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Nonprofiteer
← GET LIT WORDS IGNITE INC

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by GET LIT WORDS IGNITE INC.

This return was superseded by a later amendment. matched by us It is kept because history is preserved rather than replaced.

What the amendment changed

Compared with the latest return for 2023 , filed 6 May 2025. matched by us Only the return's totals, a 990-PF's accounting method and the names listed in Part VII (Part VIII on a 990-PF) are compared. We relate returns by organization, tax year and form, and order them by each return's own timestamp; the filer's own "amended return" checkbox is a separate fact.

Listed only on the later return

  • Caprice Young
  • Cynthia M Ruiz
  • Philip Angelides

Totals

Total revenue
$2,640,555
Total expenses
$3,106,879
Contributions and grants received
$2,398,416
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$227,295
Investment income
-$497
Other revenue
$15,341
Total assets, end of year
$2,057,747
Total liabilities, end of year
$305,727
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$1,752,020
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$2,406,700
Management and general expenses
$407,486
Fundraising expenses
$292,693
Program service expenses (Part III)
$2,406,700

Program services were 77.5% 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.

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $42,653

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $2,355,763

  • 2a · Program service revenue: PROGRAM FEES

    total $224,719 · related or exempt $224,719

  • 2b · Program service revenue: PROGRAM EVENTS

    total $2,576 · related or exempt $2,576

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $695 · excluded $695

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

    other assets $1,192

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    other assets -$1,192

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total -$1,192 · excluded -$1,192

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $115,905

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $42,653

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $115,905

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total $0

  • 11a · Other revenue: OTHER REVENUE

    total $15,341 · excluded $15,341

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $15,341

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $226,422 · program services $135,853 · management and general $22,642 · fundraising $67,927

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $1,458,669 · program services $1,263,719 · management and general $91,242 · fundraising $103,708

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $90,889 · program services $74,311 · management and general $11,125 · fundraising $5,453

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $137,719 · program services $114,954 · management and general $8,976 · fundraising $13,789

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $6,108 · management and general $6,108

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $41,988 · management and general $41,988

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $648,756 · program services $473,579 · management and general $111,614 · fundraising $63,563

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $1,699 · program services $35 · management and general $1,664

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $135,683 · program services $49,680 · management and general $62,638 · fundraising $23,365

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $97,100 · program services $81,117 · management and general $7,210 · fundraising $8,773

  • 17 · Travel

    total $43,295 · program services $36,545 · management and general $3,096 · fundraising $3,654

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $1,740 · program services $575 · management and general $1,165

  • 20 · Interest

    total $12,876 · management and general $12,876

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $144,072 · program services $136,585 · management and general $7,487

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $12,115 · program services $8,520 · management and general $2,731 · fundraising $864

  • 24a · Other expenses: PROGRAM SUPPLIES

    total $23,571 · program services $17,955 · management and general $4,019 · fundraising $1,597

  • 24b · Other expenses: AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

    total $13,145 · program services $13,120 · management and general $25

  • 24c · Other expenses: ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LO

    total $10,750 · management and general $10,750

  • 24d · Other expenses: RESEARCH

    total $282 · program services $152 · management and general $130

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $37,351 · end of year $11,677

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $26,978 · end of year $37,198

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $1,580,316 · end of year $937,547

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $145,549 · end of year $154,647

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $19,128 · end of year $19,928

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

    $959,979

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

    $233,192

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $781,167 · end of year $726,787

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $82,718 · end of year $169,963

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $145,369 · end of year $143,039

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $309,494 · end of year $162,688

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $655,111 · end of year $947,943

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $1,563,233 · end of year $804,077

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

GET LIT WORDS IGNITE INSPIRES LITERACY, WELLNESS, CREATIVITY, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH SPOKEN WORD POETRY AND MEDIA.IN 2023-24, GET LIT DIRECTLY SERVED 8,000 TEENS, AND REACHED 50,000 YOUTH THROUGH ALL PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND PERFORMANCES. 85% OF THOSE WE SERVED ARE FROM UNDER-RESOURCED AREAS AND ENROLLED IN TITLE I SCHOOLS, AND 92% ARE YOUTH OF COLOR.

Activities or mission (Part I)

"GET LIT" - WORDS IGNITE PROVIDES YOUNG PEOPLE WITH LIFE-SAVING VEHICLES OF EXPRESSION TO CREATE STRONG, EMBOLDENED LEADERS WITH THE NECESSARY TOOLS TO BUILD UP COMMUNITIES FOR A MORE EQUITABLE WORLD.

  • UNI(VERSE), OUR INTERACTIVE POETRY PLATFORM FOR THE CLASSROOM, HAS BEEN FORMALLY ACCEPTED BY LAUSD AS A DIGITAL CONTENT PROVIDER, ONE OF ONLY EIGHT ENTITIES CHOSEN THROUGH A COMPETITIVE RFP. OUR "VOICES IN VERSE" CURRICULUM, DELIVERED TO SCHOOLS VIA UNI(VERSE), IS 1 OF 11 ETHNIC STUDIES COURSES THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY LAUSD TO FULFILL THE NEW CALIFORNIA ETHNIC STUDIES REQUIREMENT FOR GRADUATION THAT BEGAN IN FALL 2023. OUR CURRICULUM HAS BEEN TAUGHT IN 22 L.A. COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN 10 OTHER CALIFORNIA COUNTIES, 10 OTHER STATES (IN, MA, MD, NC, PA, TX, VA, WA, WI, WV, PLUS THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA), AND 11 OTHER COUNTRIES (CANADA, MEXICO, BRAZIL, AUSTRALIA, SOUTH AFRICA, NIGERIA, ENGLAND, JAPAN, CHINA, INDIA, AND KOREA).

    Expenses $871,350

  • THE STUDENTS IN OUR GET LIT MEDIA PROGRAM WROTE, FILMED, AND EDITED 200 EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS FOR UNI(VERSE) AND ALSO PRODUCED OVER 100 EPISODES OF THE GET LIT MINUTE PODCAST.

    Expenses $467,570

  • IN SUMMER 2024, THE GET LIT MEDIA PROGRAM EVOLVED INTO OUR NEW CREATIVE SUITE OF PROGRAMS. THIS INCLUDES THE CREATIVE CAMP, SUMMER WORKSHOPS IN SCREENWRITING, FILMMAKING, MUSIC PRODUCTION, AND PERFORMANCE; OUR FILM LAB, A SEMESTER-LONG PROGRAM FOR HIGH-SCHOOLERS WITH WEEKLY WORKSHOPS; AND THE CREATIVE CAREER LAB, CREATIVE MEDIA TRAINING AND JOB PLACEMENT PROGRAM FOR UNDER-RESOURCED YOUNG ADULTS AGES 18-28. OVER THE NEXT 3 YEARS, THIS PROGRAM WILL PLACE AT LEAST 110 YOUNG ADULTS IN FULL-TIME JOBS.

    Expenses $402,778

  • THE CLASSIC SLAM COMPETITION IS THE CULMINATION OF OUR IN-SCHOOL PROGRAM. OUR 13TH ANNUAL CLASSIC SLAM HELD IN APRIL 2024 HAD 240 STUDENT COMPETITORS AND A LIVE COMMUNITY AUDIENCE OF 2,000 AT THE L.A. THEATRE CENTER (QUARTER- AND SEMI-FINALS) AND THE WILSHIRE EBELL THEATRE (FINALS). JUDGES INCLUDED WELL-KNOWN SPOKEN WORD POETS YESIKA SALGADO AND RUDY FRANCISCO; DENNIS ST. ROSE, EXECUTIVE OF THE CREATIVE ARTS AGENCY (CAA); ACTOR, DANCER, AND WRITER GEFFRI MAYA; JAMIE FLAM, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE DYNASTY TYPEWRITER THEATER; WITH ACTOR, COMIC, AND WRITER JOSHUA SILVERSTEIN AS DJ FOR THE EVENING.

    Expenses $665,002 · Revenue $227,295

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

Listed in Part VII

  • Delta Wright

    BOARD CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Bennett J Johnson III

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Diane Luby Lane

    FOUNDER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $189,335
    From this org
    $179,708
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,627
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $179,708
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $9,627
    Filer's total
    $189,335

  • Michael Green

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Harriett Aronow

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Gina Belafonte

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Elizabeth Lee

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Naveena Ponnusamy

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Geffri Maya

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Wendy Posner

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Samantha Feld

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Alex Trivas

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jazmine Williams

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Mason Granger

    DEPUTY DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $131,219
    From this org
    $124,761
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $6,458
    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. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 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

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

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2023
Filed
18 April 2025
IRS schema version
2023v6.0
Source object
202531089349300108

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