The Dream Fund provides emotional and financial support to advertising, public relations, and media professionals whose lives have been impacted by severe hardship.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
29¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$55K 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

FY2021 · 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 $7K a year · 6% 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
29%
of spending
Concern: 29% of spending went to programs; under 50%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$55K
to officers and key staff · 59% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 59% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
13 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $282K in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 13.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $10K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
20
of 20 voting members
Looks good: 20 of 20 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$102K
+21% vs prior year
Spent
$93K
To programs
29%
Net assets
$385K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$102K
FY2021▲ +21%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$85K
FY2021$102K
FY2022$75K
FY2023$104K
FY2024$177K
FY2025$138K
Expenses
$93K
FY2021▼ -35%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$143K
FY2021$93K
FY2022$110K
FY2023$144K
FY2024$110K
FY2025$120K
Net assets
$385K
FY2021▲ +2%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$376K
FY2021$385K
FY2022$350K
FY2023$336K
FY2024$397K
FY2025$423K

From the FY2021 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2021 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 Apr 1998.

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

Where the money goes

29 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 29% · $27K Management & general 47% · $44K Fundraising 24% · $22K

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

21 people listed on the 990; $55K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$55,000Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
VP/Philanthropy
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Founder/Past President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
VP/Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Teresa Novak’s $66K as Executive Director is at the 56th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2168 $100K–1M human services 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Teresa Novak$66,000$66,000$66,000$66,000$55,000$55,000

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 Dream Fund 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Offers emotional and financial help to advertising, PR, and media professionals facing severe hardship.

Questions for Dream Fund

Tap to ask. Dream Fund sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Dream Fund answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

1 program · $27K · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

Provided assistance to 14 individuals of the advertising & media industry.

$27Kprogram 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$10K
Grants paid · 5 grants · $202K · 2020–2025
Unitemized GrantFY2025$28,822
Unitemized GrantFY2024$22,710
Unitemized GrantFY2023$58,937
Unitemized GrantFY2021$21,446
Unitemized GrantFY2020$70,392

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$102K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$135K
Investment incomeLn 3$15K
Money outPt IX
$93K
Ln 25
Programscol B$27K
Managementcol C$44K
Fundraisingcol D$22K
Owns and owesPt X
$385K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$103K
Total assetsLn 16$385K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
21
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a20
IndependentVI 1b20
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$135K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$44K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$123K
Investment incomeLn 3$15K
Gains on assetsLn 7$8K
Total revenueLn 12$102K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$27K
SavingsLn 2$76K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$103K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$282K
Total assetsLn 16$385K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$385K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 637
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$105K$103K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$270K$282K
Total assetsLn 16$376K$385K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$376K$385K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$21K$21K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$55K$6K$28K$22K
Investment management feesLn 11f$4K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$13K$13K
Total functional expensesLn 25$93K$27K$44K$22K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $138K$120K$18K$423K 990 PDF
FY2024 $177K$110K$67K$397K 990 PDF
FY2023 $104K$144K−$40K$336K 990 PDF
FY2022 $75K$110K−$35K$350K 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $102K$93K$9K$385K 990 PDF
FY2020 $85K$143K−$59K$376K 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 M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $102,048 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $57,587$134,800
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $8,740$14,989
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $18,349−$47,741
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $84,676$102,048
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $70,392$21,446
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $55,000$55,000
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $18,016$16,472
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $143,408$92,918
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$58,732$9,130
Part VI · Governance 20 of 20 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body20
VI-1b Independent voting members20
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $102,048 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $5,678 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$122,963
VIII-1d Related organizations$1,472
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$10,365
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$43,762
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$134,800
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $7,486$7,486
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $7,503$7,503
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$79,519−$79,519
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $26,100$26,100
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $26,100 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$58,852$102,048
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $92,918 across 4 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $21,446$21,446
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $5,500 · Management $27,500 · Fundraising $22,000$55,000
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $3,548$3,548
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Management $12,924$12,924
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $26,946 · Management $43,972 · Fundraising $22,000$92,918
Part X · Balance sheet $384,957 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $19,118$26,613
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $86,374$76,384
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $270,335$281,960
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $375,827$384,957
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $375,827$384,957
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $375,827$384,957
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $375,827$384,957
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $384,957 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$102,048
XI-2 Total expenses$92,918
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$9,130
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$375,827
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$384,957

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 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.