The Light Foundation EIN 81-3061830

The Light Foundation

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Builds core values in youth and connects them to life-enriching opportunities. For fiscal year 2024 it reported $491K in revenue, $902K in expenses, and $1.9M in net assets.Pt I

Type
Public charity (501(c)(3)) · Youth Development
Location
Creve Coeur, MO
Website
www.light.foundation
Filings
5 on file (2020–2024)
Revenue
$491KFY2024
Expenses
$902K
Net assets
$1.9M
People
6
Filings
5
Updates
0
More identity details & actions ⌄
EIN  81-3061830 Public charity (501(c)(3)) Creve Coeur, MO
Form 990 (PDF)
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Size
$100K–1M
What they do
Builds core values in youth and connects them to life-enriching opportunities.
Leadership
Sharon Mistretta · Executive Director · $78K
Money in and out
$491K revenue, $902K expenses
Bottom line
82% program efficiency
Where the money goes · FY2024
Total revenue
$491K
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$902K
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$1.9M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): −$411K
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.82 Management & general $0.16 Fundraising $0.02
Program efficiency
82%
of spending reaches programs▲ +0.9% vs prior filing year
Operating runway
14.6mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate▼ -29% vs prior filing year
Surplus margin
-84%
revenue over expenses, this year▲ +65% vs prior filing year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2024 · Form 990
Revenue
$491K
FY2024▲ +52%
Expenses
$902K
FY2024▼ -18%
Total assets
$1.9M
FY2024▼ -34%
Total liabilities
$7K
FY2024▼ -99%
Total revenue
$491K
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$902K
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$1.9M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19−$411K
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$1.9M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B82%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 35
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 42
Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $742K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Ritecare

The light foundation collaborates with the national, state and regional ritecare programs that provide free language and literacy therapy to at risk youth with significant communication challenges.

$276Kprogram expense
02

Youth Development Program

Special program and services for youth organizations and families with educational and event management and support, leadership program development, and income to support services of ST. Louis youth programs.

$265Kprogram expense
03

Light box productions produces original philanthropic creative resources, educational and studio opportunities (including video, brand marketing and virtual messaging, web, event and exhibit creation) to amplify youth-focused initiatives.

$200Kprogram expense

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Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CThe Light Foundation
EINHdr · item D81-3061830
Principal addressHdr · item CCreve Coeur, MO
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.light.foundation
Year of formationHdr · item Lpending
State of legal domicileHdr · item MMO
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFYouth Development (O55)
Ruling yearIRS BMFNov 2016

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a5
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b2
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2Yes

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$78,355Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Sharon Mistretta’s $78K as Executive Director is at the 71st percentile of top reported officer pay among 1984 $100K–1M youth development 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 · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Sharon Mistretta$78,355$112,500$99,500$111,700$109,200
Erika Cockerham$12,500$12,500$12,500$11,417
Quentin Cockerham$12,500$12,500$12,500$12,500
Brandon Cockerham$12,500$12,500

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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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Investment income$460K · 94%
Contributions & grants$57K · 12%
Investment income94%$460K
Contributions & grants12%$57K
Total revenueLn 12$491K

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.82 Management & general $0.16 Fundraising $0.02
Program services82%$742K
Management & general16%$144K
Fundraising2%$15K
Total functional expensesLn 25$902K

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$51K
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$7K
Total net assetsLn 32$1.9M
Months of cash on handcomputed0.7

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2024 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $1.1M · Operating expenses/yr $902K
14.6 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $742K · Total expenses $902K
82%
Management & General
Management & general $144K · Total expenses $902K
16%
Fundraising
Fundraising $15K · Total expenses $902K
2%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $19K · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $89K
$0.21 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $57K · Total revenue $491K
12%
Government reliance
Government grants — · Total revenue $491K
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $0 · Total revenue $491K
0%
Investment reliance
Investment income $460K · Total revenue $491K
+94%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $0 · Total expenses $902K
0%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $491K · Prior year $322K
+52%
Revenue CAGR
FY2020 $175K · FY2024 $491K
+29%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $1.9M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $491K · Expenses $902K
-84%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $1.9M
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $1.9M · Total assets $1.9M
100%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) $1.0M · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $1.9M
56%
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Sharon Mistretta · Reported title EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · Highest reported compensation $78K · Total expenses $902K
9%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $405K · Total expenses $902K
45%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 82%
Overhead ratio 16%
Fundraising cost ratio 27%
Revenue growth 52%
Investment management fee ratio 0.3%
Accounting fee ratio 0.9%

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2023
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$97K
Grants paid · 17 grants · $399K · 2020–2024
The Haven of GraceMO · FY2024$5,015
The Haven of GraceMO · FY2023$64,760
The Haven of GraceMO · FY2022$6,700
Walker Scottish Rite ClinicMO · FY2020$23,004
Unitemized GrantFY2020$19,744
Kansas City Scottish Rite Childrens Language DisorMO · FY2020$6,100

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Filings & Schedule Manifest

Part IV
III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
FY2024 (Latest)$491K revenue · viewing · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$322K revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2022$303K revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2021$1.8M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2020$175K revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2024IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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