Lantern Books INC

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Provide wholesome, inspirational literature for the general public.

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 46-1251995) · Dispute this line
501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
89¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 10 volunteers and 6 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
The IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $14K a year · 7% of revenue · last 6 filings
A surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
89%
of spending
89% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
1.5 mo
of spending, in cash
1.5 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $17K
1 funder names it on their filings.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$24K
16% of total assets
Liabilities are 16% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
7 of 7 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$193K
+10% vs prior year
Spent
$222K
To programs
89%
Net assets
$127K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$193K
FY2025▲ +10%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$232K
FY2021$227K
FY2022$190K
FY2023$168K
FY2024$175K
FY2025$193K
Expenses
$222K
FY2025▲ +5%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$195K
FY2021$214K
FY2022$223K
FY2023$205K
FY2024$212K
FY2025$222K
Net assets
$127K
FY2025▼ -17%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$250K
FY2021$258K
FY2022$225K
FY2023$187K
FY2024$154K
FY2025$127K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 2014.

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

Where the money goes

89 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 89% · $198K Management & general 11% · $24K

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

6 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Administrato
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chairma
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A

David Dieffenbach’s $54K as Administrato is at the 55th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2133 $100K–1M religion 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.

See Lantern Books INC executive salaries →

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

Distributes wholesome, inspirational books to the public.

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1 program · $196K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Sale of INSPIRATIONAL/RELIGIOUS literature through book racks at 245 independent retail stores.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 46-1251995) · Dispute this line
$196Kprogram 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 1 funder$17K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$193K
Ln 12
Other incomeLn 4–11$132K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$60K
Investment incomeLn 3$65
Money outPt IX
$222K
Ln 25
Programscol B$198K
Managementcol C$24K
Owns and owesPt X
$127K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$27K
Total assetsLn 16$152K
LiabilitiesLn 26$24K
PeoplePt VI, VII
6
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$60K
Investment incomeLn 3$65
Other incomeLn 4–11$132K
Total revenueLn 12$193K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$27K
SavingsLn 2$47
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$27K
Accounts receivableLn 4$33K
Inventories for sale or useLn 8$59K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$33K
Total assetsLn 16$152K
LiabilitiesLn 26$24K
Net assetsLn 32$127K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 56
VolunteersI 610
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$28K$27K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$45K$33K
Total assetsLn 16$182K$152K
LiabilitiesLn 26$29K$24K
Net assetsLn 32$154K$127K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$125K$112K$14K
Payroll taxesLn 10$10K$9K$1K
Accounting feesLn 11c$1K$1K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$528$528
Office expensesLn 13$7K$4K$3K
Information technologyLn 14$9K$9K
OccupancyLn 16$13K$10K$3K
TravelLn 17$34K$34K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$16K$16K
InsuranceLn 23$4K$3K$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1K$1K$27
Total functional expensesLn 25$222K$198K$24K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Apr 1, 2026 $193K$222K−$30K$127K 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS May 6, 2025 $175K$212K−$37K$154K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Jul 3, 2024 $168K$205K−$36K$187K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS May 16, 2023 $190K$223K−$33K$225K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Apr 29, 2022 $227K$214K$13K$258K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS May 15, 2021 $232K$195K$38K$250K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support I · Grants O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990
Part I · Summary $192,596 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $32,079$60,242
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $3,434$65
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $139,510$132,289
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $175,023$192,596
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $137,137$135,785
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $74,393$86,401
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $211,530$222,186
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$36,507−$29,590
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
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
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $192,596 across 4 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $132,289 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$60,242
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$60,242
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $65$65
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $132,354$192,596
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $222,186 across 11 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $111,682 · Management $13,779$125,461
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $9,179 · Management $1,145$10,324
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $1,303$1,303
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $528$528
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $3,548 · Management $3,185$6,733
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $9,236$9,236
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $9,608 · Management $3,271$12,879
IX-17 TravelPrograms $34,056$34,056
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $15,991$15,991
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $2,982 · Management $1,474$4,456
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,192 · Management $27$1,219
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $198,002 · Management $24,184 · Fundraising $0$222,186
Part X · Balance sheet $151,591 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $18,963$27,023
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $9,002$47
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $41,801$32,918
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $67,524$58,696
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $45,076$32,907
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $182,366$151,591
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $7,594$7,655
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $21,217$16,499
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $28,811$24,154
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $153,555$127,437
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $153,555$127,437
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $182,366$151,591
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $127,437 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$192,596
XI-2 Total expenses$222,186
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$29,590
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$153,555
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$3,472
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$127,437

Form 990 e-file FY2025 from the IRS (about our sources) · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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