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The Vision Sciences Society INC FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

Novato, CA501(c)(3)Since 2003Science & Technology EIN 13-4244237Revenue $1.0M in FY2023

On file with the IRSvisionsciences.org19 Richardson Rd, 94949-6171 · Novato, CATax-exempt since Mar 2004Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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The Vision Sciences Society, INC. (vss) is committed to progress in understanding Vision, and its relation to cognition, action and the brain. Our primary goal is to host a yearly meeting where both new and established investigators from diverse disciplines and scientific perspectives present and discuss their work in a relaxed informal setting. Our interdisciplinary nature is reflected by the board of directors and abstract review committee.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$7K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2023 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $5K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
87%
of spending
Looks good: 87% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$7K
to officers and key staff · 0.7% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $20K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$25K
5% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 5% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.0M
+16% vs prior year
Spent
$957K
To programs
87%
Net assets
$496K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.0M
FY2023▲ +16%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$436K
FY2021$430K
FY2022$868K
FY2023$1.0M
FY2024$1.0M
FY2025$1.0M
Expenses
$957K
FY2023▲ +5%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$390K
FY2021$398K
FY2022$912K
FY2023$957K
FY2024$1.1M
FY2025$1.1M
Net assets
$496K
FY2023▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$457K
FY2021$489K
FY2022$445K
FY2023$496K
FY2024$439K
FY2025$384K

From the FY2023 Form 990 (year ending September 2023) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Mar 2004.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $836K Management & general 13% · $120K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

12 people listed on the 990; $7K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
Shauney Wilson
Executive Director
$6,650Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Ruth Rosenholtz
Director (resigned 5/31/23)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Jody Culham
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Eileen Kowler
Director (resigned 5/31/23)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Geoffrey Boynton
President - Elect
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Geoffrey Boynton’s $10K as Director (until 5/31/25) is at the 1st percentile of top reported officer pay among 363 $1–10M science & technology nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Shauney Wilson$6,250$6,725$6,650$17,000$15,000$5,085
Geoffrey Boynton$10,000—————
David Brainard————$10,000—

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Hosts an annual meeting to discuss vision, cognition, action, and the brain.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $836K · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

The main PURPOSE/SERVICE of the society is to hold an annual meeting that brings together in one forum scientists from the broad range of disciplines that contribute to vision science, including visual psychophysics, neuroscience, computational vision and cognitive psychology.

$836Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2022
Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFY2022$20K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$20K
Grants paid · 15 grants · $280K · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$68,500
Unitemized GrantFY2024$6,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$4,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$54,600
Unitemized GrantFY2023$9,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$6,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$500
Unitemized GrantFY2022$53,500
Unitemized GrantFY2022$6,000
Unitemized GrantFY2022$500
Unitemized GrantFY2021$49,700
Rutgers the State UniversityNJ · FY2021$10,000
Unitemized GrantFY2021$4,000
Unitemized GrantFY2021$1,400
Unitemized GrantFY2019$6,000

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.0M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$827K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$181K
Investment incomeLn 3$102
Money outPt IX
$957K
Ln 25
Programscol B$836K
Managementcol C$120K
Owns and owesPt X
$496K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$432K
Total assetsLn 16$521K
LiabilitiesLn 26$25K
PeoplePt VI, VII
12
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$181K
Government grantsLn 1e$77K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$827K
Investment incomeLn 3$102
Total revenueLn 12$1.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$85K
SavingsLn 2$347K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$432K
Total assetsLn 16$521K
LiabilitiesLn 26$25K
Net assetsLn 32$496K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3More from this return
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Grants to other countriesSch F Pt II–III$10K
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$383K$432K
Total assetsLn 16$486K$521K
LiabilitiesLn 26$41K$25K
Net assetsLn 32$445K$496K
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$300$300
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$60K$60K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$10K$10K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$7K$7K
Management feesLn 11a$254K$247K$8K
Accounting feesLn 11c$4K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$91K$47K$44K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$12K$10K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$2K$2K$315
Information technologyLn 14$4K$4K
TravelLn 17$51K$25K$26K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$375K$375K
InsuranceLn 23$3K$975$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$85K$54K$31K
Total functional expensesLn 25$957K$836K$120K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $1.0M$1.1M−$57K$384K 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Jul 28, 2025 $1.0M$1.1M−$57K$439K 990 PDF
FY2023 ViewingFiled with the IRS Jul 30, 2024 $1.0M$957K$51K$496K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Aug 2, 2023 $868K$912K−$44K$445K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Jul 29, 2022 $430K$398K$32K$489K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Aug 9, 2021 $436K$390K$46K$457K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,008,012 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $138,735$181,010
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $728,765$826,900
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $80$102
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $867,580$1,008,012
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $76,800$69,800
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $20,650$6,725
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $814,353$880,189
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $911,803$956,714
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$44,223$51,298
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,008,012 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$76,510
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$104,500
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$181,010
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $826,900$826,900
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $102$102
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $826,900 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $102$1,008,012
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $956,714 across 14 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $300$300
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $60,000$60,000
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $9,500$9,500
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $6,725$6,725
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $246,813 · Management $7,633$254,446
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $3,945$3,945
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $46,704 · Management $43,956$90,660
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $10,035 · Management $2,269$12,304
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,697 · Management $315$2,012
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $3,639$3,639
IX-17 TravelPrograms $25,007 · Management $25,770$50,777
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $374,584$374,584
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $975 · Management $1,793$2,768
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $53,985 · Management $31,069$85,054
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $836,325 · Management $120,389 · Fundraising $0$956,714
Part X · Balance sheet $520,707 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $42,054$85,198
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $340,467$347,279
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $54,360$66,510
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $46,011$21,720
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $485,913$520,707
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $27,476$4,552
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $1,500$3,800
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $12,195$16,315
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $41,171$24,667
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $444,742$475,540
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictions$20,500
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $444,742$496,040
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $485,913$520,707
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $496,040 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,008,012
XI-2 Total expenses$956,714
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$51,298
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$444,742
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$496,040

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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