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.
82¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$115K 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

FY2022 · 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
82%
of spending
Looks good: 82% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$115K
to officers and key staff · 13% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 13% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
11 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 11.1 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
$279K
28% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 28% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 3 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 3 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$689K
-15% vs prior year
Spent
$914K
To programs
82%
Net assets
$718K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$689K
FY2022▼ -15%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$666K
FY2021$809K
FY2022$689K
FY2023$674K
FY2024$534K
FY2025$409K
Expenses
$914K
FY2022▲ +27%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$700K
FY2021$722K
FY2022$914K
FY2023$905K
FY2024$799K
FY2025$585K
Net assets
$718K
FY2022▼ -24%
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 FY2022 Form 990 · see the original

990 PDF Claim
You’re viewing the FY2022 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

82 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 82% · $751K Management & general 12% · $111K Fundraising 6% · $51K

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

4 people listed on the 990; $115K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President and Executive Direc
$115,000Pt VII · Sec A
$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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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $751K · in their own filed words · FY2022
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. Nine bereavement centers offered onsite support, community awareness and training for professionals.

$564Kprogram expense
02

The tears foundation pays for infant and child markers, current child funeral expenses and unexpected child funeral expenses. Four hundred and one families were assisted with their childs funeral and marker expenses in 2022.

$187Kprogram expense
03

Other program expenses

$1Kprogram 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 FY2022 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$689K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$444K
Other incomeLn 4–11$244K
Investment incomeLn 3$891
Money outPt IX
$914K
Ln 25
Programscol B$751K
Managementcol C$111K
Fundraisingcol D$51K
Owns and owesPt X
$718K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$847K
Total assetsLn 16$997K
LiabilitiesLn 26$279K
PeoplePt VI, VII
4
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$444K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$37K
Investment incomeLn 3$891
Other incomeLn 4–11$244K
Total revenueLn 12$689K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$847K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$847K
Other assetsLn 15$77K
Total assetsLn 16$997K
LiabilitiesLn 26$279K
Net assetsLn 32$718K
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 FY22End FY22
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.1M$847K
Total assetsLn 16$1.1M$997K
LiabilitiesLn 26$188K$279K
Net assetsLn 32$943K$718K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$190K$190K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$115K$86K$6K$23K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$195K$164K$28K$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$25K$21K$2K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$30K$30K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$27K$15K$11K$210
Advertising and promotionLn 12$3K$2K$130$1K
Office expensesLn 13$152K$105K$9K$38K
Information technologyLn 14$12K$1K$2K$8K
OccupancyLn 16$135K$98K$11K$25K
TravelLn 17$9K$8K$1K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$64K$59K$1K$3K
InterestLn 20$4K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$3K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24−$49K$2K$2K−$53K
Total functional expensesLn 25$914K$751K$111K$51K

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 Viewing $689K$914K−$224K$718K 990 PDF
FY2021 $809K$722K$87K$943K 990 PDF
FY2020 $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 FY2022 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $689,344 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $568,786$443,969
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $629$891
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $239,954$244,484
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $809,369$689,344
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $117,064$189,721
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $287,845$335,451
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $22,520$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $294,793$388,500
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $722,222$913,672
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $87,147−$224,328
Part VI · Governance 3 of 3 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members3
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 $689,344 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$37,153
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$406,816
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$443,969
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $891$891
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $244,484$244,484
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $245,375$689,344
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $913,672 across 15 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $189,721$189,721
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $86,250 · Management $5,750 · Fundraising $23,000$115,000
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $164,429 · Management $28,405 · Fundraising $2,156$194,990
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $21,163 · Management $2,205 · Fundraising $2,093$25,461
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $29,601$29,601
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $14,973 · Management $11,331 · Fundraising $210$26,514
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,832 · Management $130 · Fundraising $1,180$3,142
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $104,670 · Management $9,051 · Fundraising $38,448$152,169
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $1,327 · Management $2,393 · Fundraising $8,444$12,164
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $97,917 · Management $11,384 · Fundraising $25,245$134,546
IX-17 TravelPrograms $7,680 · Fundraising $1,100$8,780
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $59,391 · Management $1,449 · Fundraising $2,803$63,643
IX-20 InterestManagement $4,321$4,321
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $2,621$2,621
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,843 · Management $2,465 · Fundraising −$53,309−$49,001
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $751,196 · Management $111,106 · Fundraising $51,370$913,672
Part X · Balance sheet $997,437 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,064,431$847,454
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $55,755$55,755
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $10,735$17,623
X-15 Other assets$76,605
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,130,921$997,437
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $33,056$42,834
X-25 Other liabilities$76,745
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $188,192$279,036
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $781,880$553,544
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $160,849$164,857
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $942,729$718,401
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,130,921$997,437
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $718,401 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$689,344
XI-2 Total expenses$913,672
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$224,328
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$942,729
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$718,401

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2022 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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