Lights Camera Discover
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 465004833
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2022–2025
- Forms available
- Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2020, Form 990-N 2017
- Location
- Tempe, AZ, USA
- Phone
- 4809556405
- Rating
- 72
- Verdict
- SUPPORTED
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Youth Development Programs
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $379,089
- Expenses
- $372,895
- Assets
- $44,092
- Liabilities
- $23,562
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
9 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- Shalisha Washington (President)
- Michael Diggs (Vice President)
Highest reported compensation
- Okema Charles (Executive Dir.): $12,858 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
Since its founding, Lights Camera Discover has empowered over 1,000 underprivileged youth by providing them with essential skills in digital arts and steam (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) fields. Through comprehensive curriculum that emphasizes creativity, teamwork, and job-readiness, we have maintained an 85% program completion rate across all workshops.In collaboration with schools and community organizations, 70% of participants have demonstrated improved academic performance in STEAM subjects, and 65% have pursued further education or career opportunities in related fields. LCD has successfully placed 20% of graduates in internships or entry-level positions within the digital arts and entertainment industries, paving the way for future leaders and innovators.
What it reported doing in 2025
In 2025, services were consistent with those offered in 2024. Please see the note for 2024 below.In 2024, Lights Camera Discover Arizona proudly expanded its mission toempower youth through creative education and workforce development, makinga measurable impact across three additional new programs: the LCD print labcreation program, the sustainability through steam initiative, and ourdynamic anti-drug digital arts program.Through the LCD print lab creation program, participants learned hands-onskills in digital design and direct-to-film (dtf) printing, producingcustom shirts, stickers, and merchandise while gaining real-worldexperience in entrepreneurship, branding, and small business operations.Over 100 students completed the program, many launching their own smallproduct lines or contributing to school and community events with their creations.Our sustainability through steam initiative empowered youth to tackleenvironmental challenges with creativity and innovation. Studentscollaborated on eco-conscious media projects, upcycled materials for designwork, and developed campaigns promoting green habits in their schools andneighborhoods. This program not only fostered artistic expression but alsoinstilled a deep sense of responsibility for the planet.In response to the growing need for early intervention, our anti-drugdigital arts program offered a safe space for young people to explore thedangers of substance abuse through animation, film, and podcasting.Participants created compelling visual narratives, peer-led discussions, and public service announcements that addressed prevention withauthenticity and empathy. This program reached over 250 students acrossArizona and received recognition from local schools and community partners.Together, these programs reflect Lights Camera Discovers commitment toinspiring the next generation of changemakers through education, expression, and empowerment. Arizonas youth are not just discovering their voices they are using them to build a better future.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 93% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
- Distribution model
- Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
- Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.
The verdict
SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and program spending has declined or grown slowly.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 66
- Transparency & Controls: 86
- Accountability: 79
- Sustainability: 26
- Growth: 60
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 73.5%; rating input score 73
- Program expense ratio: 74.7%; rating input score 75
- Fundraising efficiency: Limited
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 92.3%; rating input score 92; 24th percentile among comparable filings
- Pay-setting controls: Limited
- Foreign activity oversight: Limited
- Grant itemization coverage: Limited
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
- Related-party transparency: Limited
Accountability
- Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 4 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 50
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
- Whistleblower policy: Fail
- Document-retention policy: Pass
- CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
- Other executive compensation review process: Fail
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Missing
- Independent financial-statement audit: Fail
Sustainability
- Operating margin: 1.6%; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.12; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.53; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 3.4%; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: -17.9% per year; rating input score 0; 7th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 18.7% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 20.1% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 73.5% of revenue deployed · 74.7% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 9 of 9 board members independent · 4 of 8 filing controls reported
- Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $279K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $13K · 9 people listed
- Consistency: 29 of 30 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
- Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
- Filing history: 4 filing years from 2022 to 2025
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
- Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
- Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
- People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
Key Signals
Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.
- Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 7 not reported.
- High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 40/100.
- High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 8/100.
- Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Schedule A contributions reconciliation did not reconcile in the filed values.
- High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 8/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 32/100.