The Negative Space
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
PROVIDE RESOURCES TO CAREGIVERS AT LOW COST OR NO COST. EDUCATES AND EQUIPS CAREGIVERS WHO SUPPORT THEM WITH CONCRETE TOOLS AND STRATEGIES.
- Income
- $210,719
- Spending
- $141,477
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 15.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 86%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $63,489, founder and ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 83% of charities in its peer group (health care, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 15.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 33% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 92% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 92 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (health care, under $250k).
Independent board
18 of 254 of 4 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a 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.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 (4)
- $32,459 spent. THE STORYLINE PROGRAM IS A GROWING LIBRARY OF ONLINE RESOURCES CREATED TO HELP CAREGIVERS FEEL SEEN AND SUPPORTED THROUGH EVERY CHAPTER OF THEIR CAREGIVING LIVES. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 27 MEMBERS REGISTERED FOR STORYLINE.
- $8,606 spent. CAREGIVER GIFT BOXES: YOU CANT ALWAYS TAKE A CAREGIVERS RESPONSIBILITIES OFF OF THEIR PLATE, BUT YOU CAN TELL THEM THAT THEY MATTER, THAT YOU SEE THEM, AND THAT THEY ARE PART OF THE STORY WITH AN IM PART OF THE STORY CAREGIVER GIFT BOX. GIFT BOXES ARE OFFERED AT TWO PRICE POINTS AND THE NEGATIVE SPACE PROVIDES FREE GIFT BOXES TO ANY CAREGIVER WHO ASKS, THROUGH GENEROUS INDIVIDUAL BOX SPONSORS. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF GIFT BOX SALES IN 2021, 798 BOXES HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO CAREGIVERS TO DATE OF WHICH 454 WERE PURCHASED, 142 PROVIDED BY CAREGIVERS STAYING AT HOPE LODGE, 127 FANCONI FOUNDATION FAMILIES AND 75 PROVIDED AT NO COST THANKS TO DONORS.
- $5,117 spent. ONLINE SUPPORT GROUP PROGRAM - THE NEGATIVE SPACE OFFERS BI-MONTHLY VIRTUAL CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUPS AT NO COST, WHICH ARE OPEN TO CURRENT AND FORMER CAREGIVERS OF ALL TYPES. IN THESE SESSIONS HARD THINGS ARE NOT SUGAR COATED AND EXPERIENCES ARE NOT BRIGHT SIDED. 23 SUPPORT SESIONS WERE HELD WITH UPWARDS FO 20 PEOPLE PER SESSION.
- IN SICKNESS, A BI-MONTHLY PODCAST HOSTED BY ALLISON BREININGER, SHARES THE REALITIES OF WHAT ITS LIKE TO BE SPOUSAL CAREGIVERS OFFERING TIPS, ADVICE, A PLACE OF COMMUNITY FOR AND SOLIDARITY WITH ALL CAREGIVERS. IN SICKNESS OFFERS CAREGIVERS A SOFT PLACE TO LAND AND INCLUDES VARIOUS VOICES OF PEOPLE WHO GET IT. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2020, ALLISON AND JUSTIN HAVE PRODUCED 95 EPISODES WHICH HAVE BEEN DOWNLOADED MORE THAN 35,000 TIMES AND HOSTED 13 SPECIAL GUESTS. 1-ON-1 CAREGIVER COACHING. ALLISON PROVIDES HOUR-LONG COACHING SESSIONS TO CAREGIVERS FROM EVERY BACKGROUND. FROM INITIAL DIAGNOSIS, THROUGH PROCEDURES AND AFTER CARE, ALLISON MEETS CAREGIVERS WHERE THEY ARE AT AND PROVIDES THEM SPACE TO PROCESS, GUIDANCE, AND A LISTENING EAR LETTING CAREGIVERS KNOW THEY ARE NOT ALONE. CAREGIVERS COME FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC LEVELS. THE COACHING PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY OPERATED ON A SLIDING SCALE FEE, PAY WHAT YOU CAN AND NO ONE IS TURNED AWAY FOR THEIR INABILITY TO PAY. TO DATE 33 SESSIONS HAVE BEEN HELD WITH $0 COST TO ATTENDEES. ATTENDEES WERE FROM 23 DIFFERENT STATES, FOUR COUNTRIES AND 449 ATTENDEES HAVE PARTICIPATED IN TOTAL. THE NEGATIVE SPACE HAS A HEAVY ONLINE PRESENCE ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM. THOUSANDS OF CAREGIVERS HAVE ACCESS TO A UNIQUE ONLINE COMMUNITY THAT PROVIDES DAILY PRACTICAL TIPS AND SUPPORT, MEETING CAREGIVERS WHEREVER THEY ARE ON THEIR CAREGIVER JOURNEY. THIS ONLINE COMMUNITY IS ALSO AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO SUPPORT CAREGIVERS (HINT: ITS EVERYBODY), EQUIPPING THEM WITH LANGUAGE AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO EFFECTIVELY HELP THE CAREGIVERS IN THEIR LIVES. THERE ARE THREE AVERAGE POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA EACH WEEK AND 2,500 INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS. CAREGIVER GIFT BOXES: YOU CANT ALWAYS TAKE A CAREGIVERS RESPONSIBILITIES OFF OF THEIR PLATE, BUT YOU CAN TELL THEM THAT THEY MATTER, THAT YOU SEE THEM, AND THAT THEY ARE PART OF THE STORY WITH AN IM PART OF THE STORY CAREGIVER GIFT BOX. GIFT BOXES ARE OFFERED AT TWO PRICE POINTS AND THE NEGATIVE SPACE PROVIDES FREE GIFT BOXES TO ANY CAREGIVER WHO ASKS, THROUGH GENEROUS INDIVIDUAL BOX SPONSORS. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF GIFT BOX SALES IN 2021, 688 BOXES HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO CAREGIVERS TO DATE OF WHICH 344 WERE PURCHASED, 142 PROVIDED BY CAREGIVERS STAYING AT HOPE LODGE, 127 FANCONI FOUNDATION FAMILIES AND 75 PROVIDED AT NO COST THANKS TO DONORS. THE NEGATIVE SPACE PROVIDES CLIENT AND CONSULTANT WORK FOR BUSINESSES, COMMUNITIES AND RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO BECOME MORE ACCESSIBLE TO CAREGIVERS. THE NEGATIVE SPACE HAS PARTNERED WITH LOCAL AND NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH CONTENT-SPECIFIC SPEECHES AND WRITING ENGAGEMENTS. A PARTIAL LIST OF CURRENT PARTNERSHIPS INCLUDES, BE THE MATCH, AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, M HEALTH FAIRVIEW, FANCONI ANEMIA RESEARCH FUND, CANCER CON, STAND UP 2 CANCER, ELEPHANTS AND TEA, THE CAREGIVER SPACE, CAREGIVER SURVIVOR, AND IANACARE. THEY HAVE PARTICIPATED IN 6 EVENTS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR AND HAVE FACILITATED 32 LIVE WEBINARS FOR THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 February 2022.
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.