The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
954623022
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Phone
3232241466
Rating
81
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Fund Raising and Fund Distribution

Reported finances

Revenue
$12,869,588
Expenses
$13,249,716
Assets
$4,139,929
Liabilities
$2,592,671

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

Leadership & pay

22 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • NICHOLAS SANDLER (PRESIDENT)
  • NICHOL WHITEMAN (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER)

Highest reported compensation

  • NICHOL WHITEMAN (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER): $506,182 total reported compensation
  • CHAITALI GALA (CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER): $285,499 total reported compensation
  • ERIN EDWARDS (SR DIR MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS): $160,031 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Founded in 1995 as the official charity of the los angeles dodgers, the los angeles dodgers foundation (the foundation) is bigger than baseball, envisioning a city where everyone, regardless of zip code, has the opportunity to thrive. They are tackling the most pressing problems facing los angeles with a mission to improve education, health care, homelessness and social justice for all angelenos. Through a social justice lens, they run and fund proven programs that level the playing field and invest in solutions driven by the communities they serve.

What it reported doing in 2024

Dodgers dreamteam is a comprehensive sports-based youth development program that uses the power of sport to provide critical resources and services to communities who are experiencing social injustices. In 2024, the los angeles dodgers foundation (ladf) worked in partnership with affiliate partners to deliver sports-based programming and wraparound services for 13,673 youth and to support communities and families across the city.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 92% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 61% for direct work, and 39% for 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: 78
  • Transparency & Controls: 83
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 17
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 84.8%; rating input score 85
  • Program expense ratio: 82.3%; rating input score 82
  • Fundraising efficiency: $8.48 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 99.7%; rating input score 100; 36th 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; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -3%; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.31; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.63; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 10.3%; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 15.5% per year; rating input score 100; 84th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 15.4% per year; rating input score 100; 87th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 18.2% per year; rating input score 100; 87th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 84.8% of revenue deployed · 82.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 16 of 16 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $10.9M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $506K · 22 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 4 contractors listed · $699K reported
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 11 filing years from 2012 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 60 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 55 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 34/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 21/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 8/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 19/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 21/100.