Established in 1923, the Blue Bird Circle is a women's volunteer organization that supports activities and facilities that treat and provide research into neurological disorders in children, through both volunteer time and monetary grants.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
75¢ 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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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
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.1M a year · 26% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
75%
of spending
Looks good: 75% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
12 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 12.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
15
named funders · $1.0M
Looks good: 15 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$295K
4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 4% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
14
of 14 voting members
Looks good: 14 of 14 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$891K
-85% vs prior year
Spent
$768K
To programs
75%
Net assets
$7.0M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$891K
FY2021▼ -85%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$5.8M
FY2021$891K
FY2022$1.6M
FY2023$11.6M
FY2024$3.2M
FY2025$2.2M
Expenses
$768K
FY2021▼ -58%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.8M
FY2021$768K
FY2022$1.6M
FY2023$10.6M
FY2024$1.9M
FY2025$2.1M
Net assets
$7.0M
FY2021▲ +5%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$6.7M
FY2021$7.0M
FY2022$7.0M
FY2023$8.1M
FY2024$9.5M
FY2025$10.0M

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending May 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · 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 Mar 1941.

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

Where the money goes

75 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 75% · $580K Management & general 22% · $172K Fundraising 2% · $16K

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

16 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
President-Elect
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Blue Bird Circle 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

Supports children's neurological disorder treatment and research through volunteer work and grants.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $580K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Over 400 Blue Bird Circle members devote at least 50,000 hours every year working in The Blue Bird Circle Clinic for Pediatric Neurology at Texas Children's Hospital or in The Blue Bird Circle Resale Shop (the Shop) and other fundraising activities to support the Circle's charitable causes.

$224Kprogram expense
02

The Blue Bird Circle Developmental Neurogenetics Laboratory at Baylor College of Medicine continues to perform ground-breaking research into the causes and treatments of neurological disorders in both children and adults including seizures, stroke, brain trauma and other neurodegenerative disorders.

$180Kprogram expense
03

The mission of The Blue Bird Circle Clinical Research Center at Texas Children's Hospital is to bring ever-advancing therapies to its patients. The Center supports cutting-edge research in neurology and enhances the larger effort to build a clinical research support structure that will advance care to the next level and make a difference…

$176Kprogram 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 15 funders →
Grants paid · 22 grants · $16.6M · 2019–2024
Texas Children's HospitalTX · FY2024$634,335
Baylor College of MedicineTX · FY2024$435,583
Baylor College of MedicineTX · FY2024$399,672
Texas Children's HospitalTX · FY2024$233,155
Texas Children's HospitalTX · FY2023$544,625
Baylor College of MedicineTX · FY2023$480,375
Texas Children's HospitalTX · FY2023$248,756
Baylor College of MedicineTX · FY2023$195,806
Texas Children's HospitalTX · FY2022$8,833,968
Texas Children's HospitalTX · FY2022$403,290
Baylor College of MedicineTX · FY2022$370,000
Baylor College of MedicineTX · FY2022$355,744
Baylor College of MedicineTX · FY2021$453,331
Baylor College of MedicineTX · FY2021$420,000
Texas Children's HospitalTX · FY2021$386,163
Baylor College of MedicineTX · FY2020$223,500
Baylor College of MedicineTX · FY2020$180,000
Texas Children's HospitalTX · FY2020$176,000
See all 22 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$891K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$21K
Investment incomeLn 3$20
Money outPt IX
$768K
Ln 25
Programscol B$580K
Managementcol C$172K
Fundraisingcol D$16K
Owns and owesPt X
$7.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$786K
Total assetsLn 16$7.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$295K
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b14
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$118K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$127K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$152K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$21K
Investment incomeLn 3$20
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$891K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$786K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$786K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$3K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5.5M
Other assetsLn 15$974K
Total assetsLn 16$7.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$295K
Net assetsLn 32$7.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 518
VolunteersI 6349
Fiscal year endsHeaderMay
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$505K$786K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$17K$3K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5.7M$5.5M
Total assetsLn 16$7.2M$7.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$518K$295K
Net assetsLn 32$6.7M$7.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$580K$580K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$0
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$55K$55K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1K$1K
Payroll taxesLn 10$4K$4K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$30K$30K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$5K$5K
Investment management feesLn 11f$3K$3K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$20K$20K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0
Office expensesLn 13$15K$14K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$10K$10K
TravelLn 17$0
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$1K$1K
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$23K$23K
InsuranceLn 23$12K$12K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$9K$9K
All other expensesLn 24e$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$768K$580K$172K$16K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $2.2M$2.1M$124K$10.0M 990 PDF
FY2024 $3.2M$1.9M$1.3M$9.5M 990 PDF
FY2023 $11.6M$10.6M$1.1M$8.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.6M$1.6M$74K$7.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $891K$768K$123K$7.0M 990 PDF
FY2020 $5.8M$1.8M$4.0M$6.7M 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 FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $890,786 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $6,305,598$1,443,133
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $17,338$20,727
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $49,704$20
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$575,480−$573,094
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $5,797,160$890,786
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $1,584,283$579,500
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $66,928$60,096
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $11,900$5,375
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $163,983$122,741
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,827,094$767,712
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $3,970,066$123,074
Part VI · Governance 14 of 14 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body14
VI-1b Independent voting members14
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 $890,786 across 14 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for −$580,267 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1b Membership dues$46,566
VIII-1c Fundraising events$151,850
VIII-1d Related organizations$675,000
VIII-1e Government grants$118,060
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$451,657
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$127,017
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,443,133
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $20,727$20,727
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $20$20
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $32,953$32,953
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $1,000$1,000
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$26,780−$26,780
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $20,727 · Excluded from tax −$573,074$890,786
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $767,712 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $579,500$579,500
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staff$0
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesManagement $54,859$54,859
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsManagement $1,040$1,040
IX-10 Payroll taxesManagement $4,197$4,197
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $29,883$29,883
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $5,375$5,375
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $3,229$3,229
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $19,788$19,788
IX-12 Advertising and promotion$0
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $13,616 · Fundraising $1,099$14,715
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $9,725$9,725
IX-17 Travel$0
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $1,289$1,289
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $22,609$22,609
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $12,119$12,119
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Fundraising $9,384$9,384
IX-24e All other expenses$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $579,500 · Management $172,354 · Fundraising $15,858$767,712
Part X · Balance sheet $7,283,194 assets, 21 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $348,229$785,559
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $157,265$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $68,150$19,850
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $62,004$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $48,905$10,987
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $5,706,851$5,489,170
X-11 Publicly traded securities$0
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $17,412$3,233
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $789,256$974,395
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $7,198,072$7,283,194
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $74,976$107,878
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $178,284$95,821
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $118,060$91,630
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $518,420$295,329
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $5,890,396$5,997,770
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $789,256$990,095
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $6,679,652$6,987,865
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $7,198,072$7,283,194
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $6,987,865 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$890,786
XI-2 Total expenses$767,712
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$123,074
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$6,679,652
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$185,139
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$6,987,865

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

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