JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION

EIN 35-0868147 · Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Foundations (T700)

What they do

RILEY CHILDRENS ENDOWMENT RAISES FUNDS to SUSTAIN and ADVANCE THE LIFE-SAVING and LIFE-CHANGING CARE PROVIDED BY RILEY HOSPITAL for CHILDREN, to SPUR RESEARCH DISCOVERIES THAT WILL LEAD to NEW TREATMENTS and CURES for DEVASTATING CHILDHOOD ILLNESSES and INJURIES, and to PERPETUATE THE MEMORY of OUR NAMESAKE, BELOVED HOOSIER POET JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $75.40 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders46 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

68.26%of revenue went to mission work75.4% of expenses · Program services

14.70%of revenue went to fundraising16.2% of expenses

$90.50spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

7.53%of revenue went to management and office costs8.3% of expenses

$8.47in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

68.8%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

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Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $623,638 for ELIZABETH A ELKAS (PRESIDENT AND CEO (END 12/2024)). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$72,810,348

Mission workProgram services$49,703,77368.26% of revenue75.4% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$5,481,8857.53% of revenue8.3% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$10,706,23914.70% of revenue16.2% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$6,918,4519.50% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$65,891,89790.50% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 75.4% mission · 8.3% management · 16.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 90.50% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 74.1% mission · 9.1% management · 16.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 77.97% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 73.1% mission · 9.1% management · 17.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.15% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 73.3% mission · 10.0% management · 16.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 66.90% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 76.5% mission · 8.3% management · 15.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 95.81% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 72.5% mission · 10.4% management · 17.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 244.11% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 67.2% mission · 15.8% management · 17.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 112.05% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 68.9% mission · 14.7% management · 16.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 49.67% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$72,810,348

Expenses$65,891,897

Annual surplus $6,918,451 Revenue was higher than expenses for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$49,703,773 · 75.4% of expenses

Management and office costs$5,481,885 · 8.3% of expenses

Fundraising$10,706,239 · 16.2% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$72,810,348

Expenses$65,891,897

Assets$558,205,733

Income$186,685,797

Contributions$50,066,173

Mission work (program services)$49,703,773

Fundraising$10,706,239

Grants given$292,311,682

Average grant$5,515,315

Management and general$5,481,885

Executive compensation (total)$1,151,799

Stocks and bonds$245,930,312

Accounting fees$75,443

Investing fees$993,432

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

ELIZABETH A ELKASPRESIDENT AND CEO (END 12/2024) · 40 hrs/week $623,638Base $583,753 · Other $39,885

MEGHAN MILLERCHIEF OPERATING OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $323,727Base $280,977 · Other $42,750

KAREN SPATAROCHIEF CAMPAIGN STRATEGY & COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $290,610Base $256,287 · Other $34,323

CARA LATHROPVP, COMMUNITY GIVING · 40 hrs/week $229,347Base $213,609 · Other $15,738

BILLY JO CRIPEVP, FINANCE · 40 hrs/week $204,225Base $189,150 · Other $15,075

BILL HALEVP, PEOPLE · 40 hrs/week $203,536Base $179,363 · Other $24,173

ALANE HELMERVP, CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION · 40 hrs/week $170,955Base $138,637 · Other $32,318

MEGHAN FREEMANAVP, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS · 40 hrs/week $151,025Base $139,837 · Other $11,188

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (46)

ELIZABETH A ELKASPRESIDENT AND CEO (END 12/2024)

MEGHAN MILLERCHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

KAREN SPATAROCHIEF CAMPAIGN STRATEGY & COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

CARA LATHROPVP, COMMUNITY GIVING

BILLY JO CRIPEVP, FINANCE

BILL HALEVP, PEOPLE

ALANE HELMERVP, CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION

MEGHAN FREEMANAVP, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

MARTA BIRGEBOARD MEMBER

JULIE ESKENAZIBOARD MEMBER

MARK SMITHBOARD MEMBER

MARISOL SANCHEZBOARD MEMBER

LEAH CORINNE MARTINSON MDCHAIRMAN (EFF 11/2024)

LAURIE BURNS MCROBBIEBOARD MEMBER

KRISTIN PRUITTBOARD MEMBER (BEGIN 11/2024)

KRISTIAN STRICKLENBOARD MEMBER

STEVE DAWSONBOARD MEMBER

MARY BOELKEBOARD MEMBER

MICHAEL L SMITHBOARD MEMBER (END 11/2024)

OTTO N FRENZEL IVVICE CHAIR & SECRETARY (EFF 11/2024)

PAMELA WHITTENBOARD MEMBER

RACHEL LECHLEITERBOARD MEMBER (BEGIN 11/2024)

REGINA CROSSBOARD MEMBER

REV EDWARD A MALLOYBOARD MEMBER (END 11/2024)

ROBERT G JONESBOARD MEMBER

ALAN L SCHWARTZBOARD MEMBER

GEORGETTE SMITHBOARD MEMBER

ALONZO WEEMSBOARD MEMBER

AMY BALCIUSBOARD MEMBER

C PERRY GRIFFITH JRBOARD MEMBER

CASEY CROUSEBOARD MEMBER

CHRISTINE RICKSBOARD MEMBER (BEGIN 11/2024)

DAN HANNBOARD MEMBER

DENNIS M MURPHYBOARD MEMBER

FARAZ ABBASIBOARD MEMBER

GABRIEL ALEJANDROTREASURER (EFF 11/2024)

JOYCE ROGERSBOARD MEMBER

J MURRAY CLARKCHAIRMAN (END 11/2024)

JANA HAGEMANBOARD MEMBER

JANET HOLCOMBBOARD MEMBER

JAY HESSBOARD MEMBER

JEROME HENRY JRBOARD MEMBER

JOHN ACKERMANBOARD MEMBER

JOHN DILLON IIIBOARD MEMBER (END 6/30/2025)

JON OWENSBOARD MEMBER

JOSEPH SMITHBOARD MEMBER (BEGIN 11/2024)

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1943
Location: 500 N Meridian St Ste 100, Indianapolis, IN 46204
County: Marion
In care of: Billy Jo Cripe
Primary officer: Billy Jo Cripe, VP, Finance

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailriley@rileykids.org Phone(317) 634-4474

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: FORVIS MAZARS LLP
NTEE classification: Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Foundations (T700)
IRS tax category: Other Grantmaking and Giving Services
Grant-giving organization: Yes