United Way of Grand Forks East Grand Forks and the Area Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
450255772
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Grand Forks, ND, USA
Phone
7017758661
Rating
80
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Standard

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,188,703
Expenses
$1,542,447
Assets
$984,308
Liabilities
$424,036

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

Leadership & pay

21 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • HEATHER NOVAK (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • HEATHER NOVAK (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $105,221 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

We are committed to provide our neighbors with opportunities to thrive.

What it reported doing in 2024

Backpack program: united way's backpack program fights to end childhood hunger by providing food in students' backpacks to feed them for the weekend. A donation can help provide up to six meals for kids who need a bit more help and hope when they're away from school. Together, we are ensuring no child goes hungry over the weekend.winter wishlist: each year over 1,000 children in our community participate in the winter wishlist program. United way collects new toys, games, and gift cards for children of all ages. These gifts are given to children who otherwise may not receive presents during the holiday season. Together, we are warming the hearts and hands of kids in our community! Community initiatives: united way was founded as a collaboration of neighbors. Today, one of the ways we carry out this mission is through our community initiatives fund. We provide much needed dollars to special projects and events that improve the lives of kids, families, and individuals through our live, work & learn framework.wheels for work: many neighbors in our community lack safe and reliable ways to get to school or work. For others, an unexpected car repair can be a financial catastrophe. The wheels for work program is fueling opportunities to thrive for individuals and families by helping neighbors travel safely through car repairs, car replacements, and more!

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 82% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 62% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 72
  • Transparency & Controls: 97
  • Accountability: 84
  • Sustainability: 19
  • Growth: 80

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 85.3%; rating input score 85
  • Program expense ratio: 65.7%; rating input score 66
  • Fundraising efficiency: $6.69 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 94.7%; rating input score 95; 26th 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: 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: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -29.8%; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.64; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.43; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 6.8%; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 2.5% per year; rating input score 100; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 1.2% per year; rating input score 100; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -2.2% per year; rating input score 0; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 85.3% of revenue deployed · 65.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 18 of 18 board members independent · 5 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $105K · 21 people listed
  • Consistency: 34 of 35 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: 2 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.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 25/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 6/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 29/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Schedule A contributions reconciliation did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 18/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 48/100.