Upper Midwest Security Alliance Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
825377890
IRS 990 coverage
2018–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2021
Location
Roseville, MN, USA
Phone
6126189400
Rating
80
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Educational Services and Schools - Other

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$776,712
Expenses
$751,563
Assets
$501,256
Liabilities
$11,949

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

Leadership & pay

7 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • RYAN SATHER (PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • RYAN SATHER (PRESIDENT)
  • ANDREW BETHEL (SECRETARY)
  • DAVID KNIGHT (TREASURER THRU OCTOBER/ADVISOR TO THE TREASURER)

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

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

Overview

Mission

To provide continuing education opportunities for security, continuity and risk professionals, and the general public. The foundation also generates grant opportunities and supports/funds academic scholarships for undergraduate and graduate level eduation.

What it reported doing in 2024

In 2022, the umsa foundation merged with upper midwest security alliance (501c6). The surviving entity was the umsa foundation. With the merger, the umsa foundation took on the responsibility for the secure360 education conference. The umsa foundation also awarded 12 scholarships in 2024.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 98% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 98% 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

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 78
  • Transparency & Controls: 93
  • Accountability: 70
  • Sustainability: 47
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 86.8%; rating input score 87
  • Program expense ratio: 90.2%; rating input score 90
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

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: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Limited
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 2 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 29
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Fail
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 3.2%; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.67; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 22.2% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 48.6% per year; rating input score 100; 96th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 25.4% per year; rating input score 100; 87th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 86.8% of revenue deployed · 90.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 6 of 6 board members independent · 2 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $678K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 7 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 3 contractors listed · $548K reported
  • Consistency: 23 of 23 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes grants
  • Filing history: 4 filing years from 2018 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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 — Accountability: Governance controls: 5 of 7 not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 45/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 31/100.