Southern California Genealogical Society
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 956111338
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2014–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024
- Location
- Burbank, CA, USA
- Phone
- 8188437247
- Rating
- 81
- Verdict
- STRONG
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $179,396
- Expenses
- $219,024
- Assets
- $2,884,527
- Liabilities
- $647
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
15 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- Deborah Davenport (Vice President)
- Louise Ratliff (President)
- Lynda Su Young (Vice President)
People named in this filing
- Lisa Taylor (Director)
- Diane Adamson (Treasurer)
- Deborah Davenport (Vice President)
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
The Southern California Genealogical Society (SCGS) exists to foster the understanding and appreciation of the collective and individual histories, cultures and traditions of our diverse communities, and recognition of their contributions to our dynamic society. SCGS endeavors to preserve genealogical materials, support ethnic and special interest groups, and provide education and guidance using accepted and effective research techniques, documentation, and dissemination of family histories.
What it reported doing in 2024
Operation of library containing over 40,000 genealogical books and manuscripts by an all volunteer staff. The library is open free of charge to the public five days a week on average. Over 1,500 patrons visit the library annually. The volunteer staff also provides genealogical research support using the materials in the library for people who live out of the Los Angeles, CA area.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Investment-supported. 67% of the money available for current operations came from recurring investment income.
- 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. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and expenses are high relative to revenue.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 85
- Transparency & Controls: 90
- Accountability: 82
- Sustainability: 48
- Growth: 20
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
- Program expense ratio: 87%; rating input score 87
- Fundraising efficiency: Limited
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: Limited
- Related-party transparency: Limited
Accountability
- Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 4 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 57
- 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: Fail
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Missing
- Independent financial-statement audit: Fail
Sustainability
- Operating margin: -22.1%; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 13.17; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: -5.8% per year; rating input score 0; 16th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: -10% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 2.6% per year; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 87% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 15 of 15 board members independent · 4 of 7 filing controls reported
- Programs: 6 filed program accomplishments · $191K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 15 people listed
- Consistency: 22 of 22 current checks pass
- Schedules: 3 filed schedules
- Filing history: 9 filing years from 2014 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- 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 6 not reported.
- High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 13/100.
- High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
- High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
- Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 59/100.