Wiscnet

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
391705442
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Madison, WI, USA
Phone
6084426761
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Computer Science

Reported finances

Revenue
$10,562,254
Expenses
$8,885,886
Assets
$26,001,014
Liabilities
$996,597

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

Leadership & pay

18 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • BRIAN REMER (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER)
  • ISABEL BARR (DEPUTY CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • BRIAN REMER (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER): $263,164 total reported compensation
  • ISABEL BARR (DEPUTY CEO): $240,975 total reported compensation
  • JOHN PEDERSON (DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION AND STRATEGY): $178,128 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Wiscnet is Wisconsin's research and education network as a product of Wisconsin idea, our ultimate goal is to empower our members to use the full power of network to enhance instructions, research, and public service across the state.

What it reported doing in 2024

The primary program service offered by wiscnet is to advance education, research, economic development and public service by assisting in the exchange of information among its members by means of high-speed digital communication techniques, and to assist those members in gaining access to scientific and educational resources. We provide research and education data networking services to 500 not-for-profit member-institutions operating in Wisconsin that in turn provide k-20 education and research, library services, local government, museum services and healthcare. Approximately one million persons (e.g., students, faculty, staff, patrons, officials, citizens, etc.) benefit.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 93% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
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

SUPPORTED - 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 fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 58
  • Transparency & Controls: 88
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 69
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 59.2%; rating input score 59
  • Program expense ratio: 74.6%; rating input score 75
  • Fundraising efficiency: $0 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 0; 0th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Limited
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 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: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 15.9%; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.93; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 14.5%; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 2.6% per year; rating input score 100; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 1.7% per year; rating input score 100; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 6.3% per year; rating input score 100; 45th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 59.2% of revenue deployed · 74.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 11 of 11 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $6.6M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $263K · 18 people listed · 5 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $163K reported
  • Consistency: 34 of 34 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes executive pay
  • Filing history: 13 filing years from 2012 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 7 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.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 59/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 9/100.