Sphinx Foundation EIN 02-6007881 Form 990 (PDF) Claim this org

Sphinx Foundation FY2020 filing

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Sphinx Foundation is an arts and culture nonprofit based in Hanover, NH, formed in 2006. For fiscal year 2020 it reported $395K in revenue, $148K in expenses, and $4.1M in net assets.Pt I

Founded
2006
Type
Public charity (501(c)(3)) · Arts & Culture
Location
Hanover, NH
Filings
6 on file (2020–2020)
Revenue
$395KFY2020
Expenses
$148K
Net assets
$4.1M
People
17
Filings
6
Updates
0
More identity details & actions ⌄
EIN  02-6007881 Public charity (501(c)(3)) Hanover, NH Founded 2006
Form 990 (PDF)
You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →
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Size
$100K–1M
What they do
an arts and culture nonprofit
Leadership
Peter Cowan · Board Member
Money in and out
$395K revenue, $148K expenses
Bottom line
71% program efficiency
Where the money goes · FY2020
Total revenue
$395K
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$148K
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$4.1M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): $247K
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.71 Management & general $0.27 Fundraising $0.02
Program efficiency
71%
of spending reaches programs
Surplus margin
+62%
revenue over expenses, this year
Donor-funded
65%
of revenue is gifts & grants

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2020 · Form 990
Revenue
$395K
FY2020
Expenses
$148K
FY2020
Total assets
$4.1M
FY2020
Total liabilities
$0
FY2020
Total revenue
$395K
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$148K
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$4.1M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19$247K
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$4.1M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B71%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 317
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 417
Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $106K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2020.
01

A) Education

Due to the pandemic, normal operations of the foundation were greatly impacted. Many of the normal acitiviies were either suspended or conducted on-line. The campus was closed for most of 2020. Normally, the foundation conducts formal annual courses on dartmouth and sphinx history and traditions for incoming undergraduate members.

$41Kprogram expense
02

B) Community Service

In 2017, the foundation initiated and sponsored a research fellowship in the college's politics and law program as well as the rauner special collections library. Also, the sphinx foundation commissioned a fine art painting of an historical scene in hanover, NH, home of dartmouth college.

$39Kprogram expense
03

C) Historical Preservation

The sphinx building, originally constructed in 1905, is listed on the national register of historic places. The foundation is committed to preserving the building and its role in supporting the educational and community service activities of its undergraduates and additionally ensuring that the building continues to qualify for inclusion…

$26Kprogram expense

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Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CSphinx Foundation
EINHdr · item D02-6007881
Principal addressHdr · item CHanover, NH
WebsiteHdr · item Jnone reported
Year of formationHdr · item L2006
State of legal domicileHdr · item MNH
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFArts & Culture (A800)
Ruling yearIRS BMFOct 2007

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a17
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b17
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13No
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14No
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15a
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2No

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Sphinx Foundation executive salaries →

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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$256K · 65%
Program service revenue$79K · 20%
Investment income$60K · 15%
Contributions & grants65%$256K
Program service revenue20%$79K
Investment income15%$60K
Total revenueLn 12$395K

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.71 Management & general $0.27 Fundraising $0.02
Program services71%$106K
Management & general27%$40K
Fundraising2%$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$148K

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$3.5M
Total assetsLn 16$4.1M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$0
Total net assetsLn 32$4.1M
Months of cash on handcomputed280.1

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2020 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $3.5M · Operating expenses (Pt IX) $148K · Less non-cash grants $217K · Cash operating expenses/yr $-69K
Highly liquid reserves (cash & marketable securities on Pt X) ÷ monthly operating expenses (Pt IX total, less non-cash grants & depreciation when reported).
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $106K · Total expenses $148K
71%
Management & General
Management & general $40K · Total expenses $148K
27%
Fundraising
Fundraising $3K · Total expenses $148K
2%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense $3K · Solicited contributions $256K
$0.01 to raise $1
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $256K · Total revenue $395K
65%
Government reliance
Government grants — · Total revenue $395K
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $79K · Total revenue $395K
20%
Investment reliance
Investment income $60K · Total revenue $395K
+15%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $79K · Total expenses $148K
53%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $395K · Prior year —
No prior year on file
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $4.1M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $395K · Expenses $148K
+62%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $4.1M
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $4.1M · Total assets $4.1M
100%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) $0 · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) $0 · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $4.1M
0%
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Peter Cowan · Reported title Board Member · Highest reported compensation $0 · Total expenses $148K
0%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $0 · Total expenses $148K
0%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 71%
Overhead ratio 27%
Fundraising cost ratio 1%
Investment management fee ratio 0%
Legal fee ratio 0%
Accounting fee ratio 8%
Fundraising fee ratio 0%

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 4 funders →
Grants paid · 6 grants · $282K · 2021–2025
Pine Park AssociationNH · FY2025$35,000
Trustees of Dartmouth CollegeNH · FY2024$138,365

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Filings & Schedule Manifest

Part IV
III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
FY2025 (Latest)$796K revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2024$1.8M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$718K revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2022$459K revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2021$606K revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2020$395K revenue · viewing · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2020IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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