To ignite the spark of creativity inherent in all children

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
57¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$154K 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

FY2020 · 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 $6K 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
57%
of spending
Worth a look: 57% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$154K
to officers and key staff · 19% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 19% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $15K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$283K
38% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 38% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
13
of 14 voting members
Looks good: 13 of 14 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$528K
Spent
$794K
To programs
57%
Net assets
$457K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$528K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$528K
FY2021$780K
FY2022$218K
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$577K
FY2025$720K
Expenses
$794K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$794K
FY2021$766K
FY2022$411K
FY2023$679K
FY2024$676K
FY2025$587K
Net assets
$457K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$457K
FY2021$338K
FY2022$144K
FY2023$523K
FY2024$467K
FY2025$467K

From the FY2020 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2020 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 Sep 2010.

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

Where the money goes

57 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 57% · $456K Management & general 13% · $104K Fundraising 30% · $234K

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

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

16 people listed on the 990; $154K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President & CEO & Founder
$153,604Pt VII · Sec A
Founder & Board Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Founder & Board Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Treasurer/Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Secretary/Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Alice Bittner’s $120K as Executive Director is at the 95th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2215 $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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Beverly Davis——$99,711$136,592$197,800$153,604
Alice Bittner$120,000$97,917$64,987———

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 Dallas Spark executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to add context

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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Inspire children's creativity through engaging programs and activities.

Questions for Dallas Spark

Tap to ask. Dallas Spark sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Dallas Spark answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

1 program · $456K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

In Support of Its Mission

To ignite the spark of creativity inherent in all children, spark! Provides a wildly immersive, creative environment and programming for children second grade through high school. Programming ranges from school field trips to weekend experiences, after school programming, and week-long camps. During the first 2.5 months of 2020, spark!

$456Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$15K

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$528K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$439K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$95K
Investment incomeLn 3$616
Money outPt IX
$794K
Ln 25
Programscol B$456K
Managementcol C$104K
Fundraisingcol D$234K
Owns and owesPt X
$457K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$434K
Total assetsLn 16$740K
LiabilitiesLn 26$283K
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$439K
Government grantsLn 1e$999
Noncash giftsLn 1g$5K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$27K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$95K
Investment incomeLn 3$616
Total revenueLn 12$528K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$34K
SavingsLn 2$400K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$434K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$54K
Total assetsLn 16$740K
LiabilitiesLn 26$283K
Net assetsLn 32$457K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 524
VolunteersI 6172
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$397K$434K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$162K$54K
Total assetsLn 16$708K$740K
LiabilitiesLn 26$164K$283K
Net assetsLn 32$544K$457K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$154K$88K$18K$48K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$316K$180K$38K$98K
Payroll taxesLn 10$33K$19K$4K$10K
Accounting feesLn 11c$13K$13K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$75K$43K$10K$22K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$13K$9K$3K
Office expensesLn 13$16K$11K$939$4K
Information technologyLn 14$8K$7K$356$367
OccupancyLn 16$48K$30K$5K$12K
TravelLn 17$403$8$395
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$3K$2K$342$637
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$107K$61K$13K$33K
InsuranceLn 23$8K$5K$948$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$794K$456K$104K$234K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $720K$587K$133K$467K 990 PDF
FY2024 $577K$676K−$98K$467K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.1M$679K$379K$523K 990 PDF
FY2022 $218K$411K−$194K$144K 990 PDF
FY2021 $780K$766K$13K$338K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $528K$794K−$266K$457K 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $528,460 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $659,319$439,287
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $346,095$94,893
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $2,842$616
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$47,564−$6,336
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $960,692$528,460
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $709,135$502,621
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $447,149$291,698
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,156,284$794,319
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$195,592−$265,859
Part VI · Governance 13 of 14 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body14
VI-1b Independent voting members13
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $528,460 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $2,322 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$27,010
VIII-1e Government grants$999
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$411,278
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$4,970
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$439,287
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $94,893$94,893
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $616$616
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$15,113−$15,113
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $6,455$6,455
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $97,215 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$8,042$528,460
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $794,319 across 13 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $87,554 · Management $18,432 · Fundraising $47,617$153,603
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $179,877 · Management $37,869 · Fundraising $97,828$315,574
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $19,063 · Management $4,013 · Fundraising $10,368$33,444
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $13,398$13,398
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $43,218 · Management $9,717 · Fundraising $22,417$75,352
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $9,424 · Fundraising $3,114$12,538
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $11,050 · Management $939 · Fundraising $3,589$15,578
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $7,393 · Management $356 · Fundraising $367$8,116
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $30,383 · Management $5,120 · Fundraising $12,304$47,807
IX-17 TravelPrograms $8 · Fundraising $395$403
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $2,269 · Management $342 · Fundraising $637$3,248
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $61,196 · Management $12,883 · Fundraising $33,282$107,361
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $4,501 · Management $948 · Fundraising $2,448$7,897
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $455,936 · Management $104,017 · Fundraising $234,366$794,319
Part X · Balance sheet $740,361 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $91,299$33,936
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $305,497$400,357
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $63,650$242,000
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $75,000$175
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $10,190$8,825
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$748
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $162,466$54,320
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $708,102$740,361
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $136,057$148,981
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $27,613$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payable$134,457
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $163,670$283,438
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $147,756$19,058
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $396,676$437,865
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $544,432$456,923
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $708,102$740,361
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $456,923 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$528,460
XI-2 Total expenses$794,319
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$265,859
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$544,432
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$178,350
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$456,923

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.