Merickel-Farley Trout Club

The information for Merickel-Farley Trout Club is as of the organization's most recent filing in December 2019. This organization is located in Swanton, OH and has been in existence for 46 years, following its founding in 1973.

Organization Classification

The IRS classifies organizations according to the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE) system. The NTEE system helps the IRS assign a 3-character code to each organization to describe the organization's activities.

The Merickel-Farley Trout Club's NTEE code is S41. The "S" tells us that the organization is classified along with Chambers of Commerce & Business Leagues. The "41" tells us that the organization is a Community Improvement & Capacity Building organization. The NTEE describes this type of organization as those like chambers of commerce, business leagues and commercial trade associations whose members are businessmen and women and merchants who have affiliated for the purpose of promoting the general commercial interests of the community or the interests of their own trade.

Every organization is also governed by a specific section of the Internal Revenue Code. The most common type is a 501(c)(3) organization. However, there are actually 29 different types of organizations that are identified by the Internal Revenue Code. This organization happens to be a 501(c)(7) organization. The IRS describes these organizations as Social and Recreational Clubs.

Perhaps the most accurate way to get a sense of what the organization hopes to achieve is by looking at its mission. The mission of the Merickel-Farley Trout Club is to promote sportsmanship and good conservation habits for the nation's waterways.

Program Areas

The program area is dedicated to promoting sportsmanship and conservational habits for the nation.

Board Governance

The Merickel-Farley Trout Club is well-governed, with 11 voting members and 11 independent members. The organization does not have any potential conflicts of interest, nor has it delegated management to an outside firm. Unfortunately, the organization does not document board meetings or committee meetings, nor does it have a conflict of interest policy, a written whistleblower policy, or a document retention policy. Additionally, the organization does not substantiate and review leadership or officer salaries. However, the organization does provide copies of the 990 to the board prior to filing. All in all, the Merickel-Farley Trout Club has a well-governed structure that is designed to ensure the organization is run in an ethical and transparent manner.

Organization Growth

The Merickel-Farley Trout Club has experienced growth in the last year. Contributions and grants received, investment income, and total revenue all increased from 2018 to 2019. Total expenses decreased in the same amount, resulting in a net increase in their overall financial position.