To spur economic self-sufficiency by giving strategic grants to low-income people of potential through partner agencies.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
69¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$87K 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

FY2024 · 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
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $34K a year · 2% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
69%
of spending
Fine: 69% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$87K
to officers and key staff · 7% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 7% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $4K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$142K
22% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 22% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
13
of 13 voting members
Looks good: 13 of 13 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$984K
-48% vs prior year
Spent
$1.3M
To programs
69%
Net assets
$509K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$984K
FY2024▼ -48%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.9M
FY2021$3.8M
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.9M
FY2024$984K
FY2025$779K
Expenses
$1.3M
FY2024▼ -43%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.0M
FY2021$2.8M
FY2022$2.7M
FY2023$2.3M
FY2024$1.3M
FY2025$811K
Net assets
$509K
FY2024▼ -37%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.6M
FY2021$2.6M
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$814K
FY2024$509K
FY2025$477K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2024 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 Jan 2007.

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

Where the money goes

69 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 69% · $892K Management & general 4% · $57K Fundraising 26% · $340K

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

17 people listed on the 990; $87K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$87,296Pt VII · Sec A
Board Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

John Harrington’s $29K as CEO is at the 27th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1264 $100K–1M philanthropy & grantmaking 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 · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Donald H Samuels———$77,045$126,875—
Donald Samuels—————$116,000
John Harrington$29,391$87,296$49,626———
Don Samuels——$85,500———

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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Distributes microgrants to low-income individuals in the Twin Cities to help them achieve business, education, or transportation goals.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $892K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Lights On!

Lights on! Is an award-winning program with the mission to heal police-community relationships. The program was founded in 2017 after the unnecessary death of philando castile who was shot during a traffic stop.

$757Kprogram expense
02

Microgrants Distributes Timely Microgrants, Between $1,000

$3,000, to low-income people of potential. These individuals are identified by microgrants' partner agencies, a network of 50 twin cities nonprofits. Based on their long-term relationships with participants, staff at partner agencies recommend individuals who would benefit from a microgrant to reach their goals in three interrelated…

$134Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$4K
Grants paid · 6 grants · $6.0M · 2020–2025
Unitemized GrantFY2025$187,740
Unitemized GrantFY2024$228,408
Unitemized GrantFY2023$1,320,103
Unitemized GrantFY2022$1,457,373
Unitemized GrantFY2021$1,764,589
Unitemized GrantFY2020$993,513

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$984K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$975K
Other incomeLn 4–11$7K
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Money outPt IX
$1.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$892K
Managementcol C$57K
Fundraisingcol D$340K
Owns and owesPt X
$509K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$514K
Total assetsLn 16$651K
LiabilitiesLn 26$142K
PeoplePt VI, VII
17
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a13
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$975K
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Other incomeLn 4–11$7K
Total revenueLn 12$984K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$416K
SavingsLn 2$98K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$514K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$637
Other assetsLn 15$6K
Total assetsLn 16$651K
LiabilitiesLn 26$142K
Net assetsLn 32$509K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 57
VolunteersI 611
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$579K$514K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K$637
Total assetsLn 16$851K$651K
LiabilitiesLn 26$38K$142K
Net assetsLn 32$814K$509K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$228K$228K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$87K$48K$5K$35K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$603K$375K$26K$203K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$73K$41K$6K$25K
Payroll taxesLn 10$68K$42K$3K$24K
Accounting feesLn 11c$83K$53K$3K$26K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$25K$22K$771$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$5K$2K$3K$27
Office expensesLn 13$24K$19K$3K$2K
Information technologyLn 14$37K$19K$3K$15K
OccupancyLn 16$18K$11K$795$6K
TravelLn 17$16K$13K$663$1K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$929$900$29
InsuranceLn 23$3K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$17K$17K$0$69
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.3M$892K$57K$340K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $779K$811K−$32K$477K 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $984K$1.3M−$305K$509K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.9M$2.3M−$349K$814K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.2M$2.7M−$1.5M$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $3.8M$2.8M$1.0M$2.6M 990 PDF
FY2020 $2.9M$2.0M$928K$1.6M 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $983,894 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,908,277$975,164
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $3,365$1,723
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$1,465$7,007
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,910,177$983,894
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $1,320,103$228,408
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $560,989$831,741
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $378,571$228,350
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,259,663$1,288,499
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$349,486−$304,605
Part VI · Governance 13 of 13 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body13
VI-1b Independent voting members13
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $983,894 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$975,164
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$975,164
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,723$1,723
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $7,007$7,007
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $8,730$983,894
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,288,499 across 15 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $228,408$228,408
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $48,231 · Management $4,513 · Fundraising $34,552$87,296
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $374,535 · Management $25,529 · Fundraising $203,366$603,430
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $41,281 · Management $5,775 · Fundraising $25,461$72,517
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $41,750 · Management $3,155 · Fundraising $23,593$68,498
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $53,484 · Management $3,301 · Fundraising $25,805$82,590
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $22,128 · Management $771 · Fundraising $2,291$25,190
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,562 · Management $3,411 · Fundraising $27$5,000
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $18,600 · Management $2,805 · Fundraising $2,251$23,656
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $19,260 · Management $2,573 · Fundraising $15,091$36,924
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $11,262 · Management $795 · Fundraising $6,261$18,318
IX-17 TravelPrograms $13,494 · Management $663 · Fundraising $1,386$15,543
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $900 · Management $29$929
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $3,373$3,373
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $16,758 · Management $0 · Fundraising $69$16,827
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $891,653 · Management $56,693 · Fundraising $340,153$1,288,499
Part X · Balance sheet $651,261 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $482,526$416,087
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $96,709$97,637
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $255,171$126,385
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $4,349$4,584
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,537$637
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $11,176$5,931
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $851,468$651,261
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $26,183$115,797
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payable$20,000
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $11,497$6,281
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $37,680$142,078
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $420,101$259,256
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $393,687$249,927
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $813,788$509,183
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $851,468$651,261
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $509,183 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$983,894
XI-2 Total expenses$1,288,499
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$304,605
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$813,788
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$509,183

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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