The Library Foundation for the Benefit of St Louis Public Library

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
431541947
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Saint Louis, MO, USA
Phone
3142412288
Rating
82
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Single Organization Support

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,086,653
Expenses
$1,070,789
Assets
$10,851,017
Liabilities
$1,243,796

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

Leadership & pay

26 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • WALLER F MCGUIRE (PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • PEDRO SOARES (CHAIR)
  • KATHY SURRATT-STATES (VICE-CHAIR)
  • DARRYL SAGEL (TREASURER)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

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

Overview

Mission

The foundation engages in activities that support and benefit the st. Louis public library through soliciting, receiving, and holding gifts for the benefit of the library.

What it reported doing in 2024

See schedule o.the st. Louis public library foundation (slplf) engages in activities that focus public attention on the st. Louis public library's programs and services and the need for private, philanthropic support of the organization. The slplf staff are community advocates, developing partnerships to further the library's mission and build community support for library programs and services. These activities include managing an annual fund. As of september 30, 2025, the slpl foundation's annual fund had gifts from 1,987 businesses, foundations, and individual donors. In addition to managing the annual fund, the library foundation managed invested funds used to support slpl programs, projects, and collections. In fy2025, slpl foundation held stewardship events for friends of the library. The slpl foundation promoted the st. Louis public library through a monthly e-newsletter to 3,900, social media posts, and online, print and radio advertising. In addition to the above accomplishments, the slpl foundation solicited gifts for the library through direct mail and helped identify and secure community partnerships to promote library programming.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 78% 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. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and program spending has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 78
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 94
  • Sustainability: 60
  • Growth: 20

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 87.8%; rating input score 88
  • Program expense ratio: 79.2%; rating input score 79
  • Fundraising efficiency: $6.96 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 26; 26th 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: 6 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 86
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 1.5%; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 10.13; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.11; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -7.6% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -7.5% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 0.6% per year; rating input score 100; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 87.8% of revenue deployed · 79.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 21 of 21 board members independent · 6 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $848K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 26 people listed
  • Consistency: 28 of 28 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • 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 — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 26/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 40/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Form 990 shared with the board not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 40/100.