Wells of Life Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
451496631
IRS 990 coverage
2014–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2011
Location
San Juan Capistrano, CA, USA
Phone
8559355763
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Human Service Organizations
Affiliation
Christianity

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$2,736,342
Expenses
$3,401,342
Assets
$2,395,121
Liabilities
$160,879

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

Leadership & pay

10 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • PETER CALLAHAN (PRESIDENT)
  • NICHOLAS P JORDAN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • NICHOLAS P JORDAN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $331,717 total reported compensation
  • JASON ROENICKE (DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS): $110,152 total reported compensation
  • MICHELLE DANLY (DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS): $107,820 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Wells of life (wol) exists to save lives and create sustainable solutions for the lack of physical and spiritual water in the world, currently focused in uganda, africa by providing clean water, w.a.s.h. And the gospel in collaboration with families, schools, churches and businesses worldwide.

What it reported doing in 2024

Water projects/wash activities: wol trains and equips rural staff inconstruction, monitoring and repair of new boreholes, restoration and repair of abandoned boreholes drilled by other companies, installation of piped water systems, rainwater harvesting and participation in uwasnet area leadership. Wash training includes health, hygiene, sanitation, menstrual hygiene, child safety, latrine construction, church and school renovation. Gospel training is offered through partnership with local priests and pastors utilizing the jesus film and audio bibles, which are shared with community members. Sustainability is achieved by empowering local individuals and communities to appoint a community water committee, equipped with the most appropriate technology and skills to create independence and move from surviving to thriving.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Affiliate network. The nonprofit sent 65% of its reported program spending through affiliated organizations.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 79
  • Transparency & Controls: 68
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 20
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 92.6%; rating input score 93
  • Program expense ratio: 74.4%; rating input score 74
  • Fundraising efficiency: $6.36 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 94.7%; rating input score 95; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
  • 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: -24.3%; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.7; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.07; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 16.2%; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 21% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 16.7% per year; rating input score 100; 84th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 24.3% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 92.6% of revenue deployed · 74.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 7 of 7 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2.5M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $332K · 10 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $2M reported
  • Consistency: 36 of 36 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 9 filing years from 2014 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 5 filed money-flow records
  • 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 — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight scored 0/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 23/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 5/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 26/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 17/100.