Shock the System Foundation is a nonprofit community technology startup dedicated to reinvigorating communities through shared action.

84¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$12K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2024 · 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
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
Spent on programs
84%
of spending
Looks good: 84% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$12K
to officers and key staff · 3% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 3% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$260K
55% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 55% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
2
of 2 voting members
Looks good: 2 of 2 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$445K
+289% vs prior year
Spent
$338K
To programs
84%
Net assets
$209K
By yearFY2023–FY2024
Revenue
$445K
FY2024▲ +289%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2023$114K
FY2024$445K
Net assets
$209K
FY2024▲ +131%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2023$90K
FY2024$209K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jul 2025.

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

Where the money goes

84 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 84% · $284K Management & general 16% · $54K

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

2 people listed on the 990; $12K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
CEO, CFO, Secretary
$11,715Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Saul D Costa’s $12K as CEO, CFO, Secretary is at the 5th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1031 $100K–1M civil rights & advocacy 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

NameFY2024FY2023
Saul D Costa$11,715$1,000

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 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II1 listed

Programs and updates

Reinvigorates communities by fostering shared action through technology.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $284K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Bee mobile application, which connects individuals with positive, real-world community activities.

$284Kprogram expense

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$445K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$445K
Investment incomeLn 3$3K
Money outPt IX
$338K
Ln 25
Programscol B$284K
Managementcol C$54K
Owns and owesPt X
$209K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$98K
Total assetsLn 16$469K
LiabilitiesLn 26$260K
PeoplePt VI, VII
2
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a2
IndependentVI 1b2
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$445K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$441K
Investment incomeLn 3$3K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$3K
Total revenueLn 12$445K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$95K
SavingsLn 2$3K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$98K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$350K
Total assetsLn 16$469K
LiabilitiesLn 26$260K
Net assetsLn 32$209K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 54
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
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$77K$98K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$350K
Total assetsLn 16$90K$469K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$260K
Net assetsLn 32$90K$209K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$12K$6K$6K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$174K$156K$17K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$4K$4K$528
Other employee benefitsLn 9$36K$31K$4K
Payroll taxesLn 10$14K$13K$2K
Legal feesLn 11b$18K$9K$9K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$47K$47K$38
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$1K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$14K$14K
OccupancyLn 16$2K$2K
TravelLn 17$881$881
InterestLn 20$10K$10K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$1K$300$881
InsuranceLn 23$737$737
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2K$1K$278
Total functional expensesLn 25$338K$284K$54K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $445K$338K$107K$209K 990 PDF
FY2023 $114K$90K 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 M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $444,916 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $114,412$445,011
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0−$95
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $114,412$444,916
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 $16,802$239,756
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $7,130$98,577
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $23,932$338,333
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $90,480$106,583
Part VI · Governance 2 of 2 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body2
VI-1b Independent voting members2
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
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
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $444,916 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$445,011
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$441,410
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$445,011
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $3,079$3,079
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission −$3,174−$3,174
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission −$95 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$444,916
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $338,333 across 16 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $5,858 · Management $5,857$11,715
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $156,414 · Management $17,379$173,793
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $3,689 · Management $528$4,217
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $31,197 · Management $4,467$35,664
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $12,567 · Management $1,800$14,367
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $9,034 · Management $9,034$18,068
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $46,640 · Management $38$46,678
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,406$2,406
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $1,182$1,182
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $14,019$14,019
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $1,759$1,759
IX-17 TravelPrograms $881$881
IX-20 InterestManagement $9,918$9,918
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $300 · Management $881$1,181
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $737$737
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,470 · Management $278$1,748
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $284,475 · Management $53,858 · Fundraising $0$338,333
Part X · Balance sheet $469,217 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $77,339$94,705
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$3,481
X-11 Publicly traded securities$350,071
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $13,141$20,960
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $90,480$469,217
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$9,918
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$259,918
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $90,480$209,299
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $90,480$209,299
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $90,480$469,217
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $209,299 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$444,916
XI-2 Total expenses$338,333
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$106,583
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$90,480
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$12,236
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$209,299

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

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