Founded in 2001, Spark Northwest accelerates the just transition to clean energy in the Pacific Northwest. Spark Northwest uses two primary strategies: (1) on-the-ground project consulting, focusing on communities with limited financial resources and (2) systemic advocacy to create opportunities and overcome obstacles to equitable deployment of clean energy.Project Design and Management: Spark Northwest lends technical expertise to people and groups to pursue renewable energy and energy efficiency options to power their homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods. This technical support includes education, outreach, planning, project design, resource evaluation, economic modeling, permitting assistance and contractor selection. Projects are designed to prioritize community involvement and accountability. Systemic Advocacy: Spark Northwest advocates for strong policies to reduce the barriers to clean energy implementation and encourage development at the local level. Spark Northwest supports p

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
73¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$209K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2023 · 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
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $150K a year · 12% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
73%
of spending
Fine: 73% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$209K
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
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
12
named funders · $479K
Looks good: 12 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$137K
11% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 11% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.6M
+55% vs prior year
Spent
$1.2M
To programs
73%
Net assets
$1.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.6M
FY2023▲ +55%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$859K
FY2021$966K
FY2022$1.0M
FY2023$1.6M
FY2024$1.6M
FY2025$1.6M
Expenses
$1.2M
FY2023▲ +31%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$772K
FY2021$809K
FY2022$941K
FY2023$1.2M
FY2024$1.3M
FY2025$1.7M
Net assets
$1.1M
FY2023▲ +49%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$499K
FY2021$656K
FY2022$742K
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$1.4M
FY2025$1.3M

From the FY2023 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 2002.

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

Where the money goes

73 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 73% · $905K Management & general 20% · $244K Fundraising 7% · $86K

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

13 people listed on the 990; $209K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Dir.
$122,837Pt VII · Sec A
Finance Mgr.
$85,935Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Andrea Axel’s $126K as Executive Dir. is at the 49th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1851 $1–10M environment 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Andrea Axel$126,326$129,675$122,837$107,251$101,016$99,180
Veena Prasad$114,085—————
Gwen Heisterkamp$39,186$91,748$85,935$76,881$72,294$76,478
Line Nya Ngatchou$68,921—————

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

Develops clean energy projects and advocates for policies to speed local renewable energy adoption.

Questions for Spark Northwest

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $905K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Spark Northwest provided technical assistance to support clean energy projects valued at over $6.6 million in communities highly impacted by social and economic injustice. Spark Northwest also educated over 1,000 people about efficient heat pump technology and, as a result, 175 families pursued installations of low- or no-cost heat…

$905Kprogram 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
See all 12 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.6M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$905K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$694K
Investment incomeLn 3$1K
Money outPt IX
$1.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$905K
Managementcol C$244K
Fundraisingcol D$86K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$772K
Total assetsLn 16$1.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$137K
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$905K
Government grantsLn 1e$100K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$60K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$694K
Investment incomeLn 3$1K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$1.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$537K
SavingsLn 2$236K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$772K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$18K
Total assetsLn 16$1.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$137K
Net assetsLn 32$1.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 515
VolunteersI 624
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$674K$772K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$898K$1.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$155K$137K
Net assetsLn 32$742K$1.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$230K$32K$176K$22K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$571K$550K$3K$18K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$68K$68K$1
Payroll taxesLn 10$69K$43K$19K$8K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$170K$119K$23K$28K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$200$200
Office expensesLn 13$0
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$48K$32K$11K$5K
TravelLn 17$26K$25K$934$401
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$3K$3K$190
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0
InsuranceLn 23$7K$5K$1K$441
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$38K$24K$9K$5K
All other expensesLn 24e$6K$4K$1K$727
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.2M$905K$244K$86K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $1.6M$1.7M−$74K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.6M$1.3M$279K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $1.6M$1.2M$362K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.0M$941K$86K$742K 990 PDF
FY2021 $966K$809K$157K$656K 990 PDF
FY2020 $859K$772K$87K$499K 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 FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,597,810 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $631,376$904,572
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $397,160$693,957
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $950$1,437
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$1,794−$2,156
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,027,692$1,597,810
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $694,429$938,148
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $246,923$297,425
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $941,352$1,235,573
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $86,340$362,237
Part VI · Governance 11 of 11 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members11
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 $1,597,810 across 12 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$60,262
VIII-1e Government grants$100,000
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$744,310
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$904,572
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $693,957$693,957
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,437$1,437
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events−$3,806
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $1,650$1,650
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $695,607 · Excluded from tax $1,437$1,597,810
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,235,573 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $32,447 · Management $175,851 · Fundraising $21,540$229,838
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $550,486 · Management $2,879 · Fundraising $17,745$571,110
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $67,882 · Management $1$67,883
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $42,976 · Management $18,716 · Fundraising $7,625$69,317
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting fees$0
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $118,591 · Management $23,451 · Fundraising $28,031$170,073
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $200$200
IX-13 Office expenses$0
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $31,955 · Management $11,148 · Fundraising $4,784$47,887
IX-17 TravelPrograms $24,662 · Management $934 · Fundraising $401$25,997
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $3,028 · Fundraising $190$3,218
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $5,235 · Management $1,028 · Fundraising $441$6,704
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $24,060 · Management $8,925 · Fundraising $4,816$37,801
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $3,795 · Management $1,023 · Fundraising $727$5,545
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $905,317 · Management $243,956 · Fundraising $86,300$1,235,573
Part X · Balance sheet $1,241,596 assets, 20 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $480,811$536,779
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $193,150$235,662
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $165,957$448,414
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $3,216$3,216
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, net$0
X-11 Publicly traded securities$0
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $54,579$17,525
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $897,713$1,241,596
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $101,481$120,036
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $53,861$16,952
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $155,342$136,988
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $642,371$551,883
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $100,000$552,725
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $742,371$1,104,608
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $897,713$1,241,596
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,104,608 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,597,810
XI-2 Total expenses$1,235,573
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$362,237
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$742,371
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,104,608

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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