Stem Paths Innovation Network

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
474188543
IRS 990 coverage
2019–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2017, Form 990-N 2016
Location
Renton, WA, USA
Phone
2062712872
Rating
84
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Educational Services and Schools - Other

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,175,562
Expenses
$1,190,710
Assets
$549,030
Liabilities
$19,468

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

Leadership & pay

11 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • KATHERINE BARR (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS)
  • SHANA BECKWITH (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION)

Highest reported compensation

  • SHANA BECKWITH (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION): $98,809 total reported compensation
  • KATHERINE BARR (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS): $94,170 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Stem paths innovation network (spin) provides low- or no-cost stem programming and mentors to scholars of color and girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and art fields in the greater seattle region.

What it reported doing in 2024

Spin partnered with other non-profits and the city of seattle to provide stem enrichment classes to students at local elementary and middle schools. Spin provided services to approximately 600 students of color and underserved students. Lab (a place for learning and belonging) is a dynamic makerspace and classroom where students collaborate, share resources and access cutting-edge equipment. It serves as a vibrant community gathering space empowering women and students of color to see a future pathway into the stem industries. It served 50 students.

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 96% 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 fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 83
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 79
  • Sustainability: 31
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 87.5%; rating input score 87
  • Program expense ratio: 86.3%; rating input score 86
  • Fundraising efficiency: $19.19 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 57; 57th 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th 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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 4 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Fail
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -1.3%; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.46; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 16.2%; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 30.7% per year; rating input score 100; 90th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 25% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 22.9% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 87.5% of revenue deployed · 86.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 9 of 9 board members independent · 4 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $99K · 11 people listed
  • Consistency: 33 of 33 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2019 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 4 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.

  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 4 of 8 not reported.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 57/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 32/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 22/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 21/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 56/100.