WESTERN DAIRYLAND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

WESTERN DAIRYLAND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL INC

EIN 39-1076993 · Community Improvement & Capacity Building (S32Z)

What they do

WESTERN DAIRYLAND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL, INC. WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1966, UNDER THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ACT to HELP DISADVANTAGED INDIVIDUALS IN BUFFALO, EAU CLAIRE, JACKSON, and TREMPEALEAU COUNTIES LOCATED IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. THE AGENCYS MISSION is to ALLEVIATE POVERTY RELATED CONDITIONS and PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES WHICH ENABLE PEOPLE to ADVANCE ECONOMICALLY and SOCIALLY.THE AGENCY WORKS WITH INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS to IMPROVE THE QUALITY of LIFE for ALL. THE AGENCY is GOVERNED BY A 24 MEMBER BOARD of DIRECTORS REPRESENTING A CROSS SECTION of THE COMMUNITY. EIGHT MEMBERS ARE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, EIGHT ARE REPRESENTATIVES of THE LOW-INCOME POPULATION, and EIGHT ARE REPRESENTATIVES of COMMUNITY GROUPS and ORGANIZATIONS.COMMUNITY ACTION CHANGES PEOPLES LIVES, EMBODIES THE SPIRIT of HOPE, IMPROVES COMMUNITIES, and MAKES AMERICA A BETTER PLACE to LIVE. WE CARE ABOUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, and WE ARE DEDICATED to HELPING PEOPLE HELP THEMSELVES and EACH

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $96.30 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 leaders28 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

91.84%of revenue went to mission work96.3% of expenses · Program services

0.20%of revenue went to fundraising0.2% of expenses

$95.31spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

3.28%of revenue went to management and office costs3.4% of expenses

$0.79in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

97.8%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

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 $150,319 for ANNA CARDARELLA (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 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$20,655,375

Mission workProgram services$18,968,90091.84% of revenue96.3% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$678,0013.28% of revenue3.4% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$40,7120.20% of revenue0.2% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$967,7624.69% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$19,687,61395.31% 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: 96.3% mission · 3.4% management · 0.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 95.31% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 95.8% mission · 3.9% management · 0.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 97.68% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 96.7% mission · 3.2% management · 0.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 97.92% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 96.5% mission · 3.4% management · 0.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 97.39% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 96.7% mission · 3.2% management · 0.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 98.44% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 96.4% mission · 3.5% management · 0.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 97.36% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 96.1% mission · 3.8% management · 0.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 98.92% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 96.3% mission · 3.7% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 98.67% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$20,655,375

Expenses$19,687,613

Annual surplus $967,762 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)$18,968,900 · 96.3% of expenses

Management and office costs$678,001 · 3.4% of expenses

Fundraising$40,712 · 0.2% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$20,655,375

Expenses$19,687,613

Assets$15,555,336

Income$20,656,272

Contributions$20,205,862

Mission work (program services)$18,968,900

Fundraising$40,712

Grants given$6,616,475

Average grant$275,686

Management and general$678,001

Stocks and bonds$72,885

Accounting fees$47,504

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

ANNA CARDARELLACHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $150,319Base $141,440 · Other $8,879

THANH BUI-DUQUETTEDIRECTOR OF HEAD START · 40 hrs/week $111,920Base $105,122 · Other $6,798

MARIE PEHLER GERNESCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $111,243Base $104,434 · Other $6,809

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 (28)

ANNA CARDARELLACHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

THANH BUI-DUQUETTEDIRECTOR OF HEAD START

MARIE PEHLER GERNESCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

TOM MARUMDIRECTOR (THRU MARCH 24)

ALTON STAFFDIRECTOR (THRU APRIL 24)

THOMAS VUEDIRECTOR

THERESA OLSONDIRECTOR

SHEILA KERSTENDIRECTOR

RICHARD SCHAUMBERGPRESIDENT

PAUL SAVIDESDIRECTOR

NICK SMIARDIRECTOR

MICHELLE GUNTHERDIRECTOR

MICHELLE GREENDEER-RAVESECRETARY

MARY ANNE MCMILLAN-URELLDIRECTOR (THRU APRIL 24)

LOU ANNE ROBYDIRECTOR

KRISTY KREIBICHDIRECTOR

KELLY CHRISTIANSONDIRECTOR

JIM ZIEGEWELDDIRECTOR (THRU MAY 24)

JENNY EBERTDIRECTOR

JEANNE NUTTERVICE PRESIDENT

GENTRY JESSEDIRECTOR

DWIGHT RUFFDIRECTOR

DENNIS BORKDIRECTOR (THRU APRIL 24)

DARY BOEDIRECTOR

CRAIG THOMPSONTREASURER

CHARLES SMITHDIRECTOR

BRIDGETTE TURNERDIRECTOR

BILL BAXADIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1966
Location: 23122 WHITEHALL RD, INDEPENDENCE, WI 54747-7706
County: Trempealeau
In care of: % ANNA CARDARELLA
Primary officer: ANNA CARDARELLA, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(715) 985-2391

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: January 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: WIPFLI LLP
NTEE classification: Community Improvement & Capacity Building (S32Z)
Grant-giving organization: Yes