The Ike Foundation a New Jersey Non-profit Corporation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
454847924
IRS 990 coverage
2024–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-PF 2023
Location
Pittsgrove, NJ, USA
Phone
8567122328
Rating
52
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Environmental Quality, Protection, and Beautification N.E.C.

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$235,402
Expenses
$251,352
Assets
$98,609
Liabilities
$18,005

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

Leadership & pay

3 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • MICHAEL IACONELLI (TRUSTEE): $598,000 total reported compensation
  • BECKY IACONELLI (TRUSTEE): $571,551 total reported compensation
  • CAROL MURACCO (TRUSTEE): $63,922 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Our mission is to inspire kids to put down their screens, get outside, and discover healthy, hands-on activities that build confidence, patience, and respect for nature through the activity of fishing.

What it reported doing in 2024

Ike's hook'em early kids fishing program: the ike foundation hosts multiple ike's hook 'em early kids fishing events each year during the spring, fall, our annual pro-am tournament, and the bassmaster classic. Each of these events serve 100 plus children, providing hands-on access to local lakes and waterways and introducing youth, many for the first time, to the lifelong activity of fishing. At every event, each child receives their own rod, reel, tackle box, and tackle, along with instruction from volunteers. This ensures that the experience does not end on event day, children leave fully equipped and confident to continue fishing with their families. Parents and guardians actively participate, reinforcing outdoor recreation as a family activity and supporting long-term engagement. Volunteers track every child's catch, allowing us to award prizes and celebrate their accomplishments and each child leaves with new skills, lasting memories, and a smile on their face. To enhance both the experience and the local ecosystems, the ike foundation partners with state and local fish and wildlife agencies to stock the lakes with bass, catfish, or bluegill, based on each waterway's environmental needs. These stockings not only make the events more successful for young anglers but also contribute to a healthier, sustainable fishery for years to come. Event days also include lunch, snacks, and a unique opportunity for children to enjoy a front-row seat to watch the pro-am bass tournament weigh-in, where the children cheer on the anglers and see the sport of fishing in action. Through these programs, the ike foundation advances its mission by connecting children and families with the outdoors, promoting conservation and sustainability, and fostering a love and respect for our waterways. These events create meaningful, long-term impact by equipping the next generation with skills, confidence, and a passion for outdoor recreation.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 93% 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

MIXED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of voting board members are independent and few specific pay-setting methods are documented in the filing; unanswered boxes are not proof of absence.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 64
  • Transparency & Controls: 69
  • Accountability: 24
  • Sustainability: 21
  • Growth: NotEnoughData

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 70.9%; rating input score 71
  • Program expense ratio: 66.4%; rating input score 66
  • Fundraising efficiency: $5.9 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 27th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 0%; rating input score 0; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 4 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 57
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Limited
    • Other executive compensation review process: Limited
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -6.8%; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.39; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.18; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 181.7%; rating input score 0; 0th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: Limited
  • Revenue growth: Limited
  • Asset growth: Limited

Details

  • Where the money goes: 70.9% of revenue deployed · 66.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 0 of 3 board members independent · 4 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $167K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $598K · 3 people listed · 0 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 25 of 26 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 5 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.

  • High — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 0/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Pay-setting controls scored 0/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 26/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 6 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 27/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 20/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Schedule A contributions reconciliation did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 21/100.