Yellow Dot is a nonprofit media studio established to challenge polluter disinformation & mobilize action on the climate emergency.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
41¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 3 volunteers and 4 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

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
1 of 2
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $32K a year · 2% of revenue · last 2 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 1 of the last 2 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 2 filings
Spent on programs
41%
of spending
Concern: 41% of spending went to programs; under 50%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$754K
to officers and key staff · 42% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 42% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: 0.4 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $394K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$16K
21% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 21% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 3 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 3 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
+24% vs prior year
Spent
$1.8M
To programs
41%
Net assets
$63K
By yearFY2023–FY2024
Revenue
$1.6M
FY2024▲ +24%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$1.6M
Expenses
$1.8M
FY2024▲ +74%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2023$1.0M
FY2024$1.8M
Net assets
$63K
FY2024▼ -76%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2023$260K
FY2024$63K

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 2023.

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

Where the money goes

41 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 41% · $744K Management & general 59% · $1.1M

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

9 people listed on the 990; $754K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Managing Dir/Head of Produ
$300,000Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Producer
$190,000Pt VII · Sec A
Head of Digital and Engage
$185,000Pt VII · Sec A
Creative Executive
$79,231Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Advisor
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Stephanie Roberts-Steele’s $300K as Managing Dir/Head of Produ is at the 97th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $1–10M 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

NameFY2024FY2023
Stephanie Roberts-Steele$300,000$184,616
Anna N Wenger$190,000$106,923
Elijah Zarlin$185,000$104,231
Brittney Badduke$79,231—

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 Yellow Dot Studios 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Challenges polluter lies and mobilizes action on the climate emergency through media.

Questions for Yellow Dot Studios INC

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $744K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Yellow dot creates entertaining, memorable, and scientifically accurate videos and (other stuff) to challenge decades of disinformation pushed by oil companies and amplified by large swaths of elected leaders and the media.

$744Kprogram 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 · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 6 funders$394K
See all 6 funders →
Grants paid · 4 grants · $295K · 2023–2024
Action for the Climate EmergencyMA · FY2024$145,000
Head Count INCNY · FY2024$75,000
Turnout Activism INCMA · FY2024$50,000
The LeverFY2023$25,000

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.6M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.6M
Money outPt IX
$1.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$744K
Managementcol C$1.1M
Owns and owesPt X
$63K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$55K
Total assetsLn 16$79K
LiabilitiesLn 26$16K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A4
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.6M
Total revenueLn 12$1.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$55K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$55K
Total assetsLn 16$79K
LiabilitiesLn 26$16K
Net assetsLn 32$63K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 54
VolunteersI 63
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
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$289K$55K
Total assetsLn 16$306K$79K
LiabilitiesLn 26$46K$16K
Net assetsLn 32$260K$63K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$270K$270K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$379K$379K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$375K$375K
Payroll taxesLn 10$49K$49K
Legal feesLn 11b$13K$13K
Accounting feesLn 11c$79K$79K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$50K$50K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$10K$10K
Office expensesLn 13$4K$4K
Information technologyLn 14$707$707
TravelLn 17$22K$22K$88
InsuranceLn 23$144K$144K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$414K$392K$22K
All other expensesLn 24e$487$155$332
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.8M$744K$1.1M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $1.6M$1.8M−$197K$63K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.3M$1.0M$260K$260K 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 J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,613,196 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,302,042$1,613,196
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,302,042$1,613,196
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $31,554$270,000
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $468,740$802,756
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $541,531$737,215
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,041,825$1,809,971
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $260,217−$196,775
Part VI · Governance 3 of 3 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members3
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,613,196 across 3 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,613,196
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,613,196
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$1,613,196
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,809,971 across 14 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $270,000$270,000
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $379,231$379,231
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesManagement $375,001$375,001
IX-10 Payroll taxesManagement $48,524$48,524
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $12,618$12,618
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $79,121$79,121
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $50,183$50,183
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $10,101$10,101
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $4,237$4,237
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $707$707
IX-17 TravelPrograms $21,644 · Management $88$21,732
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $144,421$144,421
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $391,529 · Management $22,079$413,608
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $155 · Management $332$487
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $743,612 · Management $1,066,359 · Fundraising $0$1,809,971
Part X · Balance sheet $79,361 assets, 9 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $288,508$54,575
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $17,592$24,786
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $306,100$79,361
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $45,883$16,370
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $45,883$16,370
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $162,365$62,991
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $97,852$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $260,217$62,991
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $306,100$79,361
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $62,991 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,613,196
XI-2 Total expenses$1,809,971
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$196,775
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$260,217
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$451
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$62,991

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

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