Data Visualization Society
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE DATA VISUALIZATION SOCIETY (DVS) FOSTERS A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERY MEMBER BENEFITS FROM RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT GROWTH, REFINEMENT, AND EXPANSION OF DATA VISUALIZATION KNOWLEDGE REGARDLESS OF EXPERTISE LEVEL.
- Income
- $288,731
- Spending
- $308,425
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 0.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 97%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 14
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 44 out of 100. Higher than 13% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.5 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 28% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 17% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 67 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
18 of 253 of 3 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $103,122 spent. THE OUTLIER CONFERENCE IS THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE DATA NETWORKING, AND HANDS-ON PRACTICE WITH THE ART AND SCIENCE OF DATA VISUALIZATION. SPEAKERS REPRESENT VARIOUS SUBJECT MATTER AREAS, GEOGRAPHIES, AND BACKGROUNDS, CREATING A DIVERSE STUDY OF THE FIELD OF DATA VISUALIZATION. THE 2025 CONFERENCE FUNCTIONED AS AN ONLINE EVENT, IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE ORGANIZATION'S AIMS TO CREATE INCLUSIVE, ACCESSIBLE EVENTS FOR DATA VISUALIZATION PRACTITIONERS. EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH OUTLIER INCLUDE SPEAKER HONORARIUMS, PART-TIME CONTRACTED TEAM MEMBERS WHO RUN THE EVENT, AND EVENT HOSTING COSTS, INCLUDING VENUE, AUDIOVISUAL, CATERING, AND PRINTING. REVENUE IS GENERATED THROUGH SPONSORSHIPS AND TICKET SALES.
- $77,341 spent. NIGHTINGALE MAGAZINE IS THE JOURNAL OF THE DATA VISUALIZATION SOCIETY, WITH PRINT ISSUES AND A DIGITAL PUBLICATION (NIGHTINGALEDVS.COM) WITH MULTIPLE NEW ARTICLES A MONTH. THE JOURNAL SUPPORTS THE CORE NONPROFIT AIM OF THE SOCIETY BY PROVIDING A CENTRAL REPOSITORY FOR DATA VISUALIZATION LEARNING, INSPIRATION, KNOWLEDGE, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ALIGNED WITH THE STRATEGIC AIMS OF THE ORGANIZATION TO CELEBRATE, NURTURE, AND ADVANCE THE FIELD. THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MAGAZINE INCLUDE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR STIPENDS, PART-TIME EDITORS WHO FUNCTION AS CONTRACTORS FOR THE ORGANIZATION, PRINTING AND SHIPPING COSTS FOR DISSEMINATING THE JOURNAL, AND MAINTENANCE COSTS FOR THE DIGITAL SITE. REVENUE IS GENERATED THROUGH THE SALE OF THE MAGAZINE AND SPONSORED CONTENT.
- $77,341 spent. MEMBERSHIP TIERS ENABLE THE DATA VISUALIZATION SOCIETY TO OFFER DIFFERENT OFFERINGS, INCLUDING MENTORSHIP, COURSE DISCOUNTS, DIGITAL JOURNAL ACCESS, AND MORE TO DUES-PAYING MEMBERS. THE MEMBERSHIP STRUCTURE ALIGNS WITH INDUSTRY STANDARDS FOR NONPROFIT PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE AIM OF BUILDING COMMUNITY AND PROMOTING KNOWLEDGE SHARING WITHIN A SPECIALIZED FIELD. DUES-PAYING MEMBERS ALSO SERVE AS VOTING MEMBERS IN THE ORGANIZATION, OVERSEEING THE PASSAGE OF ANY BYLAW AMENDMENTS AND THE ANNUAL NOMINATION AND CONFIRMATION OF NEW DIRECTORS. EXPENSES INCLUDE COSTS RELATED TO MANAGING THE MEMBER PORTAL AND MEMBERSHIP DATA, MEMBER-RELATED COMMUNICATIONS, AND PART-TIME PAID CONTRIBUTORS TO MEMBER-SERVING PROGRAMS. REVENUE IS GENERATED THROUGH MEMBERSHIP DUES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 2020.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.