The Arbutus Foundation, INC. Develops and produces projects at the intersection of social, cultural, scientific and technological fields. Its lead project is reasons to be cheerful, an online solutions journalism magazine.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
61¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 3 volunteers.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

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FY2024 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $31K a year · 5% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
61%
of spending
Worth a look: 61% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$61K
to officers and key staff · 8% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 8% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $6K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$347K
68% of total assets
Worth a look: liabilities are 68% of assets; over 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 4 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$925K
+9% vs prior year
Spent
$776K
To programs
61%
Net assets
$161K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$925K
FY2024▲ +9%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$465K
FY2021$238K
FY2022$900K
FY2023$849K
FY2024$925K
Expenses
$776K
FY2024▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$500K
FY2021$406K
FY2022$813K
FY2023$725K
FY2024$776K
Net assets
$161K
FY2024▲ ×13
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020−$31K
FY2021−$198K
FY2022−$111K
FY2023$13K
FY2024$161K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · 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: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jun 2020.

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

Where the money goes

61 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 61% · $476K Management & general 29% · $225K Fundraising 10% · $75K

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

6 people listed on the 990; $61K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$33,462Pt VII · Sec A
$28,000Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Rebecca Faulkner Started 624’s $33K as Executive Director is at the 28th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2216 $100K–1M arts & culture 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
Emily Simoness—$92,705$116,000——
Marion Koltun———$66,000$72,000
Rebecca Faulkner Started 624$33,462————
Emily Simoness Fm 124 to 324$28,000————

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 Arbutus Foundation INC 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
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II2 listed

Programs and updates

Creates projects blending social, cultural, scientific, and tech fields, featuring solutions journalism.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $476K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Reasons to be cheerful, in addition to continuing its ongoing publication of free content, continued its membership program and took large strides to expand its partnerships and fundraising, with an additional focus on obtaining grants for focused content.

$429Kprogram expense
02

After the initial success of theater of the mind in 2022, the year was spent recalibrating and focusing on the best next steps for the production, engaging with several potential producing partners to explore

$47Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$6K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $200K · 2022–2022

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$925K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$797K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$126K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Money outPt IX
$776K
Ln 25
Programscol B$476K
Managementcol C$225K
Fundraisingcol D$75K
Owns and owesPt X
$161K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$321K
Total assetsLn 16$509K
LiabilitiesLn 26$347K
PeoplePt VI, VII
6
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$797K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$73K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$126K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Total revenueLn 12$925K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$321K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$321K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$509K
LiabilitiesLn 26$347K
Net assetsLn 32$161K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 63
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$169K$321K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$238K$509K
LiabilitiesLn 26$225K$347K
Net assetsLn 32$13K$161K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$65K$32K$32K
Legal feesLn 11b$10K$10K
Accounting feesLn 11c$10K$10K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$596K$429K$133K$34K
Office expensesLn 13$24K$24K
TravelLn 17$5K$4K$694$428
InsuranceLn 23$13K$13K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$53K$19K$25K$9K
Total functional expensesLn 25$776K$476K$225K$75K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $925K$776K$149K$161K 990 PDF
FY2023 $849K$725K$124K$13K 990 PDF
FY2022 $900K$813K$87K−$111K 990 PDF
FY2021 $238K$406K−$168K−$198K 990 PDF
FY2020 $465K$500K−$36K−$31K 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 O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $924,785 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $746,758$796,528
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $52,500$125,800
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $49,780$2,457
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $849,038$924,785
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $92,705$64,769
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $632,534$711,239
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $725,239$776,008
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $123,799$148,777
Part VI · Governance 4 of 5 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members4
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
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
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $924,785 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1b Membership dues$223,869
VIII-1c Fundraising events$73,260
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$499,399
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$796,528
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $125,800$125,800
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $2,457$2,457
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $125,800 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,457$924,785
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $776,008 across 8 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $32,385 · Fundraising $32,384$64,769
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $9,538$9,538
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $10,500$10,500
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $429,101 · Management $133,156 · Fundraising $33,750$596,007
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $23,925$23,925
IX-17 TravelPrograms $4,186 · Management $694 · Fundraising $428$5,308
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $13,457$13,457
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $18,548 · Management $25,077 · Fundraising $8,879$52,504
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $475,760 · Management $224,807 · Fundraising $75,441$776,008
Part X · Balance sheet $508,685 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $168,980$320,776
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $63,895$170,909
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $4,690$17,000
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $237,565$508,685
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $46,842$39,115
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $50,416$180,486
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $224,968$347,311
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$12,403$41,374
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $25,000$120,000
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $12,597$161,374
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $237,565$508,685
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $161,374 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$924,785
XI-2 Total expenses$776,008
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$148,777
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$12,597
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$161,374

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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