Watkins Fireman's Relief Association

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
416037421
IRS 990 coverage
2016–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2015
Location
Watkins, MN, USA
Phone
3202603082
Rating
56
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Fire Prevention

Reported finances

Revenue
$58,747
Expenses
$13,294
Assets
$1,381,918
Liabilities
$0

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

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • ROB PEDERSON (PRESIDENT)
  • BRIAN HARFF (VICE PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • MARC WIRZ (SECRETARY): $800 total reported compensation
  • ROB PEDERSON (PRESIDENT): $300 total reported compensation
  • PETER SCHINDLER (TREASURER): $300 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

To provide retirement relief and other benefits to its members and dependents.

What it reported doing in 2025

The purpose of the association is to provide retirement relief and other benefits to members and their dependents. For purposes of chapter 424a of Minnesota statutes, the association is a governmental entity that receives and manages public funds to provide retirement and ancillary benefits for individuals providing the governmental services of firefighting and, if applicable, emergency first response. The association may also raise funds from private sources to furnish fire and emergency equipment for the fire department, and for other purposes deemed necessary and appropriate by the association to the extent permitted by law. Benefits paid to members and their dependents shall be funded exclusively through governmental sources and, to the extent provided by state law, through restricted donations.during the year, there were 24 active members and 1 inactive memeber who is deferred.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 100% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

MIXED - 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 a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 17
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 72
  • Sustainability: 82
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 12.5%; rating input score 13
  • Program expense ratio: 30.1%; rating input score 30
  • 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: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 3 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 33
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 77.4%; rating input score 95; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 103.95; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 12.8%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -0.1% per year; rating input score 0; 47th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4.6% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 9.6% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 12.5% of revenue deployed · 30.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 9 of 9 board members independent · 3 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $4K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $800 · 9 people listed
  • Consistency: 20 of 20 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 9 filing years from 2016 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 9 filed money-flow records
  • 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.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 30/100.
  • Moderate — Accountability: Governance controls: 6 of 9 not reported.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 11/100.