The Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 363490560
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2013–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2024
- Location
- Lincoln, NE, USA
- Phone
- 4024361612
- Rating
- 91
- Verdict
- STRONG
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Arts Education
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $3,044,590
- Expenses
- $5,282,353
- Assets
- $18,431,724
- Liabilities
- $148,010
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
30 people listed
Highest reported compensation
- NATALIA WIITA (EXECUTIVE DI): $73,862 total reported compensation
- WENDY VAN (EXECUTIVE DI): $26,545 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
"the foundation for lincoln public schools believes that all students should have what they need to reach their full potential. We engage our community to inspire students and educators, and create educational opportunities that enhance academic and personal success."
What it reported doing in 2024
Programs that enhance the learning at lincoln public schools by providing access to all students or additional opportunities for any student who wishes to explore their passions. District priority projects, post- secondary and dual credit scholarships, teacher awards and classroom grants are also included in this work. A primary focus for the foundation over the last several years has been the fielding dreams campaign, which aims to build premier athletic and activity facilities in lincoln, Nebraska, to serve students and community members in athletics, the arts, and various activities in partnership with lincoln public schools. While fundraising primarily occurred prior to fiscal year 2025, over 2 million was disbursed by the foundation to lincoln public schools during fiscal year 2025 for purposes of the campaign.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 77% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
- Distribution model
- Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 83% of its reported program spending out as grants.
- 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. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 89
- Transparency & Controls: 94
- Accountability: 100
- Sustainability: 42
- Growth: 100
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
- Program expense ratio: 87.2%; rating input score 87
- Fundraising efficiency: $10.22 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 38; 38th 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; 72nd 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: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
- Whistleblower policy: Pass
- Document-retention policy: Pass
- CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
- 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: -73.5%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.49; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 1.9%; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 11.7% per year; rating input score 100; 70th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 7.8% per year; rating input score 100; 59th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 7.6% per year; rating input score 100; 48th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 87.2% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 28 of 28 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
- Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $4.6M in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $74K · 30 people listed
- Consistency: 34 of 34 current checks pass
- Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
- Filing history: 12 filing years from 2013 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 8 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.
- Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 38/100.
- High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 1/100.