Mackinac Center EIN 38-2701547

Mackinac Center

EIN  38-2701547 Public charity (501(c)(3)) Midland, MI Founded 1987
Form 990 (PDF) Compare with another nonprofit →
Verified accurate 7/22/26 · see original filing: IRS
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Size
$10–100M
What they do
Research and analyze Michigan public policy to improve quality of life through free-market principles.
Leadership
Joseph G Lehman · President · $468K
Money in and out
$11.4M revenue, $12.9M expenses
Bottom line
84% program efficiency

Research and analyze Michigan public policy to improve quality of life through free-market principles. For fiscal year 2024 it reported $11.4M in revenue, $12.9M in expenses, and $13.8M in net assets.Pt I

Where the money goes · FY2024
Total revenue
$11.4M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$12.9M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$13.8M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): −$1.5M
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.84 Management & general $0.05 Fundraising $0.11
Program efficiency
84%
of spending reaches programs0% vs prior filing year
Operating runway
9.8mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate▲ +2% vs prior filing year
Surplus margin
-13%
revenue over expenses, this year▲ +8% vs prior filing year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2024 · Form 990
Revenue
$11.4M
FY2024▲ +3%
Expenses
$12.9M
FY2024▲ +2%
Total assets
$14.5M
FY2024▼ -8%
Total liabilities
$648K
FY2024▼ -13%
Total revenue
$11.4M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$12.9M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$13.8M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19−$1.5M
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$14.5M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B84%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 311
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 410
Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $10.3M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Conduct scholarly research and analysis of the state of michigan public policy issues to improve the quality of life for all michigan citizens by advancing the principles of a free-market economy, limited government and respect for private property.

$5.2Mprogram expense
02

Conduct scholarly research and analysis of public policy issues related to state labor policies, and communicate the results of that research and analysis to citizens, in order to improve the quality of life for all citizens by advancing the principles of a free-market economy, limited government and respect for private property.

$4.6Mprogram expense
03

Conduct scholarly research and analysis of state of michigan public policy issues related to the state's educational systems, and communicate the results of that research and analysis to michigan citizens, in order to improve the quality of life for all michigan citizens by advancing the principles of a free-market economy, limited…

$534Kprogram expense

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Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CMackinac Center
EINHdr · item D38-2701547
Principal addressHdr · item CMidland, MI
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.mackinac.org
Year of formationHdr · item L1987
State of legal domicileHdr · item MMI
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFPublic & Societal Benefit (W010)
Ruling yearIRS BMFJan 1988

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a11
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b10
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2No

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$467,801Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President for Advancement
$367,801Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Vice President
$193,217Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President for Legal Affairs
$150,134Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President for Operations
$128,280Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President for Legislative Affairs
$119,056Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Energy and Environmental
$113,612Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Education Policy
$112,988Pt VII · Sec A

Joseph G Lehman’s $468K as President is at the 74th percentile of top reported officer pay among 232 $10–100M public & societal benefit 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Joseph G Lehman$467,801$457,411
Mr Joseph G Lehman$437,836$438,719$439,871
James L Walker$367,801$412,961$436,336$414,719$303,371
Michael Reitz$193,217$198,847
Michael J Reitz$188,004$182,886$174,871
Patrick J Wright$150,134$148,520$139,903$126,791$143,571
Lindsay K Killen$149,047$129,963$128,297
Steven J Virgadamo$131,808

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.

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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$11.0M · 97%
Investment income$297K · 3%
Contributions & grants97%$11.0M
Investment income3%$297K
Program service revenue$45K
Other revenue$36K
Total revenueLn 12$11.4M

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.84 Management & general $0.05 Fundraising $0.11
Program services84%$10.8M
Management & general5%$695K
Fundraising11%$1.4M
Total functional expensesLn 25$12.9M

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$7.1M
Total assetsLn 16$14.5M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$648K
Total net assetsLn 32$13.8M
Months of cash on handcomputed6.6

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2024 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $10.6M · Operating expenses/yr $12.9M
9.8 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $10.8M · Total expenses $12.9M
84%
Management & General
Management & general $695K · Total expenses $12.9M
5%
Fundraising
Fundraising $1.4M · Total expenses $12.9M
11%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $1.3M · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $10.9M
$0.12 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $11.0M · Total revenue $11.4M
97%
Government reliance
Government grants — · Total revenue $11.4M
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $45K · Total revenue $11.4M
0%
Investment reliance
Investment income $297K · Total revenue $11.4M
+3%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $45K · Total expenses $12.9M
0%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $11.4M · Prior year $11.0M
+3%
Revenue CAGR
FY2020 $7.0M · FY2024 $11.4M
+13%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $13.8M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $11.4M · Expenses $12.9M
-13%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $14.5M
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $13.8M · Total assets $14.5M
96%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) $3.5M · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $14.5M
24%
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Joseph G Lehman · Reported title PRESIDENT · Highest reported compensation $468K · Total expenses $12.9M
4%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $5.7M · Total expenses $12.9M
44%
Fundraising vendors
Fundraiser cost ratio
Paid to fundraisers $58K · Gross raised $1.7M
3%
Peer comparison

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

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 84%
Overhead ratio 5%
Fundraising cost ratio 13%
Revenue growth 3%
Legal fee ratio 0%
Accounting fee ratio 0%
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 36 funders →
Grants paid · 3 grants · $192K · 2020–2024
Parents Advocates for Choice in EducationFY2022$50,000
Unitemized GrantFY2020$32,050

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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
FY2024 (Latest)$11.4M revenue · viewing · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$11.0M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2022$11.5M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2021$15.6M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2020$7.0M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2024IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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