Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Nov 2006.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
63 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
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
6 people listed on the 990; $171K paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).
Edward Ahn’s $171K as Executive Director is at the 67th percentile of top reported officer pay among 797 $1–10M civil rights & advocacy 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
| Name | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Ahn | $170,620 | $153,204 | $108,450 | $65,000 | $65,000 |
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 Brightline Defense Project executive salaries →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 15aYes
Programs and updates
Advocates for sustainable policies in vulnerable communities.
Questions for Brightline Defense Project
Your first name shows with your question. Brightline Defense Project answers here, for everyone.
Environmental Justice and Renewable Energy Advocacy
Brightline advocates for solar panels, energy efficiency, and other clean energy alternatives through policy development and program design, brightline advances environmental justice interests and develops clean technology markets in the bay area and california.
Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 33-1131608) · Dispute this lineLocal Hiring
Brightline advises different stakeholders on workforce development systems and clean energy jobs. Utilizing various policy and legal tools, brightline connects low-income communities and neighborhoods to good-paying jobs in the construction industry and beyond.
Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 33-1131608) · Dispute this lineFunders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2024 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY24 | End FY24 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $1.5M | $1.2M |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $0 | $0 |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $1.6M | $1.3M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $280K | $86K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $1.4M | $1.2M |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1 | $28K | $28K | ||
| Grants to domestic individualsLn 2 | $0 | $0 | ||
| Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3 | $0 | $0 | ||
| Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4 | $0 | $0 | ||
| Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5 | $171K | $119K | $17K | $34K |
| Pay of disqualified personsLn 6 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $416K | $403K | $12K | $2K |
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $20K | $18K | $992 | $1K |
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $25K | $22K | $2K | $1K |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $46K | $41K | $2K | $3K |
| Management feesLn 11a | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Legal feesLn 11b | $76K | $858 | $75K | $0 |
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $15K | $0 | $15K | $0 |
| Lobbying feesLn 11d | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Professional fundraising feesLn 11e | $0 | $0 | ||
| Investment management feesLn 11f | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $581K | $562K | $6K | $13K |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $517K | $0 | $0 | $517K |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $69K | $12K | $57K | $250 |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $5K | $4K | $572 | $324 |
| RoyaltiesLn 15 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| OccupancyLn 16 | $30K | $25K | $3K | $2K |
| TravelLn 17 | $63K | $57K | $4K | $2K |
| Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $9K | $9K | $0 | $0 |
| InterestLn 20 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Payments to affiliatesLn 21 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| InsuranceLn 23 | $8K | $7K | $872 | $494 |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $42K | $32K | $9K | $766 |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $2.1M | $1.3M | $204K | $578K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 16, 2025 | $2.0M | $2.1M | −$149K | $1.2M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2024 | $2.0M | $1.7M | $339K | $1.4M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 9, 2023 | $1.6M | $988K | $592K | $1.0M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2022 | $881K | $610K | $270K | $435K | 990 PDF |
| FY2020Filed with the IRS Aug 6, 2022 | $605K | $548K | $58K | $164K | 990 PDF |
Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2024 990
Part I · Summary $1,974,379 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, 2 to look at
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,974,379 across 12 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,123,079 across 30 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $1,303,001 assets, 21 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,216,823 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file FY2024 from the IRS (about our sources) · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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