Downtown Seattle Association

Not tax-deductible

Seattle, WA501(c)(4)Since 1958EIN 91-0681761Revenue $4.8M in FY2025

On file with the IRSdowntownseattle.com1601 2nd Ave Ste 800, 98101-3522 · Seattle, WATax-exempt since Dec 1959

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Create a healthy, vibrant Downtown

52¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 62 volunteers and 20 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · 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)(4)
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
No
Donations are not tax-deductible
Worth a look: the IRS does not list 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
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $137K a year · 3% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
52%
of spending
Worth a look: 52% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.5M
to officers and key staff · 29% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 29% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $14K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$922K
33% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 33% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
60
of 62 voting members
Looks good: 60 of 62 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$4.8M
+5% vs prior year
Spent
$5.1M
To programs
52%
Net assets
$1.9M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$4.8M
FY2025▲ +5%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$5.1M
FY2021$3.3M
FY2022$3.9M
FY2023$4.3M
FY2024$4.6M
FY2025$4.8M
Expenses
$5.1M
FY2025▲ +11%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$4.6M
FY2021$3.1M
FY2022$3.7M
FY2023$4.2M
FY2024$4.6M
FY2025$5.1M
Net assets
$1.9M
FY2025▼ -13%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.6M
FY2021$1.8M
FY2022$2.1M
FY2023$2.2M
FY2024$2.2M
FY2025$1.9M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · 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: FY2025. IRS ruling in Dec 1959.

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

Where the money goes

52 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 52% · $2.6M Management & general 46% · $2.3M Fundraising 2% · $123K

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

69 people listed on the 990; $1.5M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
President & CEO
$427,261Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Officer
$218,325Pt VII · Sec A
VP Communications & Mktg
$207,498Pt VII · Sec A
SR Mgr Mktg & Creative Svc
$158,651Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Mgr, Human Resources
$153,176Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Strategic Initiatives & Special Projects
$147,766Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Exec Administration
$145,436Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Scholes Jon$427,261$401,952$344,223$250,470$236,887$278,560
James Elisabeth$218,325$204,170$198,062$183,049$173,359$171,366
Wright Sally$207,498$192,727$191,036$163,316$145,569$152,106
Rolf Kylie—$176,218$169,269———
Delfina Araya$158,651$136,407$123,537$124,338$113,583$115,678
Rankin Monica$153,176—————
Gockel Ryan$147,766—————
Bailor Emily$145,436$131,558$122,311———

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 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Revitalizes downtown areas to foster community health and vibrancy.

Questions for Downtown Seattle Association

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $2.6M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Maintain, improve and promote downtown seattle

$2.6Mprogram 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 2 funders$14K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$4.8M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$3.4M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$49
Money outPt IX
$5.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.6M
Managementcol C$2.3M
Fundraisingcol D$123K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.9M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.9M
Total assetsLn 16$2.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$922K
PeoplePt VI, VII
69
listed · VII A
PaidVII A7
Voting boardVI 1a62
IndependentVI 1b60
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$3.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$49
Total revenueLn 12$4.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.9M
SavingsLn 2$6K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$16K
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$2.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$922K
Net assetsLn 32$1.9M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 520
VolunteersI 662
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.2M$1.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$30K$16K
Total assetsLn 16$3.1M$2.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$975K$922K
Net assetsLn 32$2.2M$1.9M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$703K$405K$274K$25K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.7M$1.0M$676K$61K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$61K$35K$24K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$106K$61K$41K$4K
Payroll taxesLn 10$178K$103K$69K$6K
Legal feesLn 11b$90K$90K
Accounting feesLn 11c$85K$85K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$294K$24K$270K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$51K$25K$162$25K
Office expensesLn 13$367K$367K
Information technologyLn 14$102K$102K
OccupancyLn 16$246K$246K
TravelLn 17$9K$9K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$13K$13K
InsuranceLn 23$59K$59K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$975K$975K
Total functional expensesLn 25$5.1M$2.6M$2.3M$123K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $4.8M$5.1M−$280K$1.9M 990 PDF
FY2024 $4.6M$4.6M−$11K$2.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 $4.3M$4.2M$51K$2.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $3.9M$3.7M$286K$2.1M 990 PDF
FY2021 $3.3M$3.1M$245K$1.8M 990 PDF
FY2020 $5.1M$4.6M$533K$1.6M 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $4,796,372 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,396,269$1,359,391
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $3,182,655$3,436,932
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $262$49
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $4,579,186$4,796,372
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 $2,881,550$2,785,191
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,709,034$2,291,197
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $4,590,584$5,076,388
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$11,398−$280,016
Part VI · Governance 60 of 62 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body62
VI-1b Independent voting members60
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
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $4,796,372 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1b Membership dues$829,336
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$530,055
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,359,391
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $3,436,932$3,436,932
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $49$49
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $3,436,932 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $49$4,796,372
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $5,076,388 across 16 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $404,662 · Management $273,526 · Fundraising $24,622$702,810
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,000,187 · Management $676,063 · Fundraising $60,856$1,737,106
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $35,037 · Management $23,683 · Fundraising $2,132$60,852
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $61,046 · Management $41,264 · Fundraising $3,714$106,024
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $102,718 · Management $69,431 · Fundraising $6,250$178,399
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $89,980$89,980
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $85,210$85,210
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $23,805 · Management $270,271$294,076
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $25,378 · Management $162 · Fundraising $25,378$50,918
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $366,617$366,617
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $101,989$101,989
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $245,716$245,716
IX-17 TravelManagement $9,266$9,266
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $13,212$13,212
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $58,944$58,944
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $975,269$975,269
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,628,102 · Management $2,325,334 · Fundraising $122,952$5,076,388
Part X · Balance sheet $2,797,242 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,160,591$1,853,629
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $5,736$5,785
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $534,184$366,316
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $327,544$555,164
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $29,561$16,348
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $71,801$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $3,129,417$2,797,242
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $618,629$826,555
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $271,072$95,893
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $84,906$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $974,607$922,448
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $2,154,810$1,874,794
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictions$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,154,810$1,874,794
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $3,129,417$2,797,242
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,874,794 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$4,796,372
XI-2 Total expenses$5,076,388
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$280,016
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,154,810
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,874,794

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

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