HEAR Center (the "Center") is a non-profit public benefit corporation dedicated to helping people at all stages of life be a part of the hearing and speaking world. The Center believes communication through speech and hearing is a vital ability that connects and empowers individuals - dramatically enhancing quality of life and opening doors to the world at large. Founded on the premise that everyone should have access to state-of-the-art and affordable care. Committed to serving as a center of excellence and compassion, the Center provides low or no-cost services for those who need them and is the only organization in Los Angeles County that goes out into the community to provide free specialized hearing and speech screenings.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
77¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$98K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2020 · 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
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $50K a year · 6% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
77%
of spending
Looks good: 77% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$98K
to officers and key staff · 12% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 12% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $1.0M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 4.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
9
named funders · $98K
Looks good: 9 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$928K
57% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 57% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
12
of 13 voting members
Looks good: 12 of 13 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$790K
Spent
$820K
To programs
77%
Net assets
$698K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$790K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$790K
FY2021$929K
FY2022$1.3M
FY2023$822K
FY2024$590K
FY2025$1.0M
Expenses
$820K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$820K
FY2021$862K
FY2022$868K
FY2023$868K
FY2024$824K
FY2025$903K
Net assets
$698K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$698K
FY2021$913K
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$948K
FY2025$1.3M

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending June 2020) · 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 Nov 1957.

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

Where the money goes

77 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 77% · $629K Management & general 9% · $72K Fundraising 14% · $119K

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; $98K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
Secretary/Exec. Director
$97,785Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Ellen Simon’s $93K as Secretary/Exec. Director is at the 18th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3128 $1–10M health care 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Ellen Simon$93,029$100,392$97,102$93,667$93,717$97,785

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

Provides affordable hearing and speech services to help people communicate.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $629K · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

HEAR Center is a nonprofit hearing and speech clinic. We offer complete diagnostic audiological services, hearing aid dispensing, speech and language evaluations and therapy. This fiscal year we served 1,313 clients with audiology and speech-language services.

$629Kprogram 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 9 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$790K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$417K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$275K
Other incomeLn 4–11$59K
Money outPt IX
$820K
Ln 25
Programscol B$629K
Managementcol C$72K
Fundraisingcol D$119K
Owns and owesPt X
$698K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$279K
Total assetsLn 16$1.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$928K
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a13
IndependentVI 1b12
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$275K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$9K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$417K
Investment incomeLn 3$39K
Other incomeLn 4–11$59K
Gains on assetsLn 7$16K
Total revenueLn 12$790K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$153K
SavingsLn 2$126K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$279K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$281K
Total assetsLn 16$1.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$928K
Net assetsLn 32$698K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 519
VolunteersI 640
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$98K$279K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.0M$1.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$269K$281K
Total assetsLn 16$1.5M$1.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$760K$928K
Net assetsLn 32$733K$698K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$98K$68K$10K$20K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$271K$190K$27K$54K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$53K$43K$5K$5K
Payroll taxesLn 10$28K$22K$2K$3K
Investment management feesLn 11f$10K$10K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$78K$53K$25K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$5K$5K
Office expensesLn 13$19K$14K$4K$1K
OccupancyLn 16$49K$40K$6K$3K
TravelLn 17$3K$2K$564$178
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$2K$2K$170$76
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$30K$25K$3K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$174K$164K$5K$5K
Total functional expensesLn 25$820K$629K$72K$119K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $1.0M$903K$120K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2024 $590K$824K−$233K$948K 990 PDF
FY2023 $822K$868K−$46K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.3M$868K$422K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2021 $929K$862K$67K$913K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $790K$820K−$30K$698K 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 FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $789,981 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $227,878$274,915
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $490,392$416,824
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $66,221$39,441
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$58,801
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $784,491$789,981
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 $493,049$450,102
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $424,731$369,590
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $917,780$819,692
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$133,289−$29,711
Part VI · Governance 12 of 13 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body13
VI-1b Independent voting members12
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $789,981 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$9,033
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$265,882
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$274,915
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $416,824$416,824
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $23,132$23,132
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $16,309$16,309
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $58,801$58,801
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $416,824 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $98,242$789,981
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $819,692 across 13 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $68,450 · Management $9,779 · Fundraising $19,557$97,786
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $189,840 · Management $27,120 · Fundraising $54,240$271,200
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $43,305 · Management $4,812 · Fundraising $5,346$53,463
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $22,399 · Management $2,489 · Fundraising $2,765$27,653
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $10,346$10,346
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $53,047 · Fundraising $24,963$78,010
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $4,589$4,589
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $14,117 · Management $3,576 · Fundraising $1,129$18,822
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $40,006 · Management $5,927 · Fundraising $3,457$49,390
IX-17 TravelPrograms $2,228 · Management $564 · Fundraising $178$2,970
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,643 · Management $170 · Fundraising $76$1,889
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $24,945 · Management $2,673 · Fundraising $2,079$29,697
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $164,149 · Management $4,983 · Fundraising $4,745$173,877
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $628,718 · Management $72,439 · Fundraising $118,535$819,692
Part X · Balance sheet $1,626,315 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $35,964$153,258
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $62,243$125,500
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $5,650$850
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $99,183$37,383
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $10,130$5,090
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $6,586$5,615
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $269,337$281,120
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $1,003,731$1,017,499
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,492,824$1,626,315
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $160,905$225,018
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $26,840$27,773
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$91,100
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $759,856$928,097
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $489,746$454,996
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $243,222$243,222
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $732,968$698,218
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,492,824$1,626,315
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $698,218 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$789,981
XI-2 Total expenses$819,692
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$29,711
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$732,968
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$5,039
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$698,218

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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