Berrien Community Foundation INC

Tax-deductible

Saint Joseph, MI501(c)(3)Since 1952Foundations & GrantmakersEIN 38-6057160Revenue $18.6M in FY2025

On file with the IRSberriencommunity.org211 Hilltop Rd Ste 117, 49085-2850 · Saint Joseph, MITax-exempt since Apr 1958Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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To connect the power of the people who care with causes and organizations that strengthen our communities.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
91¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 595 volunteers and 10 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $11.3M a year · 54% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
91%
of spending
Looks good: 91% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$281K
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 79% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 8.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $12K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$233K
0.2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
13
of 13 voting members
Looks good: 13 of 13 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$18.6M
-18% vs prior year
Spent
$11.8M
To programs
91%
Net assets
$125.6M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$18.6M
FY2025▼ -18%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$18.1M
FY2021$44.2M
FY2022$11.3M
FY2023$10.6M
FY2024$22.7M
FY2025$18.6M
Expenses
$11.8M
FY2025▲ +17%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$7.8M
FY2021$11.7M
FY2022$8.3M
FY2023$8.2M
FY2024$10.0M
FY2025$11.8M
Net assets
$125.6M
FY2025▲ +15%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$71.4M
FY2021$93.1M
FY2022$80.3M
FY2023$91.5M
FY2024$109.2M
FY2025$125.6M

From the FY2025 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 1958.

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

Where the money goes

91 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 91% · $10.8M Management & general 8% · $886K Fundraising 1% · $126K

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

15 people listed on the 990; $281K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$167,169Pt VII · Sec A
Finance Director
$113,626Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Lisa Cripps-Downey’s $167K as President is at the 21st percentile of top reported officer pay among 661 $10–100M philanthropy & grantmaking 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Lisa Cripps-Downey$167,169$157,369$131,490$132,000$118,240$110,000
Morgan Callahan$113,626$104,500————

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 Berrien Community Foundation 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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Connects donors with local causes and distributes grants to support community development, historical preservation, and philanthropic projects.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $10.8M · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

To take and hold, by gifts, bequest or money for the preservation of objects of historical interest or for religious, eleemosynary, philanthropic or benevolent purposes for public welfare.

$10.8Mprogram expense

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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$12K
Grants paid · 1,090 grants · $47.2M · 2020–2025
Curious Kids MuseumMI · FY2025$578,337
Unitemized GrantFY2025$364,688
New Buffalo Area SchoolsFY2025$364,500
Berrien County Parks DepartmentFY2025$337,036
City of St JosephFY2025$165,012
NilesymcagsrpMI · FY2025$127,561
Camp Victory Ministries INCMN · FY2025$120,000
The Avenue Family Network INCMI · FY2025$115,000
Present Pillars FoundationMI · FY2025$115,000
See all 1,090 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$18.6M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$6.1M
Other incomeLn 4–11$69K
Money outPt IX
$11.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$10.8M
Managementcol C$886K
Fundraisingcol D$126K
Owns and owesPt X
$125.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$8.0M
Total assetsLn 16$125.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$233K
PeoplePt VI, VII
15
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a13
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12.4M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$1.8M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$667
Investment incomeLn 3$6.1M
Other incomeLn 4–11$69K
Gains on assetsLn 7$2.9M
Total revenueLn 12$18.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$8.0M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$8.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$115.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$132K
Other assetsLn 15$30K
Total assetsLn 16$125.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$233K
Net assetsLn 32$125.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 510
VolunteersI 6595
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$6.1M$8.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$101.0M$115.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$123K$132K
Total assetsLn 16$109.5M$125.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$280K$233K
Net assetsLn 32$109.2M$125.6M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$9.8M$9.8M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$365K$365K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$166K$83K$75K$8K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$443K$229K$167K$47K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$22K$11K$9K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$46K$23K$18K$4K
Payroll taxesLn 10$47K$24K$19K$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c$10K$10K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$3K$2K$2K$171
Investment management feesLn 11f$511K$511K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$17K$13K$4K$256
Advertising and promotionLn 12$97K$51K$706$46K
Office expensesLn 13$12K$6K$5K$1K
OccupancyLn 16$77K$40K$31K$6K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$9K$1K$7K$1K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$10K$5K$4K$849
InsuranceLn 23$6K$3K$3K$531
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$159K$137K$19K$3K
All other expensesLn 24e$6K$3K$2K$474
Total functional expensesLn 25$11.8M$10.8M$886K$126K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $18.6M$11.8M$6.8M$125.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 $22.7M$10.0M$12.6M$109.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 $10.6M$8.2M$2.4M$91.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 $11.3M$8.3M$3.1M$80.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $44.2M$11.7M$32.5M$93.1M 990 PDF
FY2020 $18.1M$7.8M$10.2M$71.4M 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
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $18,583,398 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $17,636,970$12,440,348
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $540$667
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $4,949,074$6,073,608
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $89,483$68,775
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $22,676,067$18,583,398
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $8,139,293$10,120,973
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $625,406$723,448
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,278,561$918,858
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $10,043,260$11,763,279
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $12,632,807$6,820,119
Part VI · Governance 13 of 13 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body13
VI-1b Independent voting members13
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
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $18,583,398 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$12,440,348
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$1,801,326
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$12,440,348
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $667$667
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $3,203,557$3,203,557
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $2,870,051$2,870,051
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $68,775$68,775
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $6,143,050 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$18,583,398
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $11,763,279 across 19 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $9,756,285$9,756,285
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $364,688$364,688
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $83,026 · Management $74,723 · Fundraising $8,303$166,052
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $228,917 · Management $166,717 · Fundraising $47,495$443,129
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $11,050 · Management $8,553 · Fundraising $1,977$21,580
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $23,431 · Management $18,136 · Fundraising $4,191$45,758
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $24,031 · Management $18,600 · Fundraising $4,298$46,929
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $10,300$10,300
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $1,714 · Management $1,542 · Fundraising $171$3,427
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $510,737$510,737
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $12,517 · Management $4,236 · Fundraising $256$17,009
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $50,535 · Management $706 · Fundraising $46,176$97,417
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $6,373 · Management $5,050 · Fundraising $1,010$12,433
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $39,643 · Management $31,134 · Fundraising $6,425$77,202
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,003 · Management $7,291 · Fundraising $1,003$9,297
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $5,236 · Management $4,112 · Fundraising $849$10,197
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $3,263 · Management $2,566 · Fundraising $531$6,360
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $136,517 · Management $18,787 · Fundraising $3,340$158,644
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $2,992 · Management $2,369 · Fundraising $474$5,835
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $10,751,221 · Management $885,559 · Fundraising $126,499$11,763,279
Part X · Balance sheet $125,844,228 assets, 15 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $6,109,149$7,972,921
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,231,663$2,355,547
X-4 Accounts receivable$71,232
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $123,003$131,725
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $100,972,976$115,282,335
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $55,034$30,468
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $109,491,825$125,844,228
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $8,469$9,259
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $218,241$223,992
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $53,722$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $280,432$233,251
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $108,398,274$124,773,609
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $813,119$837,368
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $109,211,393$125,610,977
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $109,491,825$125,844,228
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $125,610,977 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$18,583,398
XI-2 Total expenses$11,763,279
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$6,820,119
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$109,211,393
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$9,579,465
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$125,610,977

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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