Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
48 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
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
21 people listed on the 990.
Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 7 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laura Talmus | $175,000 | $175,000 | $165,089 | $155,178 | $155,178 |
| Sally Matsuishi | $131,250 | $135,000 | — | — | — |
| Lisette Ostrander | $130,849 | $135,000 | $108,500 | $101,000 | $101,000 |
| Alyssa Ching | $131,250 | $124,583 | — | — | — |
| Casey Mancl | $131,250 | $108,958 | — | — | — |
| Laurel Druke | — | $120,000 | — | — | — |
| Sally Kuhlman | — | — | $108,500 | $100,000 | $100,000 |
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 2Yes
- Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo
Programs and updates
Empowers middle school students nationwide to end social isolation and foster belonging.
Questions for Beyond Differences
Your first name shows with your question. Beyond Differences answers here, for everyone.
Know this org? Add your story
Beyond Differences was founded by Laura Talmus and Ace Smith to honor the life and memory of their daughter Lili Rachel Smith (19942009). Since 2010, Lili has been the inspiration and guiding light for the organizations accomplishments and growth.
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2025 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY25 | End FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $203K | $0 |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $1.4M | $0 |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $0 | |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $1.7M | $0 |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $199K | $0 |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $1.5M | $0 |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | $203K | $203K | ||
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $0 | |||
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $6K | $6K | ||
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $18K | $9K | $6K | $3K |
| Management feesLn 11a | $0 | |||
| Legal feesLn 11b | $81K | $81K | ||
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $126K | $126K | ||
| Lobbying feesLn 11d | $0 | |||
| Professional fundraising feesLn 11e | $34K | $34K | ||
| Investment management feesLn 11f | $0 | |||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $58K | $39K | $19K | |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $15K | $15K | ||
| Office expensesLn 13 | $0 | |||
| Information technologyLn 14 | $17K | $2K | $15K | $330 |
| RoyaltiesLn 15 | $0 | |||
| OccupancyLn 16 | $9K | $2K | $8K | |
| TravelLn 17 | $9K | $2K | $353 | $6K |
| 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 | $0 | |||
| InsuranceLn 23 | $4K | $107 | $4K | |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $5K | $1K | $3K | $906 |
| All other expensesLn 24e | $819 | $100 | $650 | $69 |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $586K | $280K | $262K | $44K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest Viewing | $946K | $586K | $359K | $0 | 990 PDF |
| FY2024 | $2.8M | $3.0M | −$211K | $1.5M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 | $1.8M | $2.5M | −$704K | $1.7M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022 | $2.0M | $1.6M | $395K | $2.4M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 | $1.9M | $1.3M | $611K | $1.5M | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 | $1.5M | $1.5M | $50K | $843K | 990 PDF |
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Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $945,830 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 16 of 16 board members independent, 2 to look at
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $945,830 across 9 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $586,402 across 31 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $0 assets, 16 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $0 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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