Wayforward Resources Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
391484945
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Middleton, WI, USA
Phone
6088367338
Rating
88
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Neighborhood Centers

Reported finances

Revenue
$7,126,885
Expenses
$6,619,848
Assets
$5,143,292
Liabilities
$602,042

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

Leadership & pay

18 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • SUSANNAH GUSTAFSON (PRESIDENT)
  • PATRICIA NOLAN (PRESIDENT (THRU 4/1))
  • DANA MONOGUE (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • ELLEN CARLSON (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • ELLEN CARLSON (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $125,373 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Wayforward resources, inc. Brings our community together to create food and housing security through action and advocacy.

What it reported doing in 2024

Housing stability - through the housing stability program, case managers assess and provide support to households, including financial housing assistance to help prevent eviction and maintain long-term stable housing. Families can receive assistance with rent, security deposits, utilities, and other small emergency grants. In addition, an outreach case manager works with area organizations to facilitate broader access to services for our community. 662 households received housing stability funds in the most recent fiscal year. 98% of participants in the housing stability program maintained housing and avoided eviction for a year or longer.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 90% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 80% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 80
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 50
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 80.9%; rating input score 81
  • Program expense ratio: 86.9%; rating input score 87
  • Fundraising efficiency: $15.53 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 52; 52nd 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd 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: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • 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: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 7.1%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.78; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.12; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 1.9%; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 7.5% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 9.2% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 10.9% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 80.9% of revenue deployed · 86.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 14 of 14 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $5.8M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $125K · 18 people listed
  • Consistency: 39 of 39 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • 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: Fundraising efficiency scored 52/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 29/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 56/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 56/100.