Blue Bird Circle FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

Houston, TX501(c)(3)Diseases & DisordersEIN 74-1405134Revenue $11.6M in FY2023

On file with the IRSthebluebirdcircle.com615 W Alabama St, 77006-5003 · Houston, TXTax-exempt since Mar 1941Publicly supported — 509(a)(2)

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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.
94¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2023 · 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
94%
of spending
Looks good: 94% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.2 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
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
$8.1M
50% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 50% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
16
of 16 voting members
Looks good: 16 of 16 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$11.6M
+607% vs prior year
Spent
$10.6M
To programs
94%
Net assets
$8.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$11.6M
FY2023▲ +607%
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
$10.6M
FY2023▲ +572%
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
$8.1M
FY2023▲ +15%
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 FY2023 Form 990 (year ending May 2023) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 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

94 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 94% · $10.0M Management & general 4% · $451K Fundraising 1% · $144K

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 (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
1st Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
2nd Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$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 · $9.6M · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

The Blue Bird Circle Clinic for Pediatric Neurology at Texas Children's Hospital is one of the largest neurology service centers in the United States, specializing in the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care of neurological disorders in children.

$8.8Mprogram expense
02

Approximately 350 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.

$403Kprogram expense
03

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.

$370Kprogram 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 FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$11.6M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$11.7M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$43K
Money outPt IX
$10.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$10.0M
Managementcol C$451K
Fundraisingcol D$144K
Owns and owesPt X
$8.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.1M
Total assetsLn 16$16.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$8.1M
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a16
IndependentVI 1b16
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$11.7M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$375K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$302K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$43K
Total revenueLn 12$11.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.1M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$3K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5.1M
Other assetsLn 15$945K
Total assetsLn 16$16.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$8.1M
Net assetsLn 32$8.1M
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$957K$1.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$3K$3K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5.3M$5.1M
Total assetsLn 16$7.3M$16.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$313K$8.1M
Net assetsLn 32$7.0M$8.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$10.0M$10.0M
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$110K$110K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$2K$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$8K$8K
Legal feesLn 11b$8K$8K
Accounting feesLn 11c$178K$178K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$26K$26K
Investment management feesLn 11f$4K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$89K$35K$54K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$38K$27K$11K
Office expensesLn 13$44K$20K$24K
Information technologyLn 14$9K$5K$4K
OccupancyLn 16$356$356
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$26K$26K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$22K$22K
InsuranceLn 23$7K$7K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$25K$343$25K
Total functional expensesLn 25$10.6M$10.0M$451K$144K

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 Viewing $11.6M$10.6M$1.1M$8.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.6M$1.6M$74K$7.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 $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 FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $11,631,540 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,781,614$11,663,191
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $38,583$42,700
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$174,860−$74,351
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,645,337$11,631,540
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $1,259,494$9,963,002
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $106,362$120,000
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $2,000$26,000
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $203,720$449,812
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,571,576$10,558,814
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $73,761$1,072,726
Part VI · Governance 16 of 16 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body16
VI-1b Independent voting members16
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 $11,631,540 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for −$195,713 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1b Membership dues$34,315
VIII-1c Fundraising events$301,585
VIII-1d Related organizations$10,700,000
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$627,291
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$375,097
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$11,663,191
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $42,700$42,700
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $124,820$124,820
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$3,458−$3,458
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $42,700 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$74,351$11,631,540
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $10,558,814 across 17 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $9,963,002$9,963,002
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesManagement $109,860$109,860
IX-9 Other employee benefitsManagement $1,745$1,745
IX-10 Payroll taxesManagement $8,395$8,395
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $7,575$7,575
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $177,974$177,974
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $26,000$26,000
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $3,601$3,601
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $34,941 · Fundraising $54,093$89,034
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $26,727 · Fundraising $11,000$37,727
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $19,642 · Fundraising $23,945$43,587
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $5,072 · Fundraising $4,320$9,392
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $356$356
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $26,304$26,304
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $22,145$22,145
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $6,705$6,705
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Management $343 · Fundraising $25,069$25,412
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $9,963,002 · Management $451,385 · Fundraising $144,427$10,558,814
Part X · Balance sheet $16,184,738 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $956,862$1,061,093
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $111,736$9,110,173
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $50,313$14,788
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $5,271,853$5,050,400
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $3,233$3,233
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $937,356$945,051
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $7,337,128$16,184,738
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $171,943$154,684
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $140,598$7,925,046
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $312,541$8,079,730
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $5,936,759$7,138,662
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,087,828$966,346
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $7,024,587$8,105,008
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $7,337,128$16,184,738
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $8,105,008 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$11,631,540
XI-2 Total expenses$10,558,814
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$1,072,726
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$7,024,587
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$7,695
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$8,105,008

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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