Thunder Bay River Center Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
811641673
IRS 990-EZ coverage
2019–2025
Forms available
Form 990-EZ 2025, Form 990-N 2018
Location
Alpena, MI, USA
Phone
6165270419
Rating
53
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Alliance/Advocacy Organizations

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$16,494
Expenses
$3,039
Assets
$342,738

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

10 people listed

People named in this filing

  • WILLIAM HAASE (TREASURER)
  • DAN MITCHEL (VICE CHAIR)
  • BEVERLY BODEM (DIRECTOR)

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

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The mission of the thunder bay river center is to preserve, protect & interpret the thunder bay river watershed. The river center aims to promote the economic vitality & ecological integrity of the thunder bay river watershed's five counties (alcona, alpena, montmorency, oscoda, presque isle) through education, research & environmental stewardship. It is the guardian of the thunder bay river watershed, a center for research, an institute for environmental education, a showcase for green technology, & a hub for ecologically sustainable outdoor recreation. The intention is to construct a state of the art, interpretive nature center that flawlessly provides "steam" (science, technology, education, art, and math) education for all ages. It is vital that northeast Michigan has a place that allows people of all ages to celebrate its industrial past and learn about how humans impact the local ecosystems. The organization has completed the architectural and engineering plans for phase i(pavilio

What it reported doing in 2025

The organization has completed the planning stages of the plan to build and sustain the river center. The planning stage consisted of special events, promotion, fundraising, feasibility studies and architectural planning/consultations. The organization continues to sponsor special events and opportunities to raise funds for phase ii as described in the mission statement.

Operating model

Revenue model
Investment-supported. 80% of the money available for current operations came from recurring investment income.
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.

The verdict

MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up and revenue comfortably covers expenses. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 30
  • Transparency & Controls: 82
  • Sustainability: 81
  • Growth: 20

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 12.7%; rating input score 13
  • Program expense ratio: 57.5%; rating input score 57

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Limited

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 81.6%; rating input score 97; 97th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 112.78; rating input score 99; 99th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: Limited
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -54.6% per year; rating input score 0; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -18.1% per year; rating input score 0; 17th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8.6% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 12.7% of revenue deployed · 57.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: Filed governance answers
  • Accomplishments: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 10 people listed
  • Consistency: 7 of 7 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 2 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 7 filing years from 2019 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • 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: Mission deployment rate scored 13/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 57/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 56/100.