Bright Lights INC

Tax-deductible

Lincoln, NE501(c)(3)Since 1987EducationEIN 47-0708499Revenue $707K in FY2025

On file with the IRSbrightlights.org5561 S 48th St, 68516-4109 · Lincoln, NETax-exempt since Jun 1988School — 170(b)(1)(A)(ii)

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Bright Lights is a nonprofit organization that takes learning beyond the classroom by providing youth with unique, motivating, hands-on learning opportunities.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
88¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$86K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2025 · 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
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $65K a year · 12% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
88%
of spending
Looks good: 88% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$86K
to officers and key staff · 15% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 75% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 15% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
10 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 10.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $5K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$16K
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$707K
+32% vs prior year
Spent
$566K
To programs
88%
Net assets
$1.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$707K
FY2025▲ +32%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$198K
FY2021$444K
FY2022$873K
FY2023$389K
FY2024$535K
FY2025$707K
Expenses
$566K
FY2025▲ +9%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$300K
FY2021$492K
FY2022$476K
FY2023$406K
FY2024$517K
FY2025$566K
Net assets
$1.3M
FY2025▲ +17%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$888K
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$936K
FY2023$974K
FY2024$1.1M
FY2025$1.3M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending August 2025) · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 1988.

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

Where the money goes

88 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 88% · $495K Management & general 12% · $68K Fundraising 0% · $2K

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

12 people listed on the 990; $86K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$85,981Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Renee Ford’s $86K as Executive Director is at the 75th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1613 $100K–1M education 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Renee Ford$85,981$85,000$71,089$60,908——
Lori Paulsen———$78,575$77,054$12,462
Lisa Sypal—————$44,665

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.

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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

Educates young people through summer enrichment classes for kindergarten to eighth-grade students.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $495K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Summer enrichment classes were offered to students from kindergarten to eighth grades during the summer.

$495Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$5K
Grants paid · 2 grants · $64K · 2023–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$32,495
Unitemized GrantFY2023$31,130

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$707K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$406K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$257K
Investment incomeLn 3$44K
Money outPt IX
$566K
Ln 25
Programscol B$495K
Managementcol C$68K
Fundraisingcol D$2K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$488K
Total assetsLn 16$1.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$16K
PeoplePt VI, VII
12
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$257K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$89K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$406K
Investment incomeLn 3$44K
Total revenueLn 12$707K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$106K
SavingsLn 2$382K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$488K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$789K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$5K
Total assetsLn 16$1.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$16K
Net assetsLn 32$1.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 519
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderAugust
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$360K$488K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$729K$789K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$1.1M$1.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$31K$16K
Net assetsLn 32$1.1M$1.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$32K$32K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$86K$64K$21K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$113K$84K$28K
Payroll taxesLn 10$15K$11K$4K
Legal feesLn 11b$28$28
Accounting feesLn 11c$4K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$11K$11K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$105K$105K
Office expensesLn 13$16K$16K
OccupancyLn 16$62K$62K
InsuranceLn 23$14K$14K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$105K$105K
All other expensesLn 24e$2K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$566K$495K$68K$2K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $707K$566K$141K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2024 $535K$517K$17K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $389K$406K−$17K$974K 990 PDF
FY2022 $873K$476K$397K$936K 990 PDF
FY2021 $444K$492K−$49K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2020 $198K$300K−$102K$888K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $706,589 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $206,244$256,937
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $315,522$405,834
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $12,793$43,818
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $534,559$706,589
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $31,130$32,495
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $202,746$213,845
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $283,526$319,238
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $517,402$565,578
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $17,157$141,011
Part VI · Governance 11 of 11 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members11
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 $706,589 across 6 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $92,357 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$256,937
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$88,605
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$256,937
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $313,477$313,477
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $43,818$43,818
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $405,834 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $43,818$706,589
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $565,578 across 13 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $32,495$32,495
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $64,486 · Management $21,495$85,981
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $84,431 · Management $28,144$112,575
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $11,467 · Management $3,822$15,289
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $28$28
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $4,100$4,100
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $10,894$10,894
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $105,418$105,418
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $15,606$15,606
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $62,143$62,143
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $14,257$14,257
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $105,082$105,082
IX-24e All other expensesFundraising $1,710$1,710
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $495,385 · Management $68,483 · Fundraising $1,710$565,578
Part X · Balance sheet $1,289,054 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $98,771$106,351
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $261,454$381,810
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $6,671$7,475
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $729,117$788,679
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $23,720$4,739
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,119,733$1,289,054
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $496$4,506
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $30,736$11,286
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $31,232$15,792
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,087,536$1,273,262
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $965$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,088,501$1,273,262
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,119,733$1,289,054
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,273,262 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$706,589
XI-2 Total expenses$565,578
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$141,011
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,088,501
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$43,750
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,273,262

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

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