collects money from iolta accounts from ri attorneys. The income is than distributed to other non profit organizations that provide legal assistance to the poor of Rhode Island, promote knowledge of the law, improvement of administration for justice.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 88% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 89% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

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

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 61
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 42
  • Sustainability: 88
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 54.2%; rating input score 54
  • Program expense ratio: 93.3%; rating input score 93
  • 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; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 0%; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • 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: 52.8%; rating input score 93; 93rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 7.65; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.08; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 3.8% per year; rating input score 100; 32nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 11.7% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 10.9% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 54.2% of revenue deployed · 93.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 0 of 18 board members independent · 7 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $1.5M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 24 people listed
  • Consistency: 25 of 25 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 15 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 — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 0/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 54/100.