Where Does $100 to Susan G Komen Go?
Why The Big Picture Matters
Top 10 Executives (MEN) at the NRA Made $10.6 Million
Where does $100 to St. Jude’s Go?
Who To Trust For Nutrition Advice?
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies (Vegan)
Everyone has their favorite cookies and one of mine is an oatmeal cookie. I remember making oatmeal cookies years ago from the recipe on the back of the round cylinder-type container of Whole Grain Old-Fashioned Quaker Oats. Back then, the recipe called for butter, refined sugar, eggs, all-purpose flour, and a scant amount of oats (about a half cup if I remember correctly). Raisins added a chewy sweetness to the cookies which most people either loved or hated (I don’t know too many people on the fence about oatmeal cookies). Read more 
Where Does $100 to Americans For Prosperity Go?
Americans for Prosperity is actually two organizations: Americans For Prosperity (AFP) and Americans For Prosperity Foundation (AFPF). Both organizations are tax-exempt non-profit organizations but AFP is a 501 (c) (4) while AFPF is a 501 (c) (3). The primary difference between the two organizations is that donations to AFPF are tax deductible while donations made to AFP are not. In addition, AFP is considered a social welfare organization so they can engage in more lobbying while AFPF is considered an educational organization and is therefore limited in how much they spend on lobbying.
Although both organizations operate out of the same office in Arlington, Virginia and share employees, how a donation was spent depends on which organization received the donation. Read more
Executive Compensation at Americans For Prosperity
Americans For Prosperity (AFP) is a conservative political advocacy committee (PAC) founded in 2004. AFP is actually two organizations: AFP, the social welfare organization and therefore a 501 (c) (4), and the Americans For Prosperity Foundation (AFPF), an “educational” organization, a 501 (c) (3).
Both organizations are tax-exempt non-profits with two major differences between them: donations to AFP are not tax deductible while donations to AFPF are tax deductible; and, as a 501 (c) (4), AFP can engage in more lobbying (businesses and unions can donate unlimited amounts of funds) while AFPF, as a 501 (c) (3) can only engage in a limited amount of lobbying because the organization is considered an educational organization. Read more
The Pili Nut: The Chosen One You’ve Never Heard Of
The pili nut (pronounced “peeley”) is probably the nut you’ve never heard of because pili nuts are not native to North America or Europe. Grown in Southeast Asia and primarily in the Philippines, the pili nut is often called “the chosen one” because of its nutritional value (high in magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, zinc, Vitamin B1, vitamin B6, folate, copper and 8 essential amino acids).
Shaped like an almond in the shell and a pine nut in the raw, the pili nut tastes like a creamy mild macadamia nut, although a friend says “a pili nut tastes like the offspring of a macadamia nut and a pine nut.” Like most nuts, you can do many things to it: dry, sprout, roast, mill, candy, caramelize, and even turn it into nut butter. It’s that versatile. But, like most nuts, the quality of a pili nut varies depending on where and how its grown. Read more
Executive Compensation at the American Hospital Association
The American Hospital Association (AHA) is a trade organization that is a tax-exempt non-profit 501 (c) (6) that represents and works on behalf of its members (hospitals/owners of hospitals) to advocate their positions to government entities (i.e. Congress, Senate, etc) and provide education and assistance to its members.
In 2017, the AHA raised $137 million (primarily through membership dues, education and licensing) and spent $123 million (not including $3 million in depreciation), with unspent revenue allocated to the fund balance. With more than $218 million in net fund assets, the organization reported about $10 million in investment income/net gain on the sale of assets for the year.
Based in Chicago, Illinois, the AHA has 417 employees who were compensated $60.3 million in 2017, which equates to an average compensation of $145,000. However, only 152 employees received more than $100,000 in compensation which means a smaller amount of employees received significant higher compensation. The 17 most highly compensated employees were compensated $12 million and were reported to be: Read more
Executive Compensation at Henry Ford Health System
The Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit healthcare organization with eight hospitals, numerous medical centers and one of the nation’s largest group practices, the Henry Ford Medical Group with more than 1,200 physicians practicing in over 40 specialties. With more than 30,000 employees, HFHS is one of the largest employers in the Detroit metro area.
The most recent IRS Form 990 (2016) reports HFHS spends less than the organization receives (in 2016, the organization reported $2.8 billion in revenue, $2.7 billion in revenue leaving $100 million added to the fund assets, which had a net fund balance at year-end of $766 million, up from $700 million at the beginning of the year). As with most health care systems, there are numerous non-profits (foundations and other organizations) that are affiliated with HFHS. This post addresses the primary organization, HFHS.
In 2016, HFHS reported having 21,462 employees who were compensated $1.5 billion (about half of total reported revenue), which equates to an average compensation of $70,500. 2,231 employees received more than $100,000 in compensation with the most 17 highly compensated employees listed below: Read more
Blueberry Crumble Coffeecake (Vegan)
If you think a cake can’t taste great without white flour, butter, oil,, eggs, and refined sugar, think again because it’s all about finding alternative nutritious ingredients to replace the undesirables. Instead of white flour, consider oats and almond flour.; instead of butter, oil, and refined sugar, choose date paste (dates and water); instead of eggs, select ground flaxseed meal. Using these alternative ingredients not only produces a nutritious cake but also a delicious one…promise! Read more
Where Does $100 to St. Jude’s Go (2018)?
St. Jude’s is one of the most popular non-profit organizations in the country because the charity’s mission appeals to donors: they treat and help children with cancer and other life threatening illnesses. But, before making donations, donors should understand where revenue is spent and that St. Jude’s is actually two organizations:
- St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Inc. (St. Jude)
- American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (ALSAC)
ALSAC “exists for the sole purpose of raising funds and building awareness to support the current and future needs of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Inc” while St. Jude engages in research and provides care and services to sick children and their families. St. Jude has a beneficial interest in the assets of ALSAC but the organizations are separate non-profit 501 (c)(3) entities with specific functions: ALSAC raises funds while St. Jude does the research and provides the treatment. Read more
Executive Compensation at St. Jude’s (2018)
When people think of St. Jude’s, they often associate the organization with the children’s research hospital but St Jude’s is actually two organizations:
- St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (St Jude’s): the children’s hospital that provides research and medical care; and
- American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (ALSAC): the fundraising arm; an organization that exists to raise funds for St. Jude’s
Although most non-profits do not separate fundraising from services, St. Jude’s does, so both organizations need to be analyzed because St. Jude’s relies on ALSAC for the majority of it’s revenue and has a beneficial interest in the organization.
The following information is based on the most recent Form 990’s (2017 for the year ending June 30, 2018) submitted by ALSAC and St. Jude’s to the IRS. Read more
Where Does $100 to 350.org Go?
350.org is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) founded in 2008 by a group of people along with author Bill McKibben, an environmentalist, to work towards ending the use of fossil fuels and build renewable energy.
Most scientists agree that the burning of fossil fuels is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas (followed by the animal agriculture industry) which has led to global warming. Named after the safe concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere – 350 parts per million, 350.org is a grassroots organization that has become more well known as the public has become aware of the effects of climate change.
Based in Washington , DC, 350.org raises about $19 million annually (primarily through contributions), spends about 80% of those funds, and has about $15 million in net fund assets. Because the organization is relatively young, it appears they have been focused on their mission but also building up net fund assets (think endowment). Hence, the reason they have not been spending as much as they raise. Read more
