The Wilson House of East Dorset

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
030317469
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
East Dorset, VT, USA
Phone
8023625524
Rating
77
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$904,818
Expenses
$651,532
Assets
$2,360,150
Liabilities
$50,502

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

Leadership & pay

16 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • KIMBERLY NORMAN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • KIMBERLY NORMAN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $112,690 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Mission: The Wilson House is the birthplace and childhood home of Bill W., co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous and author of the Twelve Steps. We connect people in recovery through rich and inspirational programs and a thriving fellowship in a beautiful historic setting in southern Vermont. Organization Overview: The Wilson House of East Dorset operates a historic hotel and nonprofit retreat center located in the birthplace of Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. The organization provides a welcoming and inclusive refuge for individuals and groups in recovery from alcoholism and addiction, as well as others seeking spiritual growth and community connection. Through retreats, seminars, educational programs, and 12-Stepbased gatherings, The Wilson House fosters understanding, fellowship, and personal renewal. In addition to preserving this nationally significant historic site, the organization offers year-round lodging, meeting spaces, and hospitality for people of all backgro

What it reported doing in 2024

The Wilson House of East Dorset operates a historic hotel and nonprofit retreat center located in the birthplace of Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. The organization provides a welcoming and inclusive refuge for individuals and groups in recovery from alcoholism and addiction, as well as others seeking spiritual growth and community connection. Through retreats, seminars, educational programs, and 12-Stepbased gatherings, The Wilson House fosters understanding, fellowship, and personal renewal. In addition to preserving this nationally significant historic site, the organization offers year-round lodging, meeting spaces, and hospitality for people of all backgrounds, helping them find serenity and support in an environment dedicated to recovery and service.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
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

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 59
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 84
  • Sustainability: 72
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 56.6%; rating input score 57
  • Program expense ratio: 72.9%; rating input score 73
  • Fundraising efficiency: $7.88 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 30; 30th 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: 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: 5 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • 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: 28%; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.62; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 17.3%; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 4.2% per year; rating input score 100; 38th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 6.9% per year; rating input score 100; 54th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 5% per year; rating input score 100; 39th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 56.6% of revenue deployed · 72.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 15 of 15 board members independent · 5 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $475K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $113K · 16 people listed
  • Consistency: 27 of 27 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 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.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 57/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 30/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 19/100.