The Light Factory
The light factory is committed to photography and film as a means of enriching lives and transforming communities.
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Visit www.lightfactory.orgAbout The Light Factory
The Light Factory Photo Arts Center engages with the community through the creation, exploration, and sharing of photography.
Verified certifications
Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.
Mission
The light factory is committed to photography and film as a means of enriching lives and transforming communities.
Focus areas & reach
· What they work on and whereHow it stacks up against peers
· vs. 8 similar arts & culture in United StatesConcerns
· 1 red flagWhere every $1 goes
· FY2024 · IRS 990 (FY2024)GiveRadar Analysis
Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations
Based on the records currently verified by GiveRadar, The Light Factory has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 3 independent sources including the IRS.
- It has more complete governance disclosure than nearly all comparable charities, because GiveRadar has verified leadership, executive compensation, a mission statement and a founding date. See national comparisons
- GiveRadar holds a more complete profile for this organization than for 76% of the 133,127 arts & culture charities in the United States it tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its governance. Most of those have little verified data on record yet. View this cohort
- GiveRadar holds 5 years of financial filings for this organization, the most recent for fiscal year 2024. See the filings
- government registration
- financial records (5 filed years)
- disclosed leadership
- a website
- third-party accreditation
- a contact email
- a donation page
- an owner-submitted profile claim
Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.
Common questions
· Auto-generated from filings + methodologyThe Light Factory is a registered arts & culture nonprofit based in Charlotte, NC, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1975 and has been operating for 51 years. Its EIN is 510185359. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 71/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $295K in annual revenue. 51 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. GiveRadar has identified 1 potential concern.
The Light Factory's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 510185359. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.
The Light Factory has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 71/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 71 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for arts & culture charities in United States is 90/100.
The Light Factory is located in Charlotte, NC, United States. The organization was established in 1975 and has been active for 51 years.
Based on official tax filings, The Light Factory has $295K in annual revenue. It allocates 70% of expenses to programs and services. This is below the average of 76% for arts & culture charities in United States. Its revenue is below the peer average of $1M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.
The Light Factory is classified as an Arts & Culture organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Supporting organization (509(a)(3)). By size, it is categorized as a small organization. It has $295K in annual revenue. The organization has 51 disclosed officers and directors.
GiveRadar has identified 1 potential concern for The Light Factory. Red flags are automatically detected from official data and may include high executive compensation relative to budget, low program spending, or missing financial filings. Red flags do not necessarily mean wrongdoing but indicate areas that may warrant further review before donating.
According to GiveRadar's records, The Light Factory holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 70% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 76%). GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.
The Light Factory Photo Arts Center engages with the community through the creation, exploration, and sharing of photography. The Light Factory is classified as an arts & culture organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1975.
Among arts & culture charities registered in United States: It allocates 70% of expenses to programs, below the peer average of 76%. Its annual revenue of $295K is below the peer average of $1M.
Yes, donations to The Light Factory are generally tax-deductible in the United States. The Light Factory is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 510185359, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.
Filing history
5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.
See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.
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Tax-deductibility for donors
Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.
THE LIGHT FACTORY is registered in United States. Donations from the Netherlands to charities outside the EU/EEA are generally not tax-deductible for Dutch donors unless the charity is listed on the Dutch ANBI register with foreign-recognized status.
Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.
Staff & volunteers
From filings and published profiles
Leadership
From FY2024 filing
Officers & trustees (18)
Source: Public filings
18 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.
Latest news
From global news sources
No recent news coverage found
News coverage will appear here when articles mention this organization.
Activity timeline
Filings and press mentions, merged
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Sign up to write a reviewCause areas in United States
How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.
Most common causes in United States
Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.
Sources and verification
- Registration and legal identity
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
- Financial filings
- IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2024 most recent on file.
- Officers and trustees
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 51 disclosed in the public registry.
- Supplementary verification
- Charity Navigator
Data freshness
What we know and don't know
Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.
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Financial data · FY2024 on record
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Named leadership · 51 officers on file
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Executive pay · Disclosed
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Government registration · Registered with an official registry
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Mission statement · Published
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Official website · On record
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Headquarters address · On file
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Direct contact · Email or phone published
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Tax-deductibility · Verified
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Founding date · 1975
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Programs & activitiesNo named programs listed by the charity
Methodology
GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.
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Quick facts about The Light Factory
- What is The Light Factory?
- The Light Factory is a arts & culture supporting organization (509(a)(3)) based in Charlotte, United States. The Light Factory Photo Arts Center engages with the community through the creation, exploration, and sharing of photography.
- When was The Light Factory founded?
- The Light Factory was founded in 1975.
- Who leads The Light Factory?
- Titus Heagins serves as Exec Director.
- Where is The Light Factory located?
- Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, United States.
- What is The Light Factory's annual budget?
- Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $100K-$1M. 70% of expenses go to program services.
- Is The Light Factory trustworthy?
- The Light Factory has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 71 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
- What is The Light Factory's registration number?
- IRS EIN: 510185359.
- What is The Light Factory's website?
- http://www.lightfactory.org