Lightning Foundation INC

Tax-deductible

Tampa, FL501(c)(3)Since 1998EducationEIN 59-3542305Revenue $9.2M in FY2025

On file with the IRSnhl.com/lightning/community401 Channelside Dr, 33602-5400 · Tampa, FLTax-exempt since Jul 1999Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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The Lightning Foundation is dedicated to investing its resources and leadership for the enrichment of the people of tampa bay, focusing on meeting basic human needs and enhancing lives.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
72¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 100 volunteers and 93 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
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
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.2M a year · 20% 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
72%
of spending
Fine: 72% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.1M
to officers and key staff · 12% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 98% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 12% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
5
named funders · $163K
Looks good: 5 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$909K
16% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 16% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
1
of 7 voting members
Worth a look: 1 of 7 voting members are independent, under half.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$9.2M
+64% vs prior year
Spent
$8.6M
To programs
72%
Net assets
$4.8M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$9.2M
FY2025▲ +64%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$3.1M
FY2022$7.1M
FY2023$5.4M
FY2024$5.6M
FY2025$9.2M
Expenses
$8.6M
FY2025▲ +67%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$2.5M
FY2022$3.3M
FY2023$5.0M
FY2024$5.1M
FY2025$8.6M
Net assets
$4.8M
FY2025▲ +15%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021−$571K
FY2022$3.3M
FY2023$3.7M
FY2024$4.1M
FY2025$4.8M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 1999.

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

Where the money goes

72 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 72% · $6.2M Management & general 28% · $2.4M

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

13 people listed on the 990; $1.1M 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
$373,981Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Hockey Development
$195,340Pt VII · Sec A
Assistant Hockey Director, Community & Hockey Deve
$192,057Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Lightning Foundation & Community Events
$150,281Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Community & Hockey Development
$141,314Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Elizabeth Frazier’s $374K as Executive Director is at the 98th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3395 $1–10M 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 · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Elizabeth Frazier$373,981$203,305$200,364$169,386$41,537
Jassen Cullimore$195,340$148,715$117,200——
Mathieu Garon$192,057$144,984$109,111——
Sarah Costello$150,281————
Joshua Dreith$141,314————

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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Invests resources and leadership to advance Tampa Bay's people.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $6.2M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The lightning foundation is pleased to support hundreds of different non-profits and programs each year throughout the community that benefit those in need. A few examples are listed here: the lightning foundation purchases of charity event sponsorships and tables at dozens of non-profits each year, and also donates over 2,000 signed…

$5.2Mprogram expense
02

Hockey Camps & Leagues

Lightning made hockey is designed to give youth hockey players of all ages and skill levels the opportunity to experience, learn, and enjoy the game of hockey through a series of camps, clinics, and leagues held year-round.

$941Kprogram expense
03

Lightning Community Heroes

Lightning owner jeff vinik, along with his wife penny, launched the community heroes initiatives at the beginning of the 2011-12 season to distribute $10m to deserving non-profits throughout the tampa bay community.

$19Kprogram 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
See all 5 funders →
Grants paid · 130 grants · $6.8M · 2020–2024
School Board of Hillsborough CountyFY2024$250,000
Pasco Education Foundation INCFL · FY2024$140,000
Pasco Sheriff's Charities INCFL · FY2024$110,000
Usf FoundationFY2024$104,600
Pinellas Community FoundationFL · FY2024$100,000
Calvary Community Clinic INCFL · FY2024$50,000
A Kids Place of Tampa BayFL · FY2024$50,000
See all 130 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$9.2M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$6.1M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$1.3M
Money outPt IX
$8.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$6.2M
Managementcol C$2.4M
Owns and owesPt X
$4.8M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$5.2M
Total assetsLn 16$5.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$909K
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A5
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b1
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$6.1M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$250K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$115K
Other incomeLn 4–11$1.3M
Total revenueLn 12$9.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$5.2M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$5.2M
Other assetsLn 15$440K
Total assetsLn 16$5.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$909K
Net assetsLn 32$4.8M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 593
VolunteersI 6100
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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$4.3M$5.2M
Total assetsLn 16$4.4M$5.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$293K$909K
Net assetsLn 32$4.1M$4.8M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$3.6M$3.6M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$323K$82K$242K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$1.8M$368K$1.4M
Payroll taxesLn 10$138K$138K
Management feesLn 11a$500K$500K
Accounting feesLn 11c$80K$80K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$167K$167K
OccupancyLn 16$185K$185K
TravelLn 17$89K$89K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.2M$1.2M
All other expensesLn 24e$506K$312K$194K
Total functional expensesLn 25$8.6M$6.2M$2.4M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $9.2M$8.6M$632K$4.8M 990 PDF
FY2024 $5.6M$5.1M$481K$4.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $5.4M$5.0M$438K$3.7M 990 PDF
FY2022 $7.1M$3.3M$3.8M$3.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $3.1M$2.5M$611K−$571K 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 $9,225,093 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,898,559$6,121,628
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,386,684$1,735,098
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $138,779$114,807
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,195,642$1,253,560
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $5,619,664$9,225,093
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $1,452,202$3,635,942
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,330,294$2,221,382
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,356,254$2,736,040
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $5,138,750$8,593,364
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $480,914$631,729
Part VI · Governance 1 of 7 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members1
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $9,225,093 across 7 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $897,850 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$250,000
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$5,871,628
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$6,121,628
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,445,632$1,445,632
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $114,807$114,807
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $645,176$645,176
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,735,098 · Unrelated business $608,384 · Excluded from tax $759,983$9,225,093
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $8,593,364 across 11 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $3,635,942$3,635,942
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $81,524 · Management $241,580$323,104
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $368,172 · Management $1,392,441$1,760,613
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $137,665$137,665
IX-11a Management feesManagement $500,000$500,000
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $79,680$79,680
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $166,876$166,876
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $184,891$184,891
IX-17 TravelPrograms $89,361$89,361
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,208,826$1,208,826
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $312,217 · Management $194,189$506,406
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $6,185,474 · Management $2,407,890 · Fundraising $0$8,593,364
Part X · Balance sheet $5,682,728 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $4,335,104$5,168,244
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $5,779$5,624
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $28,911$68,489
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $66,057$440,371
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $4,435,851$5,682,728
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $52,092$547,234
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $146,480$227,937
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $94,816$133,365
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $293,388$908,536
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $4,142,463$4,774,192
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $4,142,463$4,774,192
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $4,435,851$5,682,728
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $4,774,192 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$9,225,093
XI-2 Total expenses$8,593,364
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$631,729
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$4,142,463
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$4,774,192

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

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