We Think Biginc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
472284714
IRS 990-EZ coverage
2014–2017
Forms available
Form 990 2016, Form 990-EZ 2017, Form 990-N 2017
Location
Madison, WI, USA
Phone
6088002100
Rating
84
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Educational Services and Schools - Other

Reported finances

Revenue
$6,414
Expenses
$174,319
Assets
$73,125
Liabilities
$0

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2017. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

5 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • KATHE CROWLEY CONN (CEO/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

People named in this filing

  • MARY GULBRANDSEN (CHAIR)
  • BECKY SPLITT (SECRETARY)
  • JULIE UNDERWOOD (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-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2017. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

We think big is an independent, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to improving educational experiences for students by bringing innovations across education, business, and public/private sectors to collaborate, learn and advance excellence in education and student learning. It works to foster collaboration, incentivize action, and catalyze breakthroughs among educators, businesses, community leaders and other key players.

What it reported doing in 2017

We think big designs experiences that reach educators and impact thousands of students through its efforts and these programs: a. Sparks innovation showcase designed to educate and support a community of educational innovations. B. Taste of tech series created to introduce educators to new educational technologies, build skills and connections with the business community. C. The next big idea in education program was created to bring innovative programming to Wisconsin educators.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 97% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
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

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and revenue has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 96
  • Transparency & Controls: 82
  • Sustainability: 17
  • Growth: 40

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 88.1%; rating input score 88

Transparency & Controls

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

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -2,617.8%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.42; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 71.1%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 66.7% per year; rating input score 100; 96th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -35.1% per year; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -16.6% per year; rating input score 0; 14th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 88.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: Filed governance answers
  • Accomplishments: 1 filed program accomplishment · $153K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 5 people listed
  • Consistency: 8 of 8 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 2 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 2 filing years from 2014 to 2017
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 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 — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 1/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 27/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 1/100.