The Kindling Group is a nonfiction media studio that crafts outstanding documentaries and impact campaigns to inspire, entertain, and ignite change. The Kindling group's productions investigate, document and present social, civic, political, historic and educational issues.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
78¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 5 volunteers and 2 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
1 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $183K a year · 21% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
78%
of spending
Looks good: 78% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$73K
to officers and key staff · 15% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 15% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $102K in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 1.5 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
8
named funders · $102K
Looks good: 8 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$566K
182% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 182% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
5
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 5 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$298K
-23% vs prior year
Spent
$478K
To programs
78%
Net assets
−$255K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$298K
FY2024▼ -23%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$980K
FY2021$1.2M
FY2022$1.5M
FY2023$387K
FY2024$298K
Expenses
$478K
FY2024▼ -57%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.4M
FY2021$1.2M
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$478K
Net assets
−$255K
FY2024▼ -240%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$416K
FY2021$391K
FY2022$643K
FY2023−$75K
FY2024−$255K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jun 2002.

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

Where the money goes

78 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 78% · $374K Management & general 15% · $70K Fundraising 7% · $35K

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

5 people listed on the 990; $73K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$73,125Pt VII · Sec A
Board Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Daniel Alpert’s $73K as Executive Director is at the 68th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2216 $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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Daniel Alpert$73,125$88,200$86,000$52,419$60,358

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 The Kindling Group 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 15aYes
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II1 listed

Programs and updates

Creates documentaries and campaigns to inspire, entertain, and ignite change on social and civic issues.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $374K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Production of documentaries and impact campaigns that inspire, entertain, and ignite change.

$374Kprogram 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 · FY2024
See all 8 funders →
Grants paid · 22 grants · $692K · 2022–2023
Leonard SuryajayaFY2023$70,000
In Care of Black Women LLCFY2023$45,000
Chicago Public Art GroupIL · FY2023$40,000
New Roots LLCFY2023$23,575
Alt Space ChicagoIL · FY2023$21,250
Sommer Filmworks LLCFY2023$17,500
Individual RecipientFY2023$8,153
Red Clay Dance Company INCIL · FY2023$7,750
Chicago Public Art GroupIL · FY2022$130,000
Alt Space ChicagoIL · FY2022$48,750
In Care of Black Women LLCFY2022$45,000
Leonard SuryajayaFY2022$27,000
New Roots LLCFY2022$22,375
Red Clay Dance Company INCIL · FY2022$22,250
See all 22 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$298K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$277K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$21K
Money outPt IX
$478K
Ln 25
Programscol B$374K
Managementcol C$70K
Fundraisingcol D$35K
Owns and owesPt X
−$255K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$60K
Total assetsLn 16$311K
LiabilitiesLn 26$566K
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b5
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$277K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$21K
Total revenueLn 12$298K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$60K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$60K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$102K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K
Other assetsLn 15$121K
Total assetsLn 16$311K
LiabilitiesLn 26$566K
Net assetsLn 32−$255K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52
VolunteersI 65
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$150K$60K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$102K$102K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$3K$2K
Total assetsLn 16$297K$311K
LiabilitiesLn 26$372K$566K
Net assetsLn 32−$75K−$255K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$400$400
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$73K$48K$13K$13K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$56K$36K$10K$10K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$22K$14K$4K$4K
Payroll taxesLn 10$9K$6K$2K$2K
Legal feesLn 11b$2K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$8K$8K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$47K$47K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$6K$6K
OccupancyLn 16$38K$25K$7K$7K
InterestLn 20$10K$10K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$1K$1K
InsuranceLn 23$8K$8K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$198K$197K$424
Total functional expensesLn 25$478K$374K$70K$35K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $298K$478K−$180K−$255K 990 PDF
FY2023 $387K$1.1M−$716K−$75K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.5M$1.1M$429K$643K 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.2M$1.2M−$184$391K 990 PDF
FY2020 $980K$1.4M−$446K$416K 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $298,169 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $357,500$276,744
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $26,282$21,425
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $3,036$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $386,818$298,169
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $307,848$400
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $182,147$159,264
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $612,389$318,809
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,102,384$478,473
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$715,566−$180,304
Part VI · Governance 5 of 6 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members5
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
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $298,169 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$276,744
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$276,744
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $21,425$21,425
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $21,425 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$298,169
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $478,473 across 14 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $400$400
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $47,531 · Management $12,797 · Fundraising $12,797$73,125
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $36,097 · Management $9,718 · Fundraising $9,718$55,533
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $14,250 · Management $3,836 · Fundraising $3,836$21,922
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $5,644 · Management $1,520 · Fundraising $1,520$8,684
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $1,753$1,753
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $8,463$8,463
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $46,995$46,995
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $5,889$5,889
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $24,960 · Management $6,720 · Fundraising $6,720$38,400
IX-20 InterestManagement $10,464$10,464
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $1,173$1,173
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $8,005$8,005
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $197,243 · Management $424$197,667
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $374,293 · Management $69,589 · Fundraising $34,591$478,473
Part X · Balance sheet $310,924 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $150,041$59,742
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $5,379$25,495
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $3,260$2,087
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $102,245$102,245
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$121,355
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $297,292$310,924
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $66,800$59,068
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $39,981$216,865
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $372,481$566,417
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$75,189−$255,493
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$75,189−$255,493
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $297,292$310,924
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$255,493 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$298,169
XI-2 Total expenses$478,473
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$180,304
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$75,189
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year−$255,493

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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