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Common Ground Relief INC FY2022 filing

Tax-deductible

New Orleans, LA501(c)(3)Public Safety & Disaster EIN 06-1816720Revenue $249K in FY2022

On file with the IRScommongroundrelief.org1800 Deslonde St, 70117-4032 · New Orleans, LATax-exempt since Aug 2007Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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To create resilient gulf coast communities that are environmentally sustainable, financially viable and personally cohesive. Common Ground Relief remains committed to its grassroots, volunteer-based approach to community transformation and sustainability. Achieves its mission by focusing on restoring and preserving louisiana's disappearing coastal wetlands. The organization grows plant material in its lower ninth ward nursery, educates about wetland eco-systems and horticulture, and partners with government entities, non-government organizations and individuals to re-plant threatened wetlands using volunteer labor.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
82¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$80K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2022 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $7K a year · 3% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
82%
of spending
Looks good: 82% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$80K
to officers and key staff · 35% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 35% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
7
named funders · $200K
Looks good: 7 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$104K
26% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 26% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$249K
+12% vs prior year
Spent
$231K
To programs
82%
Net assets
$292K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$249K
FY2022▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$162K
FY2021$223K
FY2022$249K
FY2023$228K
FY2024$346K
Expenses
$231K
FY2022▲ +23%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$165K
FY2021$187K
FY2022$231K
FY2023$285K
FY2024$375K
Net assets
$292K
FY2022▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$238K
FY2021$273K
FY2022$292K
FY2023$235K
FY2024$205K

From the FY2022 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2022 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Aug 2007.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

82 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 82% · $190K Management & general 13% · $30K Fundraising 5% · $11K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

11 people listed on the 990; $80K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Charlotte Clarke
Co Director
$40,000Pt VII · Sec A
Joshua Benitez
Co Director
$40,000Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
James Stram
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Rollin Black
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Shalanda Cavalier
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Joshua Benitez’s $45K as Co Director is at the 70th percentile of top reported officer pay among 826 $100K–1M public safety & disaster nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Joshua Benitez$45,000$40,000——
Charlotte Clarke$31,640$40,000$36,000$6,667
Britt Aliperti———$32,333
Christina Lehew$13,265———

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Common Ground Relief INC executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Restores and preserves coastal wetlands through volunteer-led planting and education.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $190K · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

Common ground planted 4,439 native trees, 19,886 plugs of marsh grass and 2,250 louisiana irises which equals roughly 19 miles of shoreline and 11 acres of bottomland forest.

$162Kprogram expense
02

Common ground relief's free pantry fed an average of 50 families each week in 1922.

$23Kprogram expense
03

Common ground relief responded to the f3 tornado that impacted arabi,clearing debris from 20 blocks and gutting 7 houses. Mike campbell, rosa booth and other community members raised over $4,000 funds that the organization disbursed to 10 impacted families.

$5Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
Points of Light FoundationFY2024$75K
The Coalition to Restore Coastal LouisianaFY2024$54K
National Fish and Wildlife FoundationFY2024$31K
New Orleans Community Support FoundationFY2024$13K
The Greater New Orleans FoundationFY2024$12K
Jewish Community Foundation of San DiegoFY2024$10K
Paypal Charitable Giving FundFY2024$5K
Total grants receivedfrom 7 funders$200K
See all 7 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2022 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$249K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$226K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$22K
Other incomeLn 4–11$1K
Money outPt IX
$231K
Ln 25
Programscol B$190K
Managementcol C$30K
Fundraisingcol D$11K
Owns and owesPt X
$292K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$153K
Total assetsLn 16$396K
LiabilitiesLn 26$104K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$226K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$22K
Other incomeLn 4–11$1K
Total revenueLn 12$249K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$152K
SavingsLn 2$436
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$153K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$233K
Other assetsLn 15$50
Total assetsLn 16$396K
LiabilitiesLn 26$104K
Net assetsLn 32$292K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 54
VolunteersI 6500
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY22End FY22
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$127K$153K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$255K$233K
Total assetsLn 16$392K$396K
LiabilitiesLn 26$119K$104K
Net assetsLn 32$273K$292K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$54K$40K$14K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$35K$32K$4K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$4K$3K$834
Payroll taxesLn 10$7K$5K$1K
Accounting feesLn 11c$2K$2K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$13K$2K$10K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$336$336
Office expensesLn 13$2K$1K$315$79
OccupancyLn 16$9K$7K$2K
TravelLn 17$735$588$147
InterestLn 20$4K$3K$846
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$22K$22K
InsuranceLn 23$18K$15K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$49K$46K$2K
All other expensesLn 24e$11K$11K$200
Total functional expensesLn 25$231K$190K$30K$11K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $346K$375K−$30K$205K 990 PDF
FY2023 $228K$285K−$57K$235K 990 PDF
FY2022 Viewing $249K$231K$18K$292K 990 PDF
FY2021 $223K$187K$36K$273K 990 PDF
FY2020 $162K$165K−$3K$238K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2022 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $249,271 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $210,374$226,155
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $12,704$21,669
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$1,447
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $223,078$249,271
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $50,684$100,615
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $136,537$130,424
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $187,221$231,039
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $35,857$18,232
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $249,271 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$226,155
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$226,155
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $21,669$21,669
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $1,447$1,447
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $23,116 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$249,271
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $231,039 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $40,000 · Management $14,336$54,336
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $31,682 · Management $3,584$35,266
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $3,336 · Management $834$4,170
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $5,474 · Management $1,369$6,843
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $1,668$1,668
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $2,500 · Fundraising $10,500$13,000
IX-12 Advertising and promotionFundraising $336$336
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,480 · Management $315 · Fundraising $79$1,874
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $7,374 · Management $1,844$9,218
IX-17 TravelPrograms $588 · Management $147$735
IX-20 InterestPrograms $3,384 · Management $846$4,230
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $21,692$21,692
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $15,316 · Management $2,370$17,686
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $46,476 · Management $2,454$48,930
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $10,855 · Management $200$11,055
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $190,157 · Management $29,967 · Fundraising $10,915$231,039
Part X · Balance sheet $396,035 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $126,526$152,497
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $661$436
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $10,000$10,000
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $254,740$233,052
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $50$50
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $391,977$396,035
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $118,502$104,327
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $217,506$291,708
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $55,969$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $273,475$291,708
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $391,977$396,035
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $291,708 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$249,271
XI-2 Total expenses$231,039
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$18,232
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$273,475
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$291,708

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2022 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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