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Searchlight Seminars FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

Walnut Creek, CA501(c)(3) EIN 94-2624590Revenue $18K in FY2023Latest return filed Oct 31, 2025

On file with the IRSsearchlightbooks.org11 White Horse CT, 94595-1273 · Walnut Creek, CATax-exempt since Apr 1980Publicly supported — 509(a)(2)

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Sponsor Seminars on spirituality and other related activities.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
99¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

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
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 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $10K a year · 47% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
99%
of spending
Looks good: 99% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
274 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 273.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$10
<0.01% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% 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
$18K
-17% vs prior year
Spent
$12K
To programs
99%
Net assets
$513K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$18K
FY2023▼ -17%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$16K
FY2021$29K
FY2022$22K
FY2023$18K
FY2024$19K
Expenses
$12K
FY2023▼ -48%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$44K
FY2021$35K
FY2022$22K
FY2023$12K
FY2024$41K
Net assets
$513K
FY2023▲ +1%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$517K
FY2021$508K
FY2022$507K
FY2023$513K
FY2024$491K

From the FY2023 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Apr 1980.

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

Where the money goes

99 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 99% · $11K Management & general 1% · $133

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

3 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Kenneth Smith
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Cass Dempsey
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Searchlight Seminars executive salaries →

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

Programs and updates

Sponsors seminars on spirituality and related topics.

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2 programs · $11K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Searchlight continues to sell books, audio and video tapes related to its spiritual teaching programs. It also made & sold photos of spiritual figures.

$11Kprogram expense
02

Searchlight has for many years sponsored workshops at places of spiritual interest on the east coast. Due to covid 19 restrictions and in post covid recent years, the searchlight sponsored workshops have been put on hold. Searchlight continues to operate an on-line bookstore.

Pt IX · col B

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$18K
Ln 12
Investment incomeLn 3$11K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$7K
Money outPt IX
$12K
Ln 25
Programscol B$11K
Managementcol C$133
Owns and owesPt X
$513K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$264K
Total assetsLn 16$513K
LiabilitiesLn 26$10
PeoplePt VI, VII
3
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Fees for servicesLn 2g$7K
Investment incomeLn 3$11K
Total revenueLn 12$18K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$500
SavingsLn 2$263K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$264K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$239K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$666
Total assetsLn 16$513K
LiabilitiesLn 26$10
Net assetsLn 32$513K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
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$270K$264K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$229K$239K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$666
Total assetsLn 16$507K$513K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$10
Net assetsLn 32$507K$513K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Office expensesLn 13$1K$1K
OccupancyLn 16$2K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$133$133
InsuranceLn 23$2K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$6K$6K
All other expensesLn 24e$577$577
Total functional expensesLn 25$12K$11K$133$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 LatestFiled with the IRS Oct 31, 2025 $19K$41K−$22K$491K 990 PDF
FY2023 ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 6, 2024 $18K$12K$6K$513K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Oct 23, 2023 $22K$22K−$769$507K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 7, 2022 $29K$35K−$6K$508K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Oct 31, 2021 $16K$44K−$27K$517K 990 PDF

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 $17,878 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $0$0
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $18,710$7,220
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $2,805$10,658
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $21,515$17,878
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 $0$0
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $22,284$11,564
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $22,284$11,564
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$769$6,314
Part VI · Governance 3 of 3 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members3
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $17,878 across 3 lines filed
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $7,220$7,220
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $10,658$10,658
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $7,220 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $10,658$17,878
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $11,564 across 6 lines filed
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,125$1,125
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,500$1,500
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $133$133
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $2,218$2,218
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $6,011$6,011
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $577$577
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $11,431 · Management $133 · Fundraising $0$11,564
Part X · Balance sheet $513,416 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $501$500
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $269,534$263,071
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $8,570$9,994
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$666
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $228,594$239,185
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $507,199$513,416
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$10
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$10
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $507,199$513,406
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $507,199$513,416
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $513,406 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$17,878
XI-2 Total expenses$11,564
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$6,314
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$507,199
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$107
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$513,406

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

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