As an expression of Sacred Fire, we offer a home for shared experiences of transformation and healing by embracing the knowing of the natural world. We see a way of life where Ancestral Wisdom connects self, community and the natural world.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
63¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 31 volunteers and 5 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

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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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
1 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $43K a year · 11% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
63%
of spending
Worth a look: 63% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.1 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $125K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$811K
76% of total assets
Worth a look: liabilities are 76% of assets; over 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 3 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 3 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$418K
+49% vs prior year
Spent
$434K
To programs
63%
Net assets
$256K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$418K
FY2024▲ +49%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$368K
FY2021$441K
FY2022$401K
FY2023$281K
FY2024$418K
Expenses
$434K
FY2024▲ +10%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$434K
FY2021$417K
FY2022$445K
FY2023$395K
FY2024$434K
Net assets
$256K
FY2024▼ -6%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$406K
FY2021$430K
FY2022$386K
FY2023$273K
FY2024$256K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in May 2002.

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

Where the money goes

63 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 63% · $275K Management & general 27% · $118K Fundraising 9% · $41K

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

4 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Dir.
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Amanda Kerner’s $15K as Executive Dir. is at the 11th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2216 $100K–1M arts & culture 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2022FY2021FY2020
Amanda Kerner$15,000$60,000$45,000

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.

See Blue Deer Center executive salaries →

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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
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II1 listed

Programs and updates

Offers a home for transformation and healing through nature's wisdom and ancestral connections.

Questions for Blue Deer Center

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $275K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Other programs offered by the blue deer center to preserve symbols of the past by presenting public workshops, programs and special events in their main house, yurt classroom,

$188Kprogram expense
02

Plant Spirit Medicine Includes Several Offerings

An introductory on-demand online course-Growing Awareness of Nature. designed to give people a direct experience of the aliveness of nature and natures ancestral relationship with humans. Healer Training hybrid course: online and in person courses.

$65Kprogram expense
03

HEALING INTENSIVE- Healing Intensive is a residential 5-day retreat only offered at Blue Deer Center. A Healing Intensive is composed of Indigenous spiritual healing in the Huichol tradition, a time for contemplation and reflection in the natural world, and gatherings around the fire.

$23Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$125K

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$418K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$333K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$80K
Investment incomeLn 3$7K
Money outPt IX
$434K
Ln 25
Programscol B$275K
Managementcol C$118K
Fundraisingcol D$41K
Owns and owesPt X
$256K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$75K
Total assetsLn 16$1.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$811K
PeoplePt VI, VII
4
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$333K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$80K
Investment incomeLn 3$7K
Gains on assetsLn 7$395
Total revenueLn 12$418K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$75K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$75K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$782K
Other assetsLn 15$169K
Total assetsLn 16$1.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$811K
Net assetsLn 32$256K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 55
VolunteersI 631
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$77K$75K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$849K$782K
Total assetsLn 16$1.1M$1.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$867K$811K
Net assetsLn 32$273K$256K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$0
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$144K$100K$8K$36K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$3K$3K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$7K$7K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$9K$1K$7K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$19K$19K
Office expensesLn 13$9K$3K$3K$3K
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$64K$10K$54K
TravelLn 17$1K$901$508
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$75K$75K
InsuranceLn 23$15K$1K$13K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$65K$41K$24K$480
All other expensesLn 24e$24K$15K$7K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$434K$275K$118K$41K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $418K$434K−$16K$256K 990 PDF
FY2023 $281K$395K−$114K$273K 990 PDF
FY2022 $401K$445K−$43K$386K 990 PDF
FY2021 $441K$417K$24K$430K 990 PDF
FY2020 $368K$434K−$66K$406K 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 $417,640 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $270,506$332,959
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $63,239$80,234
I-10 Investment incomePrior year −$54,149$7,136
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,273−$2,689
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $280,869$417,640
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $125,815$147,013
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $268,797$287,103
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $394,612$434,116
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$113,743−$16,476
Part VI · Governance 3 of 3 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members3
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
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
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $417,640 across 9 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for −$2,689 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$332,959
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$332,959
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $80,234$80,234
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $6,741$6,741
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $395$395
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $84,681$417,640
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $434,116 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staff$0
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $100,176 · Management $7,800 · Fundraising $36,375$144,351
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefits$0
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $2,662$2,662
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $6,725$6,725
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,277 · Management $7,374$8,651
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $18,668$18,668
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $3,017 · Management $3,192 · Fundraising $2,507$8,716
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $9,936 · Management $54,351$64,287
IX-17 TravelPrograms $901 · Management $508$1,409
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $74,868$74,868
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $1,499 · Management $13,067$14,566
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $40,689 · Management $24,022 · Fundraising $480$65,191
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $14,922 · Management $7,424 · Fundraising $1,676$24,022
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $275,340 · Management $117,738 · Fundraising $41,038$434,116
Part X · Balance sheet $1,067,073 assets, 21 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $76,866$74,994
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $50$0
X-4 Accounts receivable$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $29,619$27,902
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $2,146$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $848,995$782,419
X-11 Publicly traded securities$0
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $13,012$12,495
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $169,263$169,263
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,139,951$1,067,073
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $16,844$15,013
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $2,525$8,330
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $2,817$3,721
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $867,281$810,879
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $211,097$231,151
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $61,573$25,043
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $272,670$256,194
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,139,951$1,067,073
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $256,194 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$417,640
XI-2 Total expenses$434,116
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$16,476
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$272,670
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$256,194

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

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