Speak for Animals
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 201048883
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2022–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2021, Form 990-N 2007
- Location
- Greenville, SC, USA
- Phone
- 8644210022
- Rating
- 81
- Verdict
- STRONG
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Animal Protection and Welfare
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $355,958
- Expenses
- $354,406
- Assets
- $134,696
- Liabilities
- $15,486
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
8 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- SUSAN BUFANO (PRESIDENT)
Highest reported compensation
- SUSAN BUFANO (PRESIDENT): $9,775 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
Speak for animals is an innovative 501(c)3 charitable organiation dedicated to saving and improving the lives of companion animals in upstate, South Carolina since 2003. We accomplish our mission through low-cost spay and neuter programs, partnerships with dedicated veterinarians, community outreach, advocacy, and education, planning and collaborating with animal welfare organizations, aid with veterinary care through our pickle fund, and advocating a compassionate lifestyle. We offer programs for animals who are the most vulnerable: pit bulls and pit mixes, friendly and feral cats, and animals belonging to people with financial and other barriers.
What it reported doing in 2024
Provided low-cost and free spay/neuter services for pit bull mixes, owned cats, and community (feral) cats throughout the upstate South Carolina. In 2024, partnering with eight local veterinary clinics, the organization facilitated 3,736 spay/neuter surgeries, focusing on economically disadvantaged individuals, and animals from high-risk populations. Additionally, the pickle fund provided financial assistance for the crucial veterinary care of 121 animals, beyond the scope of basic spay/neuter services. Together, these programs advanced the organization's ongoing mission to reduce unwanted litters, prevent animal suffering, and address the root causes of the pet overpopulation crisis with the objective of lowering shelter intake and euthanasia rates.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Earned-program. 65% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
- 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.
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: 83
- Transparency & Controls: 92
- Accountability: 69
- Sustainability: 31
- Growth: 100
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 84.6%; rating input score 85
- Program expense ratio: 84.8%; rating input score 85
- Fundraising efficiency: $29.7 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings
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: 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: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 25
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
- Whistleblower policy: Fail
- Document-retention policy: Fail
- CEO compensation review process: Fail
- Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Missing
- Independent financial-statement audit: Fail
Sustainability
- Operating margin: 0.4%; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.38; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.11; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 2.8%; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 18.4% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 17.6% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 5.4% per year; rating input score 100; 49th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 84.6% of revenue deployed · 84.8% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 7 of 7 board members independent · 2 of 8 filing controls reported
- Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $301K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $10K · 8 people listed
- Consistency: 20 of 20 current checks pass
- Schedules: 3 filed schedules · includes major donors
- Filing history: 3 filing years from 2022 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
- 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: Governance controls: 5 of 7 not reported.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 40/100.
- High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 19/100.
- High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 25/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 35/100.