Development and maintenance of www.helpguide.org website dedicated to providing trustworthy mental health information.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
78¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 6 volunteers and 10 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
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $8K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 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
$149K
to officers and key staff · 17% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 17% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
15 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 14.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $35K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.0M
60% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 60% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$912K
+53% vs prior year
Spent
$880K
To programs
78%
Net assets
$707K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$912K
FY2024▲ +53%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$610K
FY2021$910K
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$598K
FY2024$912K
Expenses
$880K
FY2024▲ +9%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$720K
FY2021$825K
FY2022$893K
FY2023$807K
FY2024$880K
Net assets
$707K
FY2024▲ +714%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020−$29K
FY2021$56K
FY2022$296K
FY2023$87K
FY2024$707K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in May 2012.

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% · $684K Management & general 19% · $169K Fundraising 3% · $27K

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

11 people listed on the 990; $149K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$149,000Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director (1/1/24-9/15/24)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Melinda Smith’s $149K as Executive Director is at the 97th 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Melinda Smith$149,000$149,000$155,147$106,554$103,680

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 Helpguideorg International 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 trustworthy mental health information through a website.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $684K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Helpguide serves as a trusted, freely-accessible public health resource that helps bridge the gap between mental health awareness and treatment. Through evidence-based educational content, helpguide equips people with the knowledge and skills they need to understand, manage, and improve their mental health - and support others - without…

$684Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$35K

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$912K
Ln 12
Other incomeLn 4–11$457K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$317K
Investment incomeLn 3$83K
Money outPt IX
$880K
Ln 25
Programscol B$684K
Managementcol C$169K
Fundraisingcol D$27K
Owns and owesPt X
$707K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.1M
Total assetsLn 16$1.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.0M
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$55K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$317K
Investment incomeLn 3$83K
Other incomeLn 4–11$457K
Total revenueLn 12$912K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$74K
SavingsLn 2$1.0M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$534K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$1.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.0M
Net assetsLn 32$707K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 510
VolunteersI 66
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$82K$1.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$534K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$157K$1.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$71K$1.0M
Net assetsLn 32$87K$707K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$161K$121K$24K$16K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$96K$96K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$159K$106K$51K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$23K$15K$8K$766
Payroll taxesLn 10$30K$23K$6K$1K
Legal feesLn 11b$23K$6K$18K$421
Accounting feesLn 11c$26K$26K
Investment management feesLn 11f$3K$3K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$127K$127K
Office expensesLn 13$21K$9K$10K$2K
Information technologyLn 14$178K$160K$13K$5K
OccupancyLn 16$2K$2K
TravelLn 17$3K$3K$134
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$2K$271$1K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$20K$17K$3K
InsuranceLn 23$5K$1K$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$880K$684K$169K$27K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $912K$880K$31K$707K 990 PDF
FY2023 $598K$807K−$209K$87K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.1M$893K$240K$296K 990 PDF
FY2021 $910K$825K$85K$56K 990 PDF
FY2020 $610K$720K−$110K−$29K 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 $911,730 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $282,973$54,961
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $303,671$316,965
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $2,084$82,615
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $9,053$457,189
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $597,781$911,730
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $409,312$469,989
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $397,651$410,331
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $806,963$880,320
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$209,182$31,410
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
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 $911,730 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$54,961
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$54,961
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $316,965$316,965
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $82,615$82,615
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $457,189$457,189
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $774,154 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $82,615$911,730
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $880,320 across 16 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $121,099 · Management $24,220 · Fundraising $16,146$161,465
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $96,401$96,401
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $106,172 · Management $51,242 · Fundraising $1,615$159,029
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $14,724 · Management $7,606 · Fundraising $766$23,096
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $23,074 · Management $5,653 · Fundraising $1,271$29,998
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $5,543 · Management $17,529 · Fundraising $421$23,493
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $26,045$26,045
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $2,820$2,820
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $126,845$126,845
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $9,476 · Management $9,708 · Fundraising $1,973$21,157
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $159,684 · Management $13,318 · Fundraising $4,723$177,725
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $2,348$2,348
IX-17 TravelPrograms $2,943 · Management $134$3,077
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $271 · Management $1,358$1,629
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $16,632 · Management $3,351$19,983
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $1,463 · Management $3,746$5,209
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $684,327 · Management $169,078 · Fundraising $26,915$880,320
Part X · Balance sheet $1,746,541 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $82,010$74,434
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $67$1,005,956
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $3,753$4,554
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-11 Publicly traded securities$533,971
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $69,594$127,626
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $2,063$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $157,487$1,746,541
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $70,673$39,926
X-19 Deferred revenue$1,000,000
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $70,673$1,039,926
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $53,003$706,615
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $33,811$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $86,814$706,615
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $157,487$1,746,541
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $706,615 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$911,730
XI-2 Total expenses$880,320
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$31,410
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$86,814
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$588,391
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$706,615

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

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