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Brighter Future Alliance FY2020 filing

Not tax-deductible

Bismarck, ND501(c)(4)Civil Rights & Advocacy EIN 45-5076442Revenue $504K in FY2020

On file with the IRSPo Box 1562, 58502-1562 · Bismarck, NDTax-exempt since Sep 2013

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Advance the cause of freedom and free enterprise as a means to further common good and general welfare of the citizens of the United States

501(c)(4) social-welfare organization; gifts are not tax-deductible as charitable contributions.
92¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2020 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(4)
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
No
Donations are not tax-deductible
Worth a look: the IRS does not list 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 3
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $35K a year · 6% of revenue · last 3 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 3 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 3 filings
Spent on programs
92%
of spending
Looks good: 92% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.3 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $100K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
5
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 5 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$504K
Spent
$483K
To programs
92%
Net assets
$51K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$504K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$504K
FY2021$80K
FY2022$353K
FY2023$120K
FY2024$961K
Expenses
$483K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$483K
FY2021Not on file
FY2022$409K
FY2023Not on file
FY2024$1.0M
Net assets
$51K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$51K
FY2021$92K
FY2022$36K
FY2023$113K
FY2024$43K

From the FY2020 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

990 PDF Claim
You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Sep 2013.

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

Where the money goes

92 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 92% · $446K Management & general 7% · $32K Fundraising 1% · $5K

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.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Pat Finken
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Dick Hedahl
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Arik Spencer
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Brighter Future Alliance 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Promotes freedom and free enterprise to benefit all citizens.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $446K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Focused on educating the public on economic, energy, environmental policies and voter rights legislation, and administrative and regulatory proposals at the federal and state level. Engaged in non-partisan efforts to encourage voter registration and encourage participation by citizens.

$446Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Clearpath Action for Conservative Clean Energy INCFY2025$100K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$100K

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$504K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$504K
Money outPt IX
$483K
Ln 25
Programscol B$446K
Managementcol C$32K
Fundraisingcol D$5K
Owns and owesPt X
$51K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$51K
Total assetsLn 16$51K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b5
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$504K
Total revenueLn 12$504K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$51K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$51K
Total assetsLn 16$51K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$51K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$30K$51K
Total assetsLn 16$30K$51K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$30K$51K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Legal feesLn 11b$15K$15K
Accounting feesLn 11c$1K$1K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$61K$48K$9K$4K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$300K$300K
Office expensesLn 13$776$743$33
Information technologyLn 14$2K$536$536$536
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$184$184
InsuranceLn 23$6K$6K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$98K$98K
All other expensesLn 24e$116$116
Total functional expensesLn 25$483K$446K$32K$5K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $961K$1.0M−$69K$43K 990 PDF
FY2023 $120K$113K 990 PDF
FY2022 $353K$409K−$56K$36K 990 PDF
FY2021 $80K$92K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $504K$483K$21K$51K 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 $504,300 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $152,600$504,300
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $152,600$504,300
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefits$0
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $123,724$482,993
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $123,724$482,993
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $28,876$21,307
Part VI · Governance 5 of 5 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members5
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $504,300 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$504,300
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$504,300
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenue$504,300
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $482,993 across 10 lines filed
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $14,921$14,921
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $1,000$1,000
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $47,684 · Management $8,574 · Fundraising $4,287$60,545
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $299,582$299,582
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $743 · Fundraising $33$776
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $536 · Management $536 · Fundraising $536$1,608
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsFundraising $184$184
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $6,461$6,461
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $97,800$97,800
IX-24e All other expensesManagement $116$116
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $445,602 · Management $32,351 · Fundraising $5,040$482,993
Part X · Balance sheet $51,001 assets, 6 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $29,694$51,001
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $29,694$51,001
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $29,694$51,001
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $29,694$51,001
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $29,694$51,001
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $51,001 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$504,300
XI-2 Total expenses$482,993
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$21,307
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$29,694
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$51,001

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

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