N.C. Military Foundation's tight budget

The N.C. Military Foundation runs on a tight budget.

The nonprofit started by Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue in 2006 to promote defense spending in North Carolina spent $140,000 less than it received its first year in operation, according to federal tax forms.

Five North Carolina companies — Wachovia, Progress Energy, Duke Energy and Charlotte defense contractors General Dynamics and Parsons Corp. Commercial Technology Group — each pledged $100,000 to fund the group its first year, and it earned another $3,274 in interest on that money.

But during that time it spent only $363,914, including $212,000 for consultants, $72,718 for the salary of executive director Will Austin, $7,055 on travel, $6,111 on conferences, $3,283 for marketing and $1,131 for a Toshiba laptop.

Austin, the organization's sole full-time employee, works out of a small office on Hargett Street in Raleigh. He has a part-time administrative assistant.

He told Dome the board of directors recently authorized him to hire a deputy director, but the nonprofit will continue to use consultants on its various projects.

"We're lean on staff and infrastructure," he said. "We spend our money on consultants."