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BRIGHTBEAM INC

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Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

BRIGHTBEAM INC

EIN 85-3504131

What they do

BRIGHTBEAM SHINES A LIGHT ON THOSE FIGHTING for and PROVIDING A RICH/HIGH-QUALITY/HUMANE EDUCATION for OUR NATIONS CHILDREN and THE BARRIERS THEY FACE. OUR MISSION is to INSPIRE AMERICANS to DEMAND SAFE, AFFIRMING, ACCOUNTABLE EDUCATION OPTIONS WHERE EVERY CHILD LEARNS and THRIVES. BRIGHTBEAMS ROLE is to INFORM and IGNITE THIS EMERGING MOVEMENT for CHILDHOOD THRIVING and EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY THROUGH OUR PLATFORMS and WITH OUR PARTNERS. THROUGH COMPELLING DIGITAL CONTENT, BRIGHTBEAM BUILDS PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING and SUPPORT for OUR EDUCATION ISSUES and OUR PARTNERS, SPOTLIGHTS STORIES of GREAT WORK IN ACTION, and MOVES CITIZENS to USE THEIR INFLUENCE ON BEHALF of CHILDHOOD THRIVING and EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY. AN IMPORTANT MEASURE of OUR IMPACT is OUR NETWORK, FROM INDIVIDUALS CONSUMING OUR CONTENT to ON-THE-GROUND PARTNERS.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check
Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $74.10 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2025The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders8 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

255.33%of revenue went to mission work74.1% of expenses · Program services
21.02%of revenue went to fundraising6.1% of expenses
$344.42spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.
68.07%of revenue went to management and office costs19.8% of expenses
$0.35in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.
26.1%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

  1. Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
  2. What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
  3. Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $1,525,411 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $347,809 for CHRISTOPHER STEWART (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2025

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$624,106
Mission workProgram services$1,593,514255.33% of revenue74.1% of expenses
ManagementOffice and general costs$424,84468.07% of revenue19.8% of expenses
FundraisingAsking for donations$131,15921.02% of revenue6.1% of expenses
Total expenses$2,149,517344.42% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails
2025CurrentExpense mix: 74.1% mission · 19.8% management · 6.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 344.42% of revenue
2024Expense mix: 74.2% mission · 20.7% management · 5.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 108.07% of revenue
2023Expense mix: 71.0% mission · 22.3% management · 6.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 73.34% of revenue
2022Expense mix: 69.6% mission · 21.1% management · 9.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 108.53% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$624,106
Expenses$2,149,517
Annual shortfall $1,525,411 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$1,593,514 · 74.1% of expenses
Management and office costs$424,844 · 19.8% of expenses
Fundraising$131,159 · 6.1% of expenses
See all reported dollar amounts
Revenue$624,106
Expenses$2,149,517
Assets$750,326
Income$624,106
Contributions$163,088
Mission work (program services)$1,593,514
Fundraising$131,159
Management and general$424,844
Accounting fees$74,137
People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2025

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation
CHRISTOPHER STEWARTCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $347,809Base $308,541 · Other $39,268
CYNTHIA WAKEFORDCHIEF MARKETING OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $198,560Base $192,072 · Other $6,488
DONNELL GREENSECRETARY/PTNR FINANCE & OPS · 36 hrs/week $179,829Base $122,173 · Other $57,656

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (8)

CHRISTOPHER STEWARTCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

CYNTHIA WAKEFORDCHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

DONNELL GREENSECRETARY/PTNR FINANCE & OPS

BUTCH TRUSTYDIRECTOR

DANIEL SELLERSCHAIR

KATI HAYCOCKDIRECTOR

NANCY GUTIERREZDIRECTOR

RENITA THUKRALDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since
January 2021
Location
511 OLDE TOWNE RD UNIT 80548, ROCHESTER, MI 48308-7721
County
Oakland
In care of
% CHRISTOPHER STEWART
Primary officer
DANIEL SELLERS, CHAIR

How to reach them

Filing and classification

Latest tax year
2025
Tax period began
January 1, 2025
Return type
990
Tax preparer
WEGNER CPAS LLP

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About this report: Information comes from public nonprofit records and may show the latest filing available.

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