Since its founding, Lights Camera Discover has empowered over 1,000 underprivileged youth by providing them with essential skills in digital arts and steam (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) fields. Through comprehensive curriculum that emphasizes creativity, teamwork, and job-readiness, we have maintained an 85% program completion rate across all workshops.In collaboration with schools and community organizations, 70% of participants have demonstrated improved academic performance in STEAM subjects, and 65% have pursued further education or career opportunities in related fields. LCD has successfully placed 20% of graduates in internships or entry-level positions within the digital arts and entertainment industries, paving the way for future leaders and innovators.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
100¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2021 · 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
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $5K a year · 1% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
100%
of spending
Looks good: 100% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.6 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $37K
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$321
0.2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$598K
+701% vs prior year
Spent
$501K
To programs
100%
Net assets
$166K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$598K
FY2021▲ +701%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$75K
FY2021$598K
FY2022$336K
FY2023$263K
FY2024$268K
FY2025$379K
Expenses
$501K
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020Not on file
FY2021$501K
FY2022$449K
FY2023$276K
FY2024$271K
FY2025$373K
Net assets
$166K
FY2021▲ +654%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$22K
FY2021$166K
FY2022$53K
FY2023$18K
FY2024$14K
FY2025$21K

From the FY2021 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 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 2014.

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

Where the money goes

100 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 100% · $501K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25. 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
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Okema Charles’s $13K as Executive Dir. is at the 9th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1992 $100K–1M youth development 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023
Okema Charles$12,858$49,569$10,726

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 Lights Camera Discover 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

Lights Camera Discover is a youth development nonprofit based in Tempe, AZ, formed in 2014.

Questions for Lights Camera Discover

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $501K · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

Lcd Program

Educate underserved students with screenwriting, video technology, and acting skills both in person.

$501Kprogram 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
Creative WestFY2024$17K
Total grants receivedfrom 4 funders$37K
See all 4 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$598K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$598K
Money outPt IX
$501K
Ln 25
Programscol B$501K
Owns and owesPt X
$166K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$106K
Total assetsLn 16$166K
LiabilitiesLn 26$321
PeoplePt VI, VII
6
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a0
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$598K
Government grantsLn 1e$102K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$260K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$496K
Total revenueLn 12$598K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$106K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$106K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$60K
Total assetsLn 16$166K
LiabilitiesLn 26$321
Net assetsLn 32$166K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51
VolunteersI 69
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$24K$106K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$45K$60K
Total assetsLn 16$69K$166K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$321
Net assetsLn 32$69K$166K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$150$150
Management feesLn 11a$66K$66K
Legal feesLn 11b$750$750
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$110$110
Advertising and promotionLn 12$19K$19K
Office expensesLn 13$21K$21K
OccupancyLn 16$40K$40K
TravelLn 17$9K$9K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$309K$309K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$17K$17K
InsuranceLn 23$4K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$14K$14K
Total functional expensesLn 25$501K$501K$0$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $379K$373K$6K$21K 990 PDF
FY2024 $268K$271K−$3K$14K 990 PDF
FY2023 $263K$276K−$12K$18K 990 PDF
FY2022 $336K$449K−$113K$53K 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $598K$501K$97K$166K 990 PDF
FY2020 $75K$22K 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 M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $597,556 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $74,604$597,556
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $74,604$597,556
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$150
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefits$0
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $52,604$500,829
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $52,604$500,979
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $22,000$96,577
Part VI · Governance 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body0
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $597,556 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$495,656
VIII-1e Government grants$101,900
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$260,250
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$597,556
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$597,556
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $500,979 across 12 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $150$150
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $65,697$65,697
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $750$750
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $110$110
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $19,238$19,238
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $20,844$20,844
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $40,328$40,328
IX-17 TravelPrograms $9,309$9,309
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $309,275$309,275
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $16,683$16,683
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $4,200$4,200
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $14,395$14,395
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $500,979 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$500,979
Part X · Balance sheet $166,100 assets, 7 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $23,782$106,478
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $45,420$59,622
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $69,202$166,100
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$321
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$321
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $69,202$165,779
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $69,202$166,100
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $165,779 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$597,556
XI-2 Total expenses$500,979
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$96,577
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$69,202
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$165,779

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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