To compassionately assist bereaved parents with emotional support and financial assistance for funeral expenses when their precious child dies.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
79¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$81K 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
1 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $140K a year · 22% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
79%
of spending
Looks good: 79% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$81K
to officers and key staff · 12% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 12% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
16 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 16.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $61K
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$167K
16% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 16% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 4 voting members
Looks good: 4 of 4 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$666K
Spent
$700K
To programs
79%
Net assets
$856K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$666K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$666K
FY2021$809K
FY2022$689K
FY2023$674K
FY2024$534K
FY2025$409K
Expenses
$700K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$700K
FY2021$722K
FY2022$914K
FY2023$905K
FY2024$799K
FY2025$585K
Net assets
$856K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$856K
FY2021$943K
FY2022$718K
FY2023$487K
FY2024$226K
FY2025$50K

From the FY2020 Form 990 · see the original

990 PDF 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 Aug 2003.

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

Where the money goes

79 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 79% · $555K Management & general 8% · $58K Fundraising 12% · $87K

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; $81K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President and Executive Direc
$81,126Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chapter Leader Liason
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Sarah Slack’s $115K as President and Executive Direc is at the 91st 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2022FY2021FY2020
Sarah Slack$115,000$115,100$115,000$107,000$81,126
Allen Shuh$25,920————

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 Tears Foundation 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

Programs and updates

Provides compassionate emotional and financial support to grieving parents for child funeral expenses.

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Your first name shows with your question. The Tears Foundation answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $555K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

The tears foundation offers free support groups, individual peer companions, memorial events and onsite bereavement centers with resources for the community and bereaved families who have experienced the death of a child. Five bereavement centers offered onsite support, community awareness and training for professionals.

$314Kprogram expense
02

The tears foundation pays for infant and child markers, current child funeral expenses and unexpected child funeral expenses. One hundred and twenty-four families were assisted with their childs funeral and marker expenses in 2020.

$241Kprogram 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
10 Chefs INCFY2024$40K
Total grants receivedfrom 4 funders$61K
See all 4 funders →
Grants paid · 12 grants · $781K · 2020–2025
Unitemized GrantFY2025$47,985
Unitemized GrantFY2025$42,753
Unitemized GrantFY2024$130,904
Unitemized GrantFY2024$33,771
Unitemized GrantFY2023$112,537
Unitemized GrantFY2023$30,217
Unitemized GrantFY2022$155,611
Unitemized GrantFY2022$25,992
Unitemized GrantFY2021$21,814
Unitemized GrantFY2021$12,934
Unitemized GrantFY2020$142,276
Unitemized GrantFY2020$23,753

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$666K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$407K
Other incomeLn 4–11$259K
Investment incomeLn 3$388
Money outPt IX
$700K
Ln 25
Programscol B$555K
Managementcol C$58K
Fundraisingcol D$87K
Owns and owesPt X
$856K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$952K
Total assetsLn 16$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$167K
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$407K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$8K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$10K
Investment incomeLn 3$388
Other incomeLn 4–11$259K
Total revenueLn 12$666K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$952K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$952K
Total assetsLn 16$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$167K
Net assetsLn 32$856K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 59
VolunteersI 6800
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$827K$952K
Total assetsLn 16$888K$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1K$167K
Net assetsLn 32$887K$856K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$166K$166K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$81K$65K$8K$8K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$182K$150K$17K$16K
Payroll taxesLn 10$23K$18K$2K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$23K$19K$3K$2K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$6K$1K$383$5K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$8K$3K$309$5K
Office expensesLn 13$47K$31K$4K$12K
OccupancyLn 16$93K$65K$19K$10K
TravelLn 17$51K$34K$256$17K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$150$150
InterestLn 20$1K$1K
InsuranceLn 23$3K$143$1K$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$15K$3K$2K$10K
Total functional expensesLn 25$700K$555K$58K$87K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $409K$585K−$176K$50K 990 PDF
FY2024 $534K$799K−$265K$226K 990 PDF
FY2023 $674K$905K−$231K$487K 990 PDF
FY2022 $689K$914K−$224K$718K 990 PDF
FY2021 $809K$722K$87K$943K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $666K$700K−$33K$856K 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 FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $666,447 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $795,060$407,121
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$388
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $117,378$258,938
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $912,438$666,447
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $198,152$166,029
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $243,769$286,244
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $273,469$247,526
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $715,390$699,799
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $197,048−$33,352
Part VI · Governance 4 of 4 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members4
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 $666,447 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$10,050
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$397,071
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$8,290
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$407,121
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $388$388
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $258,938$258,938
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $259,326$666,447
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $699,799 across 14 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $166,029$166,029
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $64,901 · Management $8,113 · Fundraising $8,112$81,126
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $150,172 · Management $16,507 · Fundraising $15,808$182,487
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $17,670 · Management $1,847 · Fundraising $3,114$22,631
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $18,672 · Management $3,049 · Fundraising $1,525$23,246
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,341 · Management $383 · Fundraising $4,602$6,326
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,720 · Management $309 · Fundraising $4,596$7,625
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $31,167 · Management $4,215 · Fundraising $11,569$46,951
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $64,644 · Management $18,930 · Fundraising $9,765$93,339
IX-17 TravelPrograms $33,930 · Management $256 · Fundraising $16,795$50,981
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $150$150
IX-20 InterestManagement $1,033$1,033
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $143 · Management $1,430 · Fundraising $1,287$2,860
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $3,416 · Management $1,946 · Fundraising $9,653$15,015
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $554,955 · Management $58,018 · Fundraising $86,826$699,799
Part X · Balance sheet $1,022,349 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $826,904$951,610
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $47,465$55,755
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $13,988$14,984
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $888,357$1,022,349
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,183$15,834
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,183$166,767
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $792,587$703,420
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $94,587$152,162
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $887,174$855,582
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $888,357$1,022,349
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $855,582 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$666,447
XI-2 Total expenses$699,799
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$33,352
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$887,174
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$1,760
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$855,582

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

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