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Nonprofiteer
← BETTER ANGELS SOCIETY INC

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by BETTER ANGELS SOCIETY INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$11,000,879
Total expenses
$13,274,082
Contributions and grants received
$10,620,983
Grants paid
$11,745,184
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$379,896
Other revenue
$0
Total assets, end of year
$27,649,766
Total liabilities, end of year
$21,363
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$27,628,403
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$12,466,103
Management and general expenses
$605,616
Fundraising expenses
$202,363
Program service expenses (Part III)
$12,466,103

Program services were 93.9% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $10,620,983

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $387,818 · excluded $387,818

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $16,973,809

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $16,981,731

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities -$7,922

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total -$7,922 · excluded -$7,922

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $11,370,184 · program services $11,370,184

  • 2 · Grants to domestic individuals

    total $375,000 · program services $375,000

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $319,447 · program services $147,680 · management and general $90,627 · fundraising $81,140

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $215,814 · program services $99,760 · management and general $61,020 · fundraising $55,034

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $16,534 · program services $7,558 · management and general $5,290 · fundraising $3,686

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $30,088 · program services $13,975 · management and general $8,342 · fundraising $7,771

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $41,808 · program services $19,364 · management and general $11,654 · fundraising $10,790

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $6,750 · management and general $6,750

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $102,756 · management and general $102,756

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $16,390 · management and general $16,390

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $237,141 · program services $108,650 · management and general $93,632 · fundraising $34,859

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $87,543 · program services $60,821 · management and general $23,439 · fundraising $3,283

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $31,132 · program services $218 · management and general $30,019 · fundraising $895

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $27,986 · program services $11,958 · management and general $16,028

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $2,987 · management and general $2,987

  • 17 · Travel

    total $41,349 · program services $5,950 · management and general $33,253 · fundraising $2,146

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $59,471 · program services $32,971 · management and general $26,500

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $6,837 · management and general $6,837

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $4,881 · management and general $4,881

  • 24a · Other expenses: PRIZE PRESENTATION & EV

    total $182,254 · program services $182,254

  • 24b · Other expenses: OTHER EXPENSES

    total $61,429 · program services $920 · management and general $60,505 · fundraising $4

  • 24c · Other expenses: PANEL AND ADVISORY BOAR

    total $28,825 · program services $28,825

  • 24d · Other expenses: SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

    total $7,476 · program services $15 · management and general $4,706 · fundraising $2,755

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $195,672 · end of year $1,783,970

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $9,170,115 · end of year $10,598,333

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $16,695,613 · end of year $11,625,534

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $3,048 · end of year $0

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $30,751 · end of year $15,956

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $182,208

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $180,048

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $6,923 · end of year $2,160

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $3,711,963 · end of year $3,623,813

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $26,149 · end of year $9,780

  • 18 · Grants payable

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $11,583

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $10,704,259 · end of year $9,949,097

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $19,083,677 · end of year $17,679,306

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

SUPPORTS AMERICAN HISTORY DOCUMENTARY FILMS TO PROMOTE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION.THE SOCIETY ALSO RECOGNIZES AND SUPPORTS DOCUMENTARY FILM ARTISTS THROUGH ITS LIBRARY OF CONGRESS LAVINE/KEN BURNS PRIZE FOR FILM ANNUAL AMERICAN HISTORY DOCUMENTARY CONTEST, WHICH AWARDS ONE WINNER, ONE RUNNER-UP AND UP TO FOUR FINALISTS FUNDING FOR LATE-STAGE PRODUCTION COSTS, DISTRIBUTION AND OUTREACH; BETTER ANGELS FELLOWSHIP, WHICH FUNDS A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM FOR PROMISING FILMS, AND THE NEXT GENERATION ANGELS AWARDS, WHICH RECOGNIZES EXCELLENCE IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL-AGED STUDENT AMERICAN HISTORY DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING.

Activities or mission (Part I)

ENSURE HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY FILMS ARE FUNDED/SHARED THRU EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH & CIVIC DISCOURSE.

  • FILM PRODUCTION, OUTREACH AND EDUCATION - THE SOCIETY PROVIDED OVER $11.3 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR THE PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF DOCUMENTARY FILMS PRODUCED BY KEN BURNS AND LYNN NOVICK WHICH ARE BROADCAST ON PBS TELEVISION STATIONS AND AVAILABLE ON PBS' DIGITAL PLATFORMS. FILMS SUPPORTED IN 2023 INCLUDED THE AMERICAN BUFFALO, WHICH AIRED IN 2023, THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, LEONARDO DAVINCI, CRIME & PUNISHMENT, AND EMANCIPATION TO EXODUS AND LBJ & THE GREAT SOCIETY. IN ADDITION, THROUGH ITS BETTER ANGELS STORIES INITIATIVE, THE SOCIETY SUPPORTED AMERICAN DOCUMENTARY FILMS BY A NUMBER OF OTHER FILMMAKERS. FILMS SUPPORTED BY THE SOCIETY WHICH AIRED ON PBS MEMBER STATIONS IN 2023 INCLUDED THE LIE DETECTORS, ZORA NEALE HURSTON: CLAIMING A SPACE, RUTHLESS: MONOPOLY'S SECRET HISTORY, THE SUN QUEEN, CASA SUSANNA, THE BUSSING BATTLEGROUND, THE HARVEST: INTEGRATING MISSISSIPPI'S SCHOOLS, MAX ROACH: THIS DRUM ALSO WALTZES AND THE WAR ON DISCO.

    Expenses $11,383,168 · Grants $11,280,214

  • LEGACY - IN 2023 THE SOCIETY AWARDED THE FOURTH ANNUAL LIBRARY OF CONGRESS LAVINE/KEN BURNS PRIZE FOR FILM TO SUPPORT AMERICAN HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING AND ENCOURAGE A GROWING COMMUNITY OF DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS WORKING ON BRINGING AMERICA'S STORIES TO LIGHT. IT OVERSAW THE SECOND YEAR OF THE BETTER ANGELS LAVINE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM, A MENTORING PROGRAM FOR PROMISING FILMS THAT WERE NOT SELECTED AS FINALISTS FOR THIS PRIZE BUT DEMONSTRATE THE POTENTIAL FOR EXCELLENCE. IN ADDITION, THE SOCIETY RECOGNIZED NEXT GENERATION ANGELS, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO HAVE DEVELOPED HISTORY DOCUMENTARY FILMS, THROUGH ITS AWARDS PROGRAM. THE SOCIETY ALSO CONTINUED TO BUILD THE KEN BURNS PUBLIC DIALOGUE INITIATIVE, A PARTNERSHIP WITH GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY TO ADVANCE THE USE OF HISTORY DOCUMENTARY FILMS IN HIGHER EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS, AND BRING ACADEMIC DISCOURSE TO THE PUBLIC.

    Expenses $1,082,935 · Grants $464,970

As filed on the 2023 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Bobby Stein

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    4

  • Meredith Dewitt

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    4

  • John Fullerton

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    4

  • Hal Brierley

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Patrick Butler

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Nancy J Cable

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • John Debs

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Joseph Evangelisti

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Anthony Foxx

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Greg Golkin

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Phil Kent

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Greg Lau

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Bonnie McCloskey

    MEMBER - UNTIL 04/2023

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Cappy McGarr

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Michael Mullen

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Eric Obeng

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • David Pfeil

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Laura Roosevelt

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Jason Schlesinger

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Peter Thoren

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Amy Margerum Berg

    PRESIDENT - UNTIL 12/2023

    Total calculated
    $150,000
    From this org
    $150,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    20

  • Katherine Malone-France

    PRESIDENT AND CEO

    Total calculated
    $108,286
    From this org
    $103,125
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $5,161
    Hours/week
    40

  • Courtney Chapin

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - UNTIL 03/2023

    Total calculated
    $61,160
    From this org
    $51,975
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,185
    Hours/week
    40

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 3 · Compensation survey or study
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee
  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment

Answered no

  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

The filer's explanations (Part III)

PART I, LINE 4A
SEVERANCE/CHANGE OF CONTROL: AMY BERG, $56,250

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2023
Filed
22 April 2024
IRS schema version
2023v5.0
Source object
202431159349301733

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