The Lily Pad Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
901499279
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Madison, MS, USA
Phone
6019518776
Rating
84
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Alliance/Advocacy Organizations

Reported finances

Revenue
$132,852
Expenses
$235,395
Assets
$629,660
Liabilities
$2,276

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

Leadership & pay

6 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • BRENT LAPE (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • DEANNA ELLIOTT (PRESIDENT)
  • KRISTIN LAPE (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • KRISTIN LAPE (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $50,000 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 lily pad foundation runs a not-for-profit restaurant focused on employing and training individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to give them the work skills and confidence necessary to obtain employment with other businesses. The cafe works with local restaurants and businesses to assist employees with gaining employment with local businesses.

What it reported doing in 2024

In february of 2024, lily pad foundation began an affiliate partnership with the non-profit, hugs cafe, inc. In mckinney, Texas. Through this partnership, the lily pad foundation is licensing its training program and able to utilize its expertise and mentorship to support the organization in inclusive hiring and training. The organization grew from a staff of 1 to 2 in may of 2024 adding on a kitchen manager/instructor to the team. With this addition, the organization was able to begin accepting applications for students into the lily pad training program. 11 individuals were accepted into the first cohort of students to the training program in june of 2024 at no cost to them or their families/caregivers. They were not charged tuition to enter the program. Once the educational coursework was completed and the individuals graduated from the training program, all 11 students were accepted into paid internship positions in december of 2024 in the cafe operated by the lily pad foundation. Stats on students/interns: 45.5% have a primary diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, 36.4% have a primary diagnosis of down syndrome, 18.1% have other intellectual & developmental disabilities.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 98% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% 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

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: 86
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 29
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 83.1%; rating input score 83
  • Fundraising efficiency: $6.49 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • 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 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • 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: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -77.2%; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.67; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 52; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 21.2%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 47.6% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -25.9% per year; rating input score 0; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 9.7% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 83.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 5 of 5 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $196K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $50K · 6 people listed
  • Consistency: 27 of 27 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 4 filing years from 2020 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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 28/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 3/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 18/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 52/100.