In Spanish, "chispa" means "spark," which is exactly our goal: to inspire and empower Honduran students with access to books by creating school libraries through a community driven approach. We work directly with local Honduran leaders to bring students their first children's books and support the new libraries throughout the school year. We also provide an integral training with parents, teachers, and students for the best usage of the books to improve children's reading fluency and comprehension. Finally, we use local and international volunteers to help fund and support new libraries while facilitating intercultural opportunities within different Honduran and international communities.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 57 volunteers and 1 employee.
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
2 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $18K a year · 6% of revenue · last 4 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
87%
of spending
Looks good: 87% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$60K
to officers and key staff · 17% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 17% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
5
named funders · $143K
Looks good: 5 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 10 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 10 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$346K
-14% vs prior year
Spent
$349K
To programs
87%
Net assets
$175K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$346K
FY2025▼ -14%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$126K
FY2021$168K
FY2022$238K
FY2023$287K
FY2024$400K
FY2025$346K
Expenses
$349K
FY2025-0.2%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020Not on file
FY2021Not on file
FY2022$266K
FY2023$233K
FY2024$350K
FY2025$349K
Net assets
$175K
FY2025▼ -2%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$43K
FY2021$103K
FY2022$74K
FY2023$128K
FY2024$178K
FY2025$175K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 2016.

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

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $303K Management & general 6% · $22K Fundraising 7% · $24K

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; $60K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$59,583Pt VII · Sec A
President, Board of Directors
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President, Board of Directors
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer, Board of Directors
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary, Board of Directors
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Member, Board of Directors
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Sara Burkes Brakhane’s $60K as Executive Director is at the 54th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1636 $100K–1M international 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Sara Burkes Brakhane$59,583$52,100$29,300$25,700$6,800

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.

See Chispa Project 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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Builds school libraries and provides books to empower Honduran students.

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Your first name shows with your question. Chispa Project answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $303K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

New School Libraries

13 new children's libraries installed, 3,772 students reached. Increased follow-up with school from 1 to 2 years. Continued programming with 5,500 students from 2024. Schools help fundraise as a symbolic support towards library.

$187Kprogram expense
02

Volunteer Program for international volunteers and their expenses related to the cultural exchange and volunteer work of setting up a library

$73Kprogram expense
03

Literacy Alliance Program (PAL) (previously "Special Programs"): We partnered with 14 organizations to help support their reading programs through books and training, donating 3,710 books.

$43Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 5 funders$143K
See all 5 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$346K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$241K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$103K
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Money outPt IX
$349K
Ln 25
Programscol B$303K
Managementcol C$22K
Fundraisingcol D$24K
Owns and owesPt X
$175K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$175K
Total assetsLn 16$175K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$241K
Government grantsLn 1e$0
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Fees for servicesLn 2g$103K
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Total revenueLn 12$346K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2K
SavingsLn 2$173K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$175K
Total assetsLn 16$175K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$175K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51
VolunteersI 657
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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$178K$175K
Total assetsLn 16$178K$175K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$178K$175K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$70K$70K
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$48K$39K$3K$7K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0$0$0$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$90K$69K$11K$9K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0$0$0$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$6K$5K$489$394
Payroll taxesLn 10$0$0$0$0
Management feesLn 11a$0$0$0$0
Legal feesLn 11b$289$0$289$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$0$0$0$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0$0$0$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0$0$0$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$0$0$0$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$8K$0$0$8K
Office expensesLn 13$11K$7K$4K$0
Information technologyLn 14$3K$2K$278$278
RoyaltiesLn 15$0$0$0$0
OccupancyLn 16$11K$10K$1K$0
TravelLn 17$102K$101K$1K$0
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0$0$0$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$8$7$1$0
InterestLn 20$0$0$0$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0$0$0$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0$0$0$0
InsuranceLn 23$0$0$0$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$349K$303K$22K$24K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $346K$349K−$3K$175K 990 PDF
FY2024 $400K$350K$50K$178K 990 PDF
FY2023 $287K$233K$53K$128K 990 PDF
FY2022 $238K$266K−$28K$74K 990 PDF
FY2021 $168K$103K 990 PDF
FY2020 $126K$43K 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 F · Foreign O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $346,122 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $308,456$241,349
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $88,193$102,812
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $3,506$1,961
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $400,155$346,122
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $101,688$69,869
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $143,379$144,304
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $105,041$135,069
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $350,108$349,242
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $50,047−$3,120
Part VI · Governance 9 of 10 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body10
VI-1b Independent voting members9
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $346,122 across 12 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$0
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$241,349
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$241,349
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $102,812 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$102,812
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $1,961 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$1,961
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $104,773 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$346,122
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $349,242 across 29 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $0$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $69,869$69,869
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for membersPrograms $0$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $38,945 · Management $2,994 · Fundraising $6,504$48,443
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $69,380 · Management $11,326 · Fundraising $8,996$89,702
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $5,276 · Management $489 · Fundraising $394$6,159
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $0 · Management $289 · Fundraising $0$289
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $0$0
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $8,033$8,033
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $6,918 · Management $4,069 · Fundraising $0$10,987
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $2,222 · Management $278 · Fundraising $278$2,778
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $10,000 · Management $1,111 · Fundraising $0$11,111
IX-17 TravelPrograms $100,533 · Management $1,330 · Fundraising $0$101,863
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officialsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $7 · Management $1 · Fundraising $0$8
IX-20 InterestPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliatesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $303,150 · Management $21,887 · Fundraising $24,205$349,242
Part X · Balance sheet $174,695 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $980$1,540
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $176,835$173,155
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $177,815$174,695
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $0$0
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $0$0
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $177,815$174,695
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $177,815$174,695
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $174,695 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$346,122
XI-2 Total expenses$349,242
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$3,120
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$177,815
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$174,695

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

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