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Sign Research Foundation FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Alexandria, VA501(c)(3)Civil Rights & Advocacy EIN 54-2091972Revenue $97K in FY2020

On file with the IRSthesignagefoundation.org1001 N Fairfax St Ste 301, 22314-1587 · Alexandria, VATax-exempt since Oct 2003Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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To provide Research and education about the value of signs to the public.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
71¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

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FY2020 · 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
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $57K a year · 39% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
71%
of spending
Fine: 71% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
99 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 98.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $50K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$15K
3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 3% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$97K
Spent
$64K
To programs
71%
Net assets
$523K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$97K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$97K
FY2021$98K
FY2022$149K
FY2023$223K
FY2024$155K
Expenses
$64K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$64K
FY2021$80K
FY2022$81K
FY2023$145K
FY2024$67K
Net assets
$523K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$523K
FY2021$541K
FY2022$609K
FY2023$687K
FY2024$783K

From the FY2020 Form 990 · see the original

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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 Oct 2003.

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

Where the money goes

71 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 71% · $46K Management & general 29% · $19K

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

10 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Ted Kiper
Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Max Fulton
Trustee
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Lori Anderson
Isa President/CEO
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Sign Research Foundation 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

Educates the public on the value of signs through research and outreach.

Questions for Sign Research Foundation

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $46K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Research Projects

Fund research regarding the value of signs to the public.

$46Kprogram 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 · FY2024
International Sign AssociationFY2024$50K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$50K
Grants paid · 7 grants · $114K · 2021–2024
Krd DesignFY2024$13,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$8,000
White & Smith LLCFY2023$6,100
Design ServicesFY2022$30,714
Unitemized GrantFY2022$9,000
Design ServicesFY2021$36,021
White & SmithFY2021$11,295

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$97K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$78K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$17K
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Money outPt IX
$64K
Ln 25
Programscol B$46K
Managementcol C$19K
Owns and owesPt X
$523K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$529K
Total assetsLn 16$538K
LiabilitiesLn 26$15K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$78K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$17K
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Total revenueLn 12$97K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$529K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$529K
Total assetsLn 16$538K
LiabilitiesLn 26$15K
Net assetsLn 32$523K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 68
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$490K$529K
Total assetsLn 16$497K$538K
LiabilitiesLn 26$7K$15K
Net assetsLn 32$490K$523K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$27K$27K
Legal feesLn 11b$190$190
Accounting feesLn 11c$2K$2K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$11K$11K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$1$1
Office expensesLn 13$8K$4K$4K
Information technologyLn 14$106$106
TravelLn 17$8K$836$7K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$3K$99$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$4K$2K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$64K$46K$19K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $155K$67K$88K$783K 990 PDF
FY2023 $223K$145K$78K$687K 990 PDF
FY2022 $149K$81K$68K$609K 990 PDF
FY2021 $98K$80K$18K$541K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $97K$64K$33K$523K 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 $97,192 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $238,910$77,597
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $24,725$17,063
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $3,506$2,532
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $267,141$97,192
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $12,000$27,390
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $0$0
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $134,577$37,016
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $146,577$64,406
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $120,564$32,786
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
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
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $97,192 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$77,597
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$77,597
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $17,063$17,063
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $2,532$2,532
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $19,595 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$97,192
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $64,406 across 10 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $27,390$27,390
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $190$190
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $2,500$2,500
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $11,110$11,110
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1$1
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $4,208 · Management $3,510$7,718
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $106$106
IX-17 TravelPrograms $836 · Management $7,128$7,964
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $99 · Management $3,176$3,275
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,107 · Management $2,045$4,152
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $45,751 · Management $18,655 · Fundraising $0$64,406
Part X · Balance sheet $538,366 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $490,302$529,384
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $5,000$7,495
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $1,487$1,487
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $496,789$538,366
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $5,282$6,029
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $1,243$9,287
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $6,525$15,316
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $490,264$523,050
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $490,264$523,050
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $496,789$538,366
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $523,050 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$97,192
XI-2 Total expenses$64,406
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$32,786
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$490,264
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$523,050

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

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