Second Chances Garage Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
271336325
IRS 990 coverage
2017–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-N 2010
Location
Frederick, MD, USA
Phone
2407241919
Rating
88
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Centers to Support the Independence of Specific Populations

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,480,825
Expenses
$1,342,544
Assets
$472,505
Liabilities
$109,895

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

Leadership & pay

14 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JAKE BUTT (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • BEN TRAWICK (PRESIDENT)
  • BARBARA SWANHART (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UNTIL 1/25)
  • TONYA HATOSY-STIER (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AFTER 1/25)

Highest reported compensation

  • TONYA HATOSY-STIER (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AFTER 1/25): $110,365 total reported compensation
  • JOHN GRUPENHOFF (SHOP MANAGER): $90,355 total reported compensation
  • BARBARA SWANHART (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UNTIL 1/25): $2,692 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Mission: we give second chances to vehicles and the people who need them. Our mission is to provide affordable transportation solutions that help wage-earning individuals and families with low incomes overcome barriers to maintaining employment, pursuing better-paying jobs, attending school, accessing healthcare, and meeting family responsibilities.

What it reported doing in 2025

The reduced-cost vehicle repair program made essential vehicle repairs affordable for 619 individuals and families who might otherwise have been forced to delay repairs or stop driving altogether. By providing labor and parts at approximately half the typical market cost, the program helped neighbors keep their vehicles safe, reliable, and on the road protecting their ability to get to work, attend school, access healthcare, care for their families, and remain connected to essential services.

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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 84
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 37
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 83.5%; rating input score 83
  • Program expense ratio: 92.1%; rating input score 92
  • Fundraising efficiency: $31.99 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings

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: Limited
  • 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: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 9.3%; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.35; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.23; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 15.2%; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 7.6% per year; rating input score 100; 48th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 8% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.8% per year; rating input score 100; 47th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 83.5% of revenue deployed · 92.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 11 of 11 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $1.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $110K · 14 people listed
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 8 filing years from 2017 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 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 — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 18/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 55/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 23/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 24/100.