The Bison Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
251867180
IRS 990-EZ coverage
2012–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2013, Form 990-EZ 2024
Location
Carlisle, PA, USA
Phone
7174403312
Rating
94
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Fund Raising and/or Fund Distribution

Reported finances

Revenue
$102,960
Expenses
$109,270
Assets
$370,412
Liabilities
$5,285

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

Leadership & pay

10 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MICHAEL BLACK (PRESIDENT)
  • COLLEEN FRIEND (VICE PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • MICHAEL BLACK (PRESIDENT)
  • COLLEEN FRIEND (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • WALT BOND (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-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The bison foundation was established to strengthen community participation in school programs, to enhance the educational opportunities for students, and to provide additional funds in order to assure educational excellence in the carlisle area school district.

What it reported doing in 2024

To enhance educational opportunities for all students, increase community involvement in the schools, encourage alumni to support the foundation, and encourage and increase corporate involvement with the school district.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 95% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 100% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Revenue has declined or grown slowly and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 97
  • Transparency & Controls: 100
  • Sustainability: 48
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 99.3%; rating input score 99
  • Program expense ratio: 93.6%; rating input score 94

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -6.1%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.39; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 1.7% per year; rating input score 100; 35th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -7.8% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 4% per year; rating input score 100; 41st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 99.3% of revenue deployed · 93.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: Filed governance answers
  • Accomplishments: 1 filed program accomplishment · $102K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 10 people listed
  • Consistency: 9 of 9 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 12 filing years from 2012 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 2 filed related-organization links
  • 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 — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 20/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 40/100.