Deaf Spotlight inspires and showcases Deaf culture and sign languages through the arts.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
57¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$89K 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
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
2 of 3
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $98K a year · 23% of revenue · last 3 filings
Fine: a surplus in 2 of the last 3 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 3 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
$89K
to officers and key staff · 27% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 27% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $8K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$12K
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
1
of 9 voting members
Worth a look: 1 of 9 voting members are independent, under half.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$696K
+195% vs prior year
Spent
$337K
To programs
57%
Net assets
$528K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$696K
FY2023▲ +195%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$136K
FY2021$111K
FY2022$236K
FY2023$696K
FY2024$354K
Expenses
$337K
FY2023▲ +79%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020Not on file
FY2021Not on file
FY2022$188K
FY2023$337K
FY2024$468K
Net assets
$528K
FY2023▲ +212%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$139K
FY2021$91K
FY2022$169K
FY2023$528K
FY2024$417K

From the FY2023 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Exemption reinstated (2014-05-15). Per the IRS revocation list. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Sep 2014.

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% · $193K Management & general 25% · $83K Fundraising 18% · $61K

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

10 people listed on the 990; $89K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Di
$89,453Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Patty Liang’s $85K as Executive Di is at the 79th 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2021FY2020
Patty Liang$84,739$89,453$39,323$24,998

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 Deaf Spotlight 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

Programs and updates

Showcases Deaf culture and sign languages through the arts.

Questions for Deaf Spotlight

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Your first name shows with your question. Deaf Spotlight answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $158K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Deaf Spotlights Presents

A theatrical program short play festival which we showcased 6 original short plays by deaf playwrights and featured local and out of state talent at 12TH ave arts studio theatre

$76Kprogram expense
02

Bp Fellowship

Deaf spotlight is the fiscal agency for topher avila, a fellow who received a 3 year grant of 70k per year from borealis philanthropy. This was year 1 of 3.

$74Kprogram expense
03

Deaf spotlight partners with diverse organizations in order to nurture more accessible and inclusive creativity for all. During march 2023, deaf spotlight hosted limitless expressions featuring asl cabaret performers, deaf legends photography project, deaf author readings, visual vernacular performances, dance performances and dance…

$8Kprogram 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$8K

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$696K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$676K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$20K
Investment incomeLn 3$4
Money outPt IX
$337K
Ln 25
Programscol B$193K
Managementcol C$83K
Fundraisingcol D$61K
Owns and owesPt X
$528K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$197K
Total assetsLn 16$540K
LiabilitiesLn 26$12K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b1
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$676K
Government grantsLn 1e$50K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$3K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$20K
Investment incomeLn 3$4
Total revenueLn 12$696K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$155K
SavingsLn 2$42K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$197K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$19K
Total assetsLn 16$540K
LiabilitiesLn 26$12K
Net assetsLn 32$528K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51
VolunteersI 67
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$169K$197K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$19K
Total assetsLn 16$169K$540K
LiabilitiesLn 26−$69$12K
Net assetsLn 32$169K$528K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$5K$5K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$3K$3K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$89K$31K$15K$44K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$3K$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$5K$2K$875$3K
Legal feesLn 11b$15K$2K$14K
Accounting feesLn 11c$9K$9K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$461$438$23
Office expensesLn 13$2K$1K$903
OccupancyLn 16$10K$9K$600
TravelLn 17$13K$12K$377$34
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$3K$200$3K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$800$800
InsuranceLn 23$269$241$28
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$165K$122K$42K$178
All other expensesLn 24e$14K$7K$6K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$337K$193K$83K$61K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $354K$468K−$114K$417K 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $696K$337K$359K$528K 990 PDF
FY2022 $236K$188K$48K$169K 990 PDF
FY2021 $111K$91K 990 PDF
FY2020 $136K$139K 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 $695,527 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $225,841$675,747
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $10,095$19,776
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1$4
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $235,937$695,527
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$7,700
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $90,708$97,311
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $97,410$231,525
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $188,118$336,536
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $47,819$358,991
Part VI · Governance 1 of 9 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members1
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 $695,527 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$2,521
VIII-1e Government grants$50,000
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$623,226
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$675,747
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $19,776$19,776
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $4$4
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $19,776 · Excluded from tax $4$695,527
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $336,536 across 16 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $4,700$4,700
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $3,000$3,000
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $30,524 · Management $15,324 · Fundraising $43,605$89,453
IX-9 Other employee benefitsManagement $2,709$2,709
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $1,751 · Management $875 · Fundraising $2,523$5,149
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $1,500 · Fundraising $13,575$15,075
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $8,741$8,741
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $438 · Management $23$461
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,454 · Management $903$2,357
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $8,909 · Management $600$9,509
IX-17 TravelPrograms $12,271 · Management $377 · Fundraising $34$12,682
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $200 · Management $2,888$3,088
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $800$800
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $241 · Management $28$269
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $122,189 · Management $42,236 · Fundraising $178$164,603
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $6,966 · Management $5,525 · Fundraising $1,449$13,940
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $192,643 · Management $82,529 · Fundraising $61,364$336,536
Part X · Balance sheet $540,022 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $165,638$155,018
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $3,175$42,168
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$321,359
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$2,277
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, net$19,200
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $168,925$540,022
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year −$69$12,150
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year −$69$12,150
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $168,994$480,513
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictions$47,359
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $168,994$527,872
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $168,925$540,022
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $527,872 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$695,527
XI-2 Total expenses$336,536
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$358,991
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$168,994
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$113
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$527,872

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

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