Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Sep 2001.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
86 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
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
11 people listed on the 990; $125K paid to officers and key staff.
Kathy Gingery’s $125K as Executive Di is at the 50th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1842 $1–10M recreation & sports 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
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kathy Gingery | $125,000 | $89,250 | $89,250 | $86,573 | $85,000 | $85,000 |
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.
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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 2Yes
- Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Programs and updates
Provides free recreational and social programs for children and families facing serious illness.
Questions for Shining Stars Foundation
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Child Services
We provide two, overnight adventure camps just for the child battling cancer, the aspen winter games and aspen summer adventure. We serve 70+ kids through these programs each year.
Family Services
We provide single day events and overnight programs for children battling a life-threatening illness and their entire immediate family. This includes two overnight family camps and a holiday toy drive and party. During 2025, we provided 48 days of family programming.
Young Adult Services
We provide a mentor program, social outings, and a retreat for young adults ages 18+ who are survivors of pediatric cancer and struggling to transition to adulthood. Over 100 young adults have been reached since the program began in 2016.
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2025 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY25 | End FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $523K | $521K |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $663K | $749K |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $585K | $539K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $2.1M | $2.1M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $64K | $29K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $2.0M | $2.0M |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $129K | $91K | $22K | $15K |
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $267K | $189K | $45K | $32K |
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $7K | $5K | $1K | $814 |
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $30K | $22K | $5K | $4K |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $32K | $22K | $5K | $4K |
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $12K | $12K | ||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $7K | $7K | ||
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $11K | $9K | $320 | $1K |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $32K | $11K | $2K | $19K |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $16K | $11K | $3K | $2K |
| OccupancyLn 16 | $57K | $52K | $3K | $2K |
| TravelLn 17 | $259K | $259K | ||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $47K | $37K | $5K | $5K |
| InsuranceLn 23 | $18K | $13K | $5K | $920 |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $507K | $506K | $418 | $627 |
| All other expensesLn 24e | $7K | $5K | $1K | $1K |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $1.4M | $1.2M | $111K | $94K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest Viewing | $1.4M | $1.4M | −$50K | $2.0M | 990 PDF |
| FY2024 | $1.6M | $1.3M | $341K | $2.0M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 | $1.3M | $806K | $475K | $1.6M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022 | $651K | $616K | $35K | $1.1M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 | $918K | $546K | $371K | $1.1M | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 | $656K | $673K | −$17K | $720K | 990 PDF |
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Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,388,490 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 10 of 10 board members independent, 1 to look at
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,388,490 across 8 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,438,227 across 16 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $2,053,707 assets, 13 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,024,711 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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