Nonprofit · EIN 46-4610491
DEFINE AMERICAN
Tax-exempt · LOS ANGELES, CA 90013
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2024 | 990 | $2,121,348 | $4,110,679 | -$1,989,331 | $2,974,482 | $128,533 | $2,845,949 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990 | $4,173,788 | $4,861,523 | -$687,735 | $5,237,607 | $401,797 | $4,835,810 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $1,597,649
- Program service revenue
- $455,000
- Investment income
- $68,328
- Net income from sales of inventory
- $229
- Other revenue
- $371
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $0
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $0
- Other salaries and wages
- $1,802,310
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $2,038,606
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Legal fees
- $21,043
- Accounting fees
- $104,516
- Occupancy
- $9,108
- Travel
- $421,336
- Depreciation
- $26,820
- Program services (functional)
- $2,895,801
- Management and general (functional)
- $1,040,097
- Fundraising (functional)
- $174,781
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $5,237,607
- Total assets, end of year
- $2,974,482
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $128,533
- Net assets, end of year
- $2,845,949
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $53,263
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $2,047,500
- Net assets with donor restrictions
- $798,449
- Gross receipts
- $4,729,348
- Employees
- 24
- Volunteers
- 5
- Year formed
- 2014
- State of legal domicile
- DC
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shauna H Siggelkow | Vice President of Programs Highest-paid employee | 40 | $144,218 | $17,679 |
| Sarah E Lowe | Director of Research & Evaluat Highest-paid employee | 40 | $130,011 | $17,662 |
| Rebecca Davis | Associate Director of Digital Highest-paid employee | 40 | $106,000 | $8,653 |
| Jose Antonio Vargas | Founder Trustee or director | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| Peter Perl | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| Nicco Mele | Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| YSCAIRA JIMENEZ | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| KRISTINA VILLARINI | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 5 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 12 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rebecca Neuwirth | Executive Director Highest-paid employee | 40 | $162,273 | $2,987 |
| Leezia Dhalla | Director of Communications Highest-paid employee | 40 | $151,410 | $11,438 |
| Michael Corrente | Director of Strategic Growth Highest-paid employee | 40 | $129,403 | $10,885 |
| Amina Barnes | Operations Director Highest-paid employee | 40 | $133,591 | $3,426 |
| Sarah E Lowe | Director of Research & Eval Highest-paid employee | 40 | $118,939 | $17,189 |
| Charlene Jimenez | Director of Entertainment Highest-paid employee | 40 | $121,231 | $10,693 |
| Jose Antonio Vargas | Founder Trustee or director | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| Peter Perl | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| Nicco Mele | Chair and Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| Uma Viswanathan | Member Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| Kristina Villarini | Member - EFF. 8/23/2023 Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| Yscaira Jimenez | Member - EFF. 12/1/2023 Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 453 S SPRING STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 90013-2013
- In care of
- % JENN BENDER
- Principal officer (990 for 2024)
- NICCO MELE, 453 S SPRING STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 90013
- Signed the 990
- NICCO MELE, Chair
- Phone
- (617) 792-1800
- Website
- WWW.DEFINEAMERICAN.COM
- Return prepared by
- WITHUMSMITHBROWNPC
California records
California keeps its own records of charities and corporations. Search them by EIN 46-4610491 or by the name DEFINE AMERICAN.
- Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers
- Registration status and filed reports (CT-TR-1, RRF-1)
- Secretary of State, bizfile Online
- Corporation status, entity number, agent for service
- Franchise Tax Board
- Entity status letter (state tax exemption, good standing)
Mission
DEFINE AMERICAN IS A MEDIA AND CULTURE CHANGE ORGANIZATION THAT HUMANIZES THE CONVERSATION ABOUT IMMIGRANTS AND CITIZENSHIP IN A CHANGING AMERICA. WE ADVOCATE FOR MORE POSITIVE AND ACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF IMMIGRANTS IN MEDIA IN ORDER TO CREATE A MORE INCLUSIVE CULTURE TO IMPROVE PUBLIC PERCEPTION TOWARD IMMIGRANTS.
Program accomplishments
- DEFINE AMERICAN IS A NON-PROFIT MEDIA AND CULTURE ORGANIZATION THAT USES THE POWER OF STORY TO TRANSCEND POLITICS AND SHIFT THE CONVERSATION ABOUT IMMIGRANTS, IDENTITY, AND CITIZENSHIP IN A CHANGING AMERICA. THE ORGANIZATION WORKS COLLABORATIVELY WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS TOWARD THE FOLLOWING GOALS: 1) PROMOTE THE USE OF HUMANIZING LANGUAGE AND ACCURATE, FACTUAL REPORTING ABOUT IMMIGRANTS IN THE NEWS MEDIA; 2) PROVIDE A STORYTELLING PLATFORM WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN SHARE THEIR STORIES AND PROMOTE THEM THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION'S WEB TOOLS FOR FREE; 3) HOST EDUCATIONAL EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY; 4) PROVIDE INFORMATION AND STORY ACCESS TO PROFESSIONALS IN THE TELEVISION AND FILM INDUSTRY; 5) PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR A CHAPTERS PROGRAM THAT HELPS TRAIN STUDENTS MOSTLY AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL TO HELP ACHIEVE THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION ON THE LOCAL LEVEL; 6) CREATE DIGITAL AND FILM CONTENT TO HELP ACHIEVE THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION.Expenses $2,895,801 · revenue $455,142
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | Not on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 46-4610491
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 2015
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Human services (P84)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $2,974,482
- Income (IRS master file)
- $4,729,348
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2024 | $2,121,348 | $4,110,679 | $2,974,482 | XML |
| 990 | December 2023 | $4,173,788 | $4,861,523 | $5,237,607 | XML |
| 990 | December 2022 | $4,609,549 | $4,068,099 | $5,615,082 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2017 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 46-4610491).
Questions about DEFINE AMERICAN
- What is the EIN of DEFINE AMERICAN?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of DEFINE AMERICAN is 46-4610491.
- Is DEFINE AMERICAN tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2015.
- Are donations to DEFINE AMERICAN tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does DEFINE AMERICAN file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of DEFINE AMERICAN due?
- The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending December 31, 2025) is due May 15, 2026. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did DEFINE AMERICAN last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2024.
- Who is the principal officer of DEFINE AMERICAN?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 names NICCO MELE.
- Who are the officers and directors of DEFINE AMERICAN?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 lists 8 people; 3 received compensation from the organization, the highest $144,218 (Shauna H Siggelkow, Vice President of Programs).
- How much revenue does DEFINE AMERICAN have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 it reported revenue of $2,121,348, expenses of $4,110,679 and total assets of $2,974,482 at year end.
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