Mackinac Center FY2023 filing

Midland, MI · Public charity (501(c)(3)) · Since 1987 · Public & Societal Benefit

✓ Tax-deductible
Revenue
$11.0M
-4% vs prior year
Spent
$12.6M
To programs
84%
Net assets
$14.9M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$11.0M
FY2023▼ -4%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$7.0M
FY2021$15.6M
FY2022$11.5M
FY2023$11.0M
FY2024$11.4M
Expenses
$12.6M
FY2023▲ +10%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$9.4M
FY2021$10.1M
FY2022$11.5M
FY2023$12.6M
FY2024$12.9M
Net assets
$14.9M
FY2023▼ -8%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$10.9M
FY2021$16.6M
FY2022$16.3M
FY2023$14.9M
FY2024$13.8M

From the FY2023 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Status and standing

Is it real, and can you give to it?

Tax-deductible?
Yes
Per the IRS master file.
Can I give now?
No revocation on IRS record
Not on the IRS revocation list.
Filing up to date?
Filed FY2024 (typical filing lag)
Legal name (IRS)Hdr · item CMackinac Center
EINHdr · item D38-2701547
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
Ruling yearIRS BMFJan 1988
Year of formationHdr · item L1987
Latest filingForm 990FY2024 · Form 990
Principal addressHdr · item CMidland, MI
NTEE classificationIRS BMFPublic & Societal Benefit (W010)
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.mackinac.org

Where the money goes

What each dollar paid for.

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.84 Management & general $0.06 Fundraising $0.10
Program services84%$10.5M
Management & general6%$797K
Fundraising10%$1.3M
Total functional expensesLn 25$12.6M

Financial health

Is it on solid ground?

Program efficiency
84%
of spending reaches programs
Operating runway
9.6mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate
Surplus margin
-14%
revenue over expenses, this year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2023 · Form 990
Total assets
$15.7M
FY2023▼ -6%
Total assets by fiscal year
FY2020$11.2M
FY2021$16.8M
FY2022$16.7M
FY2023$15.7M
FY2024$14.5M
Total liabilities
$749K
FY2023▲ +91%
Total liabilities by fiscal year
FY2020$287K
FY2021$233K
FY2022$391K
FY2023$749K
FY2024$648K
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19−$1.6M
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$15.7M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B84%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 311
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 410

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$6.9M
Total assetsLn 16$15.7M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$749K
Total net assetsLn 32$14.9M
Months of cash on handcomputed6.5

Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$10.6M · 96%
Investment income$340K · 3%
Other revenue$101K · 1%
Contributions & grants96%$10.6M
Investment income3%$340K
Other revenue1%$101K
Program service revenue$20K
Total revenueLn 12$11.0M

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2023 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $10.1M · Operating expenses/yr $12.6M
9.6 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $10.5M · Total expenses $12.6M
84%
Management & General
Management & general $797K · Total expenses $12.6M
6%
Fundraising
Fundraising $1.3M · Total expenses $12.6M
10%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $1.3M · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $12.4M
$0.10 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $10.6M · Total revenue $11.0M
96%
Government reliance
Government grants — · Total revenue $11.0M
—
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $20K · Total revenue $11.0M
0.2%
Investment reliance
Investment income $340K · Total revenue $11.0M
+3%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $20K · Total expenses $12.6M
0.2%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $11.0M · Prior year $11.5M
-4%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $14.9M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $11.0M · Expenses $12.6M
-14%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $15.7M
—
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $14.9M · Total assets $15.7M
95%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) $3.3M · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $15.7M
21%
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Joseph G Lehman · Reported title PRESIDENT · Highest reported compensation $457K · Total expenses $12.6M
4%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $5.1M · Total expenses $12.6M
41%
Fundraising vendors
Fundraiser cost ratio
Paid to fundraisers $58K · Gross raised $2.4M
2%
Peer comparison

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

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 84%——
Overhead ratio 6%——
Fundraising cost ratio 12%——
Revenue growth -4%——
Legal fee ratio 0.01%——
Accounting fee ratio 0.3%——
Fundraising fee ratio 0.5%——

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.

Leadership and pay

Who runs it, and what are they paid?

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$457,411Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President for Advancement
$412,961Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Vice President
$198,847Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President for Legal Affairs
$148,520Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Education Policy
$126,751Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President for Operations
$123,164Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President for Legislative Affairs
$115,578Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Energy and Environmental Policy
$106,931Pt 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.

See Mackinac Center executive salaries →

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Governance & Policies

Part VI
  • 11Voting board membersPt VI · Ln 1a
  • 10Independent board membersPt VI · Ln 1b
  • Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
  • Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
  • Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
  • Top official’s pay independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aYes
  • Family or business ties among leadersPt VI · Ln 2No

Mission and programs

What it does.

Research and analyze Michigan public policy to improve quality of life through free-market principles.

Provided by the organization

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Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $6.4M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2023.
01

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.

$5.5Mprogram expense
02

Public interest law firm that advances individual freedom and the rule of law through strategic litigation and education of the public to secure the liberties of residents, workers, students and ENTREPRENEURS.CONDUCT scholarly research and analylsis of public policy issues related to the rule of law and litigation, and communicate the…

$491Kprogram expense
03

Conduct scholarly research and analysis of state of michigan public policy issues related to state's budget and fiscal responsibility, 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…

$382Kprogram expense

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Funders

Who pays for it.

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

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

Filing history

Every return on file.

YearRevenueExpensesChangeFiling
FY2024 Latest $11.4M$12.9M+3% 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $11.0M$12.6M-4% 990 PDF
FY2022 $11.5M$11.5M-26% 990 PDF
FY2021 $15.6M$10.1M+123% 990 PDF
FY2020 $7.0M$9.4M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash

Not shown yet: ratings, outcomes, and peer benchmarks. A Form 990 doesn’t report them.

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2023IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
Names, privacy, and removal requests More

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