Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative
501(c)(12)
Growing revenue
Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative is a 501(c)(12) organization based in Pickens, South Carolina, registered in 1942, with $208,026,506 in FY2024 revenue.
Po Box 277, Pickens, SC, 29671 EIN 57-0125510 Since 1942
Revenue (FY2024)
$208.0M
▲ 16.4% vs prior year
Expenses (FY2024)
$208.0M
Net assets
$88.9M
Employees
214
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
—Program efficiency40% of the ratingNo expense breakdown in filings
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. Not scored for Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative— this filing type doesn't report it, and the rating simply skips it (never counts it against the organization). See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating5 mo reserves · +0% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative: 5 mo reserves · +0% margin earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
ATransparency10% of the rating4 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
To provide the best possible electric service to all who desire it within the system area at a reasonable cost consistent with the highest standards of service.
Contact & location
- Address
- Po Box 277, Pickens, SC, 29671
- City
- Pickens
- State
- South Carolina
- Category
- —
- Subcategory
- —
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $145.6M (FY2015) to $208.0M (FY2024) across 10 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $491.2MNet assets $88.9M
Operating margin
0.0%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$580.1M
Total liabilities
$491.2M
Net assets
$88.9M
Salaries & benefits
$1.1M
1% of expenses
Board members
9
9 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $208,026,506▲16.4% | $208,026,506▲9.4% | $88,870,307▲17.2% | $580,061,882▲11.3% | 990 |
| 2023 | $178,719,621▼0.7% | $190,220,058▲5.6% | $75,852,252▼12.6% | $521,171,594▲11.1% | 990 |
| 2022 | $180,062,478▲11.7% | $180,062,478▲11.3% | $86,757,062▲7.7% | $468,943,378▲17.0% | 990 |
| 2021 | $161,177,852▲4.5% | $161,807,311▲5.3% | $80,591,495▲2.4% | $400,749,868▲9.2% | 990 |
| 2020 | $154,190,330▼1.0% | $153,647,075▲1.6% | $78,724,594▲2.5% | $367,130,472▲5.5% | 990 |
| 2019 | $155,704,978▼1.2% | $151,167,596▼3.6% | $76,838,600▲5.8% | $348,122,540▲5.0% | 990 |
| 2018 | $157,621,122▲4.2% | $156,759,281▲12.0% | $72,592,133▲8.3% | $331,427,437▲8.1% | 990 |
| 2017 | $151,323,335▲3.6% | $139,963,031▼4.3% | $67,009,520▲35.1% | $306,519,615▲6.7% | 990 |
| 2016 | $146,091,279▲0.4% | $146,263,842 | $49,611,221▲5.3% | $287,303,518▲6.6% | 990 |
| 2015 | $145,580,010 | $146,204,810 | $47,106,182 | $269,570,645 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: James Lovinggood — $544,305 (0.26% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Lovinggood | President & | 50 | $544,305 |
| David Collins | Vp Finance | 50 | $352,405 |
| Zach Hinton | Vp of Broadb | 50 | $324,083 |
| Denise Mccormick | Vp Member Se | 50 | $318,994 |
| Mark Waters | Vp Engineeri | 50 | $307,542 |
| Terrel Ballenger | Vp of Commun | 50 | $260,295 |
| Jimmy Lee Dodgens | Trustee | 5 | $56,973 |
| Joel R Davis | Trustee | 5 | $53,092 |
| Len Talley | Chairman | 5 | $52,631 |
| Mendel Stone | Vice Chairma | 5 | $50,973 |
| William G Elrod | Trustee | 5 | $48,473 |
| Kenneth Southerlin | Trustee | 5 | $48,348 |
| J Spencer Dalton | Trustee | 5 | $42,794 |
| William Anderson | Treasurer | 5 | $27,298 |
| Franklin M Looper Jr | Secretary | 5 | $19,385 |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Electricom | Fiber Installat | $16,004,479 |
| Sumter Utilities | Construction | $4,113,796 |
| Caldwell Landscaping | Row Clearing | $2,851,943 |
| East Coast Underground Construction | Ug Boring | $1,704,458 |
| Pike Electric | Construction | $1,205,753 |
Grants received · $1.5M total
4 grants to Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative totaling $1.5M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Electric Power Cooperative Inc | Economic development | 2022 | $326,418 |
| Central Electric Power Cooperative Inc | Economic development | 2021 | $500,000 |
| Central Electric Power Cooperative Inc | Economic development | 2020 | $647,438 |
| Central Electric Power Cooperative Inc | Economic development | 2019 | $75,000 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative is a 501(c)(12) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 57-0125510, based in Pickens, South Carolina.
- What is Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative's EIN?
- Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 57-0125510.
- How much revenue does Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative report?
- Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative reported $208,026,506 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much does Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative's latest Form 990 is $544,305, paid to James Lovinggood (President &).
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Data for Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative (EIN 57-0125510) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.