James S Bower Foundation
501(c)(3) Donations tax-deductible
Only null% goes to programs Strong reserves Declining revenue
James S Bower Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Santa Barbara, California, registered in 1989, with $2,747,828 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it D.
26 W Micheltorena St, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101 EIN 77-0229243 Since 1989
Revenue (FY2024)
$2.7M
▲ 4.2% vs prior year
Expenses (FY2024)
$4.5M
Net assets
$88.9M
Employees
—
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
D
—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 James S Bower Foundation— this filing type doesn't report it, and the rating simply skips it (never counts it against the organization). See the exact thresholds →
FFinancial health25% of the rating237 mo reserves · -64% 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 James S Bower Foundation: 237 mo reserves · -64% margin earns a F on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
—Governance25% of the ratingNot reported in this filing type
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. Not scored for James S Bower Foundation— this filing type doesn't report it, and the rating simply skips it (never counts it against the organization). See the exact thresholds →
CTransparency10% of the rating2 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 James S Bower Foundation: 2 of 5 disclosure signals earns a C on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Contact & location
- Address
- 26 W Micheltorena St, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101
- City
- Santa Barbara
- State
- California
- Category
- —
- Subcategory
- —
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $2.3M (FY2013) to $2.7M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $103KNet assets $88.9M
Operating margin
-63.8%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$89.0M
Total liabilities
$103K
Net assets
$88.9M
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,747,828▲4.2% | $4,501,758▲3.9% | $88,914,462▲3.4% | $89,017,606▲3.4% | 990PF |
| 2023 | $2,637,099▼62.6% | $4,331,922▼15.6% | $85,979,136▲4.5% | $86,066,816▲4.2% | 990PF |
| 2022 | $7,056,112▼39.7% | $5,135,166▲21.2% | $82,253,629▼14.9% | $82,570,902▼14.7% | 990PF |
| 2021 | $11,708,383▲291% | $4,237,860▲1.8% | $96,603,728▲5.6% | $96,825,144▲5.7% | 990PF |
| 2020 | $2,992,640▼14.3% | $4,161,071▲13.0% | $91,522,127▲28.5% | $91,586,664▲28.5% | 990PF |
| 2019 | $3,490,234▼11.6% | $3,680,915▲0.5% | $71,218,249▲9.1% | $71,269,781▲8.6% | 990PF |
| 2018 | $3,949,259▲24.8% | $3,661,539▲17.7% | $65,271,322▼8.6% | $65,625,858▼8.2% | 990PF |
| 2017 | $3,163,513▲49.9% | $3,111,089▲0.7% | $71,395,326▲9.0% | $71,453,556▲8.9% | 990PF |
| 2016 | $2,109,762▼22.2% | $3,089,861▲8.6% | $65,474,917▲0.6% | $65,621,848▲0.7% | 990PF |
| 2015 | $2,713,125▲8.6% | $2,845,900▲6.4% | $65,102,398▲10.2% | $65,133,614▲10.0% | 990PF |
| 2014 | $2,498,335▲9.4% | $2,675,556▼15.9% | $59,054,749▼1.0% | $59,238,214▼1.1% | 990PF |
| 2013 | $2,284,553 | $3,179,999▼2.5% | $59,657,970▲6.2% | $59,888,183▲6.6% | 990PF |
| 2012 | — | $3,262,408 | $56,155,973 | $56,194,325 | 990PF |
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.
Frequently asked questions
- Is James S Bower Foundation a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. James S Bower Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 77-0229243, based in Santa Barbara, California. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is James S Bower Foundation's EIN?
- James S Bower Foundation's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 77-0229243.
- How much revenue does James S Bower Foundation report?
- James S Bower Foundation reported $2,747,828 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- What financial grade does James S Bower Foundation have?
- CharityIndex grades James S Bower Foundation D, based on financial health (reserves and operating margin).
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Explore more
Data for James S Bower Foundation (EIN 77-0229243) 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.