Executive Compensation at the Wounded Warriors Project
The Wounded Warriors organization is technically named the Wounded Warrior Project, Inc. (WWP) although many people simply refer to this non-profit 501 (c) (3) as “Wounded Warriors.” Established in 2005, WWP is based in Jacksonville, Florida and serves “veterans and service members who incurred a physical and mental injury, or wound co-incident to their military service on or after September 11, 2001.”
Each year, WWP submits a Form 990 to the IRS which details key financial information about the organization. The 2015 IRS Form 990 (covering the period beginning October 1, 2015 and ending September 30, 2016) reports the following information: Read more 
Executive Compensation at Samaritan’s Purse
Samaritan’s Purse is an evangelical Christian organization that provides “spiritual and physical aid” to people around the world. To perform evangelism and relief programs, Samaritan’s Purse provides charter travel via the use of ministry owned aircraft in North Carolina, Alaska, Kenya, and Liberia, and private charters.
In 2016, Samaritan’s Purse reported 2,500 individuals were employed with the organization of which 57 received more than $100,000 in compensation. The following 12 individuals were the mostly highly compensated employees: Read more
The Rainbow Spinach Salad
Rainbows are in short supply in the wintertime so instead of looking outside turn to the kitchen for an updated version of the spinach salad. I call this salad a Rainbow Spinach Salad because of the array of colors: red, yellow, light green, orange dark green, and deep purplish black. Although beautiful to look at, the Rainbow Spinach Salad is a feast to savor with only one caveat: you must like fresh beets because there are two types (both yellow and red) and they are a substantial part of this easy-to-make salad. Read more
Executive Salaries at Goodwill
Goodwill Industries was established in 1902 and is widely known across the country as the place where we all donate clothing and household goods to help others.
There are 161 Goodwill Industries agencies and more than 3,200 retail stores in the US and 14 other countries that generate $5.7 billion in revenue annually, and Goodwill Industries International, Inc is the executive member association organization that provides oversight, support, expertise, and products to local agencies (each is a separate 501 (c) (3)) that operates independently but who collectively pay membership dues to support Goodwill Industries International, Inc. (Goodwill). Read more
Fundraising and the Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy raised $914 million (including $627 million in contributions, $130 million in fees and sales, $50 million in investment income and gains, and $102 million in government grants) and spent $796 million (not including depreciation) in the year ending June 30, 2016. With nearly $6 billion in net fund assets – most of which is unrestricted – the Nature Conservancy has successfully raised a lot of revenue and retained a significant portion.
The IRS Form 990 (2015) reflecting the year beginning July 1, 2015 and ending June 30, 2016 indicates the Nature Conservancy spent $109 million (or roughly 12% of revenue) on fundraising expenses: Read more
Where does $100 to Goodwill go?
Goodwill Industries was established in 1902 and is widely known across the country as the place where we all donate clothing and household goods to help others. There are 161 Goodwill Industries agencies and more than 3,200 retail stores in the US and 14 countries that generated $5.7 billion in revenue in 2016.
Goodwill Industries International, Inc is the executive member association organization that provides oversight, support, expertise, and products to local agencies (each is a separate 501 (c) (3) that operates independently and pays membership dues to support Goodwill Industries International, Inc.).
This analysis concerns Goodwill Industries International, Inc. (Goodwill) that oversees all the Goodwill organizations. To see revenue, expenses including executive salaries, assets, liabilities and other public information of local Goodwill organizations, look to the individual IRS Form 990’s of specific Goodwill Industries agencies (i.e. Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina). Read more
Vegetable Bean Soup Revisited
Making soup is super easy, especially if you start with Frontier Minnesota Heartland 11-Bean Soup Mix: a blend of dried beans, peas, and lentils along with parsley and a spice packet that contains no added salt, preservatives, or MSG. The mix provides a great foundation for a thick, hearty soup filled with legumes, lots of vegetables (carrots, tomatoes, onion, and spinach), herbs and spices to add flavor, and pasta to make the soup more substantial.
Consider making this soup on a cold afternoon when the wind is blowing and the temperatures are low. Somehow a big bowl of steaming, hot soup is the perfect answer.
Executive Compensation at the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross (ARC) provides a link on their website to the 2016 American Red Cross Tax Form 990 but the link is actually to the 2015 IRS Form 990 that covers the year beginning July 1, 2015 and ending June 30, 2016 – a year that was not one of ARC’s better years financially.
First, revenue was down by $100 million from $2.7 billion the year before to $2.6 billion in the most recent year. Second, overall net assets decreased by $600 million from $1.6 billion at the beginning of the year to $1 billion because the organization spent more ($61 million) than they raised, there was an unrealized loss ($146 million) on investments, and because there was a loss ($400 million) in the employee retirement pension and post retirement benefits fund (note: the organization’s largest liability – $1.1 billion – is to pension and post retirement benefits for its employees). Read more
Executive Compensation at the March of Dimes
The March of Dimes has experienced tough times for the past few years. At the beginning of 2014, the March of Dimes had $75 million in net fund assets which was reduced to $24.6 million at year-end after spending $8 million more than they raised, recognizing an unrealized loss ($1.6 million) on investments, and a $41 million pension/post-retirement liability.
In 2015, the deterioration continued when the March of Dimes spent $26.8 million more than they raised and recognized a $3.4 million unrealized loss on investments. A $19 million pension post-retirement credit resulted in the March of Dimes ending 2015 in a positive position with $13.4 million in net fund assets.
But, in 2016, the March of Dimes went into a negative net asset position. Starting with $13.4 million in net fund assets at the beginning of the year, the organization then spent $8.7 million more than they raised. Although the March of Dimes was able to post a $2.8 million unrealized gain on investments, a $20.4 million million change in pension and post retirement benefits resulted in the organization showing a negative asset balance of -$12.9 million at year-end. In other words, for 3 years the March of Dimes spent more than they raised and faced increasing pension and post retirement benefit liabilities for its employees contributing to the organization going into a financial position where their liabilities exceed their assets in 2016. Read more
Organic Freeze-Dried Blueberries
With the holidays behind us, we all strive to make healthier choices in the new year although our cravings don’t just magically go away when the calendar flips from December to January.
We still want sweet, delicious, crunchy snacks but instead of eating that whole bag of kettlecorn that keeps staring at you from the pantry, consider Organic Freeze-Dried Blueberries by Homegrown Organic Farms (HGO) – part of a family of companies representing 80 different organic growers farming more than 4,000 acres in California. Read more
Paddock Post 