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8772 S LOWDEN RD
Franklin Grv IL 61031-9617
Franklin Grv IL | IRS ruling year: 2009 | EIN: 26-3303031
SUPPORT ONE OR MORE ENDOWMENTS THAT WILL DEFRAY THE COST OF NATURAL AREAS MANAGEMENT STAFF AND OPERATING EXPENSES AT NACHUSA GRASSLANDS AND CONDUCT CONSERVATION STEW ... (More)
SUPPORT ONE OR MORE ENDOWMENTS THAT WILL DEFRAY THE COST OF NATURAL AREAS MANAGEMENT STAFF AND OPERATING EXPENSES AT NACHUSA GRASSLANDS AND CONDUCT CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP. (Less)
Great
This charity's score is 100%, earning it a Four-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.
This overall score is calculated from multiple beacon scores: 85% Accountability & Finance, 10% Leadership & Adaptability, 5% Culture & Community. Learn more about our criteria and methodology.
We recognize that not all metrics and beacons equally predict a charity’s success. The percentage each beacon contributes to the organization’s overall rating depends on the number of beacons an organization has earned.
Use the tool below to select different beacons to see how the weighting shifts when only one, two, or three beacons are earned.
Rating histories are available for a growing number of rated organizations. Check back later to see if this organization has a rating history!
Friends of Nachusa Grasslands has earned a 100% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.
This Accountability & Finance score represents IRS Form 990 data up until FY 2021, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us.
Learn more
Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Not ApplicableBoard Composition - 3/3 - 25/25 ptsBoard Composition - 3/3 - 25/25 pts
Charity Navigator looks for at least 3 board members, with more than 50% of those members identified as independent (not salaried).
The presence of an independent governing body is strongly recommended by many industry professionals to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters.
Source: IRS Form 990
Independent Audit or Financial Review - Has Audit/Review - 20/20 ptsIndependent Audit or Financial Review - Has Audit/Review - 20/20 pts
An Audit, Review, or Compilation provides important information about financial accountability and accuracy. Organizations are scored based on their Total Revenue Amount:
| Total Revenue Amount | Expectation to Receive Credit |
|---|---|
| $1 million or higher | Expected to complete an audit |
| $500,000 - $1 million | Expected to complete an audit, review, or compilation |
| Less than $500,000 | No expectation (removed from scoring methodology) |
Source: IRS Form 990
Conflict of Interest Policy - Listed - 3/3 ptsConflict of Interest Policy - Listed - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a conflict of interest policy on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy protects the organization and by extension those it serves, when it is considering entering into a transaction that may benefit the private interest of an officer, director and/or key employee of the organization.
Source: IRS Form 990
Board Meeting Minutes - Documented - 3/3 ptsBoard Meeting Minutes - Documented - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has this process in place as an accountability and transparency measure.
An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference.
Source: IRS Form 990
Document Retention and Destruction - Listed - 3/3 ptsDocument Retention and Destruction - Listed - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a document retention and destruction policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy establishes guidelines for the handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promote data integrity.
Source: IRS Form 990
Whistleblower Policy - Listed - 3/3 ptsWhistleblower Policy - Listed - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a whistleblower policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report financial or other types of mismanagement.
Source: IRS Form 990
Website - Listed - 3/3 ptsWebsite - Listed - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks for a website on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency metric.
Nonprofits act in the public trust and reporting publicly on activities is an important component.
Source: IRS Form 990
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 0.00% - 25/25 ptsLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 0.00% - 25/25 pts
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990). This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and/or long-term sustainability.
| Liabilities to Assets Ratio | Amount of Credit Received |
|---|---|
| Less than 50% | Full Credit |
| 50% - 59.9% | Partial Credit |
| 60% or more | No Credit |
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Ratio - 95.35% - 25/25 ptsProgram Expense Ratio - 95.35% - 25/25 pts
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s). This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver.
| Program Expense Percentage | Amount of Credit Received |
|---|---|
| 70% or higher | Full Credit |
| 60% - 69.9% | Partial Credit |
| 50% - 59.9% | Zero Points for Program Expense Score |
| Below 50% | Zero Points for Both Program Expense AND Liabilities to Assets Scores |
Source: IRS Form 990
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
No Data Available
Key Persons data is currently unavailable for this organization. This data is only available if this charity has at least one year of electronically-filed Form 990 data filed within the last six years.
Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website
Activities:
Activity data not reported from the IRS
Foundation Status:
Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (BMF foundation code: 15)
Affiliation:
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). (BMF affiliation code: 3)
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available). Simply enter the organization's name (Friends of Nachusa Grasslands) or EIN (263303031) in the 'Search Term' field.
This organization was impacted by COVID-19 in a way that effected their financial health in 2020. This normally would have reduced their star rating. Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, we give charities such as this one the opportunity to share the story of COVID's impact on them, and doing this pauses our revision of their rating. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
Friends of Nachusa Grasslands reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Our ability to engage volunteers in habitat restoration was limited by constraints of COVID safety, primarily social distancing.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
Donations do not appear to have been impacted.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
We were unable to welcome donors and volunteers to either Autumn on the Prairie community event or our annual Prairie Potluck.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
We moved to an on-line Science Symposium and restricted in-person volunteering to six people per event with strictly enforced social distancing.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
Our annual Science Symposium will likely retain at some on-line aspects.
Not Currently Scored
Friends of Nachusa Grasslands cannot currently be evaluated by our Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
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Friends of Nachusa Grasslands reported its two largest programs on its FY 2021 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
TO FUND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, NACHUSA OPERATIONS, AND TO OTHER CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS.
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
CONDUCT ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION
Friends of Nachusa Grasslands has earned a 100% for the Culture & Community beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 ptsConstituent Feedback - Data Available - 100/100 pts
100% of beacon score
This organization reported that it is collecting feedback from the constituents and/or communities it serves. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations that engage in inclusive practices, such as collecting feedback from the people and communities they serve, may be more effective.
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person)
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
With whom does your organization share the feedback you got from the people you serve?
The people we serve, Our board
What challenges does your organization face in collecting feedback from the people you serve?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Briefly describe a recent change that your organization made in response to feedback from the people you serve.
Friends of Nachusa Grasslands began publishing A Prairie Calling quarterly newsletters in early 2020, and to date we have mailed and emailed three editions to our supporters. By providing in-depth information and photographs related to various aspects of Nachusa, we stay in touch with our donors and volunteers. In our most recent newsletter, we requested feedback and provided a website form so that readers could easily respond. We have received very positive comments along with several suggestions for future topics, which we plan to use either in next year's newsletters or website blog posts.
Equity Practices - No Data Available - UnscoredEquity Practices - No Data Available - Unscored
This organization has not provided information regarding the Equity Practices it is presently implementing. As such, the organization has not earned a score on this metric. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective equity policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
Friends of Nachusa Grasslands has earned a 100% for the Leadership & Adaptability beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableMission - 10/10 ptsMission - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission
Our mission is to restore and protect the tallgrass prairie ecosystem - grasslands, savannas, woodlands, and wetlands. We care for the birds, bison, wildflowers, grasses, insects, and reptiles that are irreplaceable parts of the whole.
Vision - 10/10 ptsVision - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
We see a volunteer community restoring tallgrass prairie...creating a place where people and the natural world thrive.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Goals - 20/20 ptsGoals - 20/20 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Build endowments that will permanently help defray the cost of natural areas management, staff, and operating expenses. When fully funded a $5 million endowment will yield more than $200,000 annually.
Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).
Goal Two: Conduct and encourage volunteer stewardship as a driving component of habitat restoration. From a base year of 9,000 hours, we seek to grow volunteer participation by 5% annually.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Three: Increase grants for scientific research to $75,000 annually and raise an endowment of $1 million that will annually fund $40,000 of the grants. Research leads to best practices for habitat management.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Leadership Development - 15/15 ptsLeadership Development - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
We believe in providing training, but our leadership team comes to this effort with considerable experience and skills gained during their professional careers. When their is a weakness, we support seminars and consulting. Our biggest need for training has been in development. We have had great results sending our leadership to seminars provided by the community foundation that manages our endowments. We agree that there is great value in training and have the resources to provide it when a need arises.
Mobilizing for Mission - 15/15 ptsMobilizing for Mission - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
Raising Awareness
Community Building
We promote docent led Workdays where new volunteers get a chance to learn about habitat restoration by hands-on activities. We educate and expand our community by sharing science through (1) our annual science symposium and (2) our quarterly newsletters which have a "soft" science orientation. Our social media program shares information about of activities. We tend to focus more on sharing activity at the project, rather than soliciting donations.
Adaptability Story - 30/30 ptsAdaptability Story - 30/30 pts
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
Workdays allow volunteers to contribute to habitat restoration. In response to safety concerns surrounding Covid, we reduced the number of attendees, strictly enforced distancing requirements, and keep volunteers and docents in outdoor settings.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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