Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service
Public Charity Status and Public Support
Complete if the organization is a section 501(c)(3) organization or a section
4947(a)(1) nonexempt charitable trust.
Attach to Form 990 or Form 990-EZ. See separate instructions.
OMB No. 1545-0047
2012
Open to Public Inspection
Name of the organization
Society of Biblical Literature
Employer identification number
23-6390716
Part I
Reason for Public Charity Status
(All organizations must complete this part.) See instructions.
The organization is not a private foundation because it is: (For lines 1 through 11, check only one box.)
1
2
3
4
5
section 170(b)(1)(A)(iv). (Complete Part II.)
6
7
8
9
receipts from activities related to its exempt functions—subject to certain exceptions, and (2) no more than 331/3% of
its support from gross investment income and unrelated business taxable income (less section 511 tax) from businesses
acquired by the organization after June 30, 1975. See section 509(a)(2). (Complete Part III.)
10
11
e
By checking this box, I certify that the organization is not controlled directly or indirectly by one or more disqualified persons other than foundation managers and other than one or more publicly supported organizations described in section 509(a)(1) or section 509(a)(2).
f
If the organization received a written determination from the IRS that it is a Type I, Type II, or Type III supporting organization, check this box
..................................................
g
Since August 17, 2006, has the organization accepted any gift or contribution from any of the following persons?
(i) A person who directly or indirectly controls, either alone or together with persons described in (ii)
Yes
No
and (iii) below, the governing body of the supported organization?
................
11g(i)
No
(ii)
A family member of a person described in (i) above?
......................
11g(ii)
No
(iii)
A 35% controlled entity of a person described in (i) or (ii) above?
................
11g(iii)
No
h
Provide the following information about the supported organization(s).
(i) Name of supported organization
(ii) EIN
(iii) Type of organization (described on lines 1- 9 above or IRC section (see instructions))
(iv) Is the organization in col. (i) listed in your governing document?
(v) Did you notify the organization in col. (i) of your support?
(vi) Is the organization in col. (i) organized in the U.S.?
(vii) Amount of monetary support
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Total
For Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see the Instructions for Form 990 or 990EZ.
Cat. No. 11285F
Schedule A (Form 990 or 990-EZ) 2012
Schedule A (Form 990 or 990-EZ) 2012
Page 2
Part II
Support Schedule for Organizations Described in Sections 170(b)(1)(A)(iv) and 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (Complete only if you checked the box on line 5, 7, or 8 of Part I or if the
organization failed to qualify under Part III. If the organization fails to
qualify under the tests listed below, please complete Part III.)
Section A. Public Support
Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in)
(a) 2008
(b) 2009
(c) 2010
(d) 2011
(e) 2012
(f) Total
1
Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grants.") ....
2
Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf.......
3
The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge..
4
Total. Add lines 1 through 3
5
The portion of total contributions by each person (other than a governmental unit or publicly supported organization) included
on line 1 that exceeds 2% of the amount shown on line 11, column (f)..
6
Public support. Subtract line 5 from line 4.
Section B. Total Support
Calendar year
(or fiscal year beginning in)
(a) 2008
(b) 2009
(c) 2010
(d) 2011
(e) 2012
(f) Total
7
Amounts from line 4..
8
Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources...
9
Net income from unrelated business activities, whether or not the business is regularly carried on..
10
Other income. Do not include gain or loss from the sale of capital assets (Explain in Part IV.)..
11
Total support (Add lines 7 through 10).
12
Gross receipts from related activities, etc. (see instructions)
..................
12
13
First five years.
If the Form 990 is for the organization's first, second, third, fourth, or fifth tax year as a 501(c)(3) organization,
check this box and stop here........................................
Section C. Computation of Public Support Percentage
14
Public support percentage for 2012 (line 6, column (f) divided by line 11, column (f))
.........
14
15
Public support percentage for 2011 Schedule A, Part II, line 14
...............
15
16a
33 1/3% support test—2012.
If the organization did not check the box on line 13, and line 14 is 33 1/3% or more, check this box
and stop here. The organization qualifies as a publicly supported organization
.......................
b
33 1/3% support test—2011.
If the organization did not check a box on line 13 or 16a, and line 15 is 33 1/3% or more, check this
box and stop here. The organization qualifies as a publicly supported organization
.....................
17a
10%-facts-and-circumstances test—2012.
If the organization did not check a box on line 13, 16a, or 16b, and line 14
is 10% or more, and if the organization meets the "facts-and-circumstances" test, check this box and stop here. Explain
in Part IV how the organization meets the "facts-and-circumstances" test. The organization qualifies as a publicly supported
organization
.....................................................
b
10%-facts-and-circumstances test—2011.
If the organization did not check a box on line 13, 16a, 16b, or 17a, and line
15 is 10% or more, and if the organization meets the "facts-and-circumstances" test, check this box and stop here.
Explain in Part IV how the organization meets the "facts-and-circumstances" test. The organization qualifies as a publicly supported organization
................................................
18
Private foundation.
If the organization did not check a box on line 13, 16a, 16b, 17a, or 17b, check this box and see
instructions
.....................................................
Schedule A (Form 990 or 990-EZ) 2012
Schedule A (Form 990 or 990-EZ) 2012
Page 3
Part III
Support Schedule for Organizations Described in Section 509(a)(2) (Complete only if you checked the box on line 9 of Part I or if the organization
failed to qualify under Part II. If the organization fails to qualify under
the tests listed below, please complete Part II.)
Section A. Public Support
Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in)
(a) 2008
(b) 2009
(c) 2010
(d) 2011
(e) 2012
(f) Total
1
Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grants.") .
97,711
162,915
150,393
215,413
156,749
783,181
2
Gross receipts from admissions, merchandise sold or services performed, or facilities furnished in any activity that is related to the organization's tax-exempt purpose......
2,348,603
2,279,036
2,475,383
2,859,185
2,921,137
12,883,344
3
Gross receipts from activities that are not an unrelated trade or business under section 513..
0
4
Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf...
0
5
The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge..
0
6
Total. Add lines 1 through 5.
2,446,314
2,441,951
2,625,776
3,074,598
3,077,886
13,666,525
7a
Amounts included on lines 1, 2, and 3 received from disqualified persons...
8,765
11,570
16,167
75
36,577
b
Amounts included on lines 2 and 3 received from other than disqualified persons that exceed the greater of $5,000 or 1% of the amount on line 13 for the year.
3,103
3,103
c
Add lines 7a and 7b..
11,868
11,570
16,167
75
39,680
8
Public support (Subtract line 7c from line 6.)
13,626,845
Section B. Total Support
Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in)
(a) 2008
(b) 2009
(c) 2010
(d) 2011
(e) 2012
(f) Total
9
Amounts from line 6...
2,446,314
2,441,951
2,625,776
3,074,598
3,077,886
13,666,525
10a
Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources..
217,088
234,062
244,296
331,171
349,722
1,376,339
b
Unrelated business taxable income (less section 511 taxes) from businesses acquired after June 30, 1975.
0
c
Add lines 10a and 10b.
217,088
234,062
244,296
331,171
349,722
1,376,339
11
Net income from unrelated business activities not included in line 10b, whether or not the business is regularly carried on.
0
12
Other income. Do not include gain or loss from the sale of capital assets (Explain in Part IV.)
..
36,249
34,363
70,612
13
Total support. (Add lines 9, 10c, 11, and 12.)..
2,699,651
2,710,376
2,870,072
3,405,769
3,427,608
15,113,476
14
First five years.
If the Form 990 is for the organization's first, second, third, fourth, or fifth tax year as a 501(c)(3) organization,
check this box and stop here.............................................
Section C. Computation of Public Support Percentage
15
Public support percentage for 2012 (line 8, column (f) divided by line 13, column (f))
.........
15
90.163 %
16
Public support percentage from 2011 Schedule A, Part III, line 15
...............
16
89.712 %
Section D. Computation of Investment Income Percentage
17
Investment income percentage for 2012 (line 10c, column (f) divided by line 13, column (f))
......
17
9.107 %
18
Investment income percentage from 2011 Schedule A, Part III, line 17
.............
18
8.857 %
19a
33 1/3% support tests—2012.
If the organization did not check the box on line 14, and line 15 is more than 33 1/3%, and line 17 is not more than 33 1/3%, check this box and stop here. The organization qualifies as a publicly supported organization
........
b
33 1/3% support tests—2011.
If the organization did not check a box on line 14 or line 19a, and line 16 is more than 33 1/3% and line 18 is not more than 33 1/3%, check this box and stop here. The organization qualifies as a publicly supported organization
.....
20
Private foundation.
If the organization did not check a box on line 14, 19a, or 19b, check this box and see instructions
.....
Schedule A (Form 990 or 990-EZ) 2012
Schedule A (Form 990 or 990-EZ) 2012
Page 4
Part IV
Supplemental Information.
Complete this part to provide the explanations required by Part II, line 10; Part II, line 17a or 17b; and Part III, line 12. Also complete this part for any additional information. (See instructions).
Facts And Circumstances Test
Explanation
Schedule A (Form 990 or 990-EZ) 2012
Additional Data
Software ID:
Software Version:
-
TIN:
SCHEDULE O (Form 990 or 990-EZ)
Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service
Supplemental Information to Form 990 or 990-EZ
Complete to provide information for responses to specific questions on
Form 990 or to provide any additional information.
Attach to Form 990 or 990-EZ.
OMB No. 1545-0047
2012
Open to Public Inspection
Name of the organization
Society of Biblical Literature
Employer identification number
23-6390716
Identifier
Return Reference
Explanation
Form 990, Part III, Question 4a
Congresses - Two major annual conferences are held each year - one in the United States and one abroad, as well as regional meetings which are discussed below. Conferences are an important venue for members as they provide opportunities for intellectual and professional development, facilitating broad discussions, and enable members to collaborate with many institutions and organizations. They provide an opportunity to reach a diverse audience and in many cases resources are developed as a result of these conferences. The conference held in the US offers employers an opportunity to interview perspective employees, an opportunity that assists our members in finding jobs. A individual may have multiple job interviews that were this benefit not provided would require them to be able to travel to each job location for an interview.
Form 990, Part III, Question 4c
Professions - Professions include a broad range of activities that support professional development, facilitate open discussion, and encourage the scholarly study of the bible. SBL collaborates with the National Humanities Alliance and American Council of Learned Societies; organizations that function as a consortium for humanities activities. In addition, SBL has established partnerships with consortia of colleges, universities, and seminaries as well as with individual higher education institutions. Currently SBL has a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to develop an interactive website that will provide an additional tool for the public to use in their understanding of the Bible and its contexts. This website, Bible Odyssey, will support and foster the large public interest in matters biblical and will draw on the work of SBL members. In a time of academic departmental cutbacks, this is an opportunity to demonstrate to the public the value to society that biblical scholars offer. Bible Odyssey is scheduled to launch in November 2013.
Form 990, Part III, Question 4d
Other programs include membership, regions, and research and technology. --- Membership and Regions - As of June 30, 2013 there were 8,422 members of the Society. Membership dues provides a myriad of member services. Members receive discounts on journals, meeting registrations, and books. Members participate in the governance and provide direction through their work on committees. Over 3,000 members participate as chairs, presenters, presiders, or panelists at the eleven Regional Meetings, the International Meeting, and the Annual Meeting; over 6,000 members attend those meetings. The Society of Biblical Literature is made up of a community of member scholars volunteering their time and talents to further biblical scholarship for many years to come and to pass along their knowledge to those who will follow in their footsteps. --- Technology - Technology waits for no man. Trying to stay abreast of the latest technology and what it means for the Society is a daunting task and has become a challenge that is defeating many an organization. The Society of Biblical Literature(SBL) has embraced technology and to date has provided excellent member services by staying abreast of new technology. The publications program quickly moved to print-on-demand to reduce cost of book publications and inventory storage, enabling the production of more books in a given year. The website has had one major overhaul and is due to have another in the near future. Congresses department has worked with the technology department to continually create better environments for program unit chairs to utilize and for member registration and online services. There is now an iPhone APP for downloading the US annual meeting program book and setting up a personal calendar schedule for the event. SBL's technology department has done an amazing job of staying ahead of the curve.
Form 990, Part VI, Section A, Questions 6 & 7a
Members join the Society through the purchase of a membership. Each year at the annual meeting there is a business meeting at which the members hear a motion to approve the new members to Council. The governing body of the organization is then given the responsibility to make decisions on behalf of the organization.
Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Question 11b
The Form 990 is reviewed by the Executive Director and Finance Committee prior to filing to ensure that no obvious mistakes or misstatements occur. The Form 990 will be provided to the Board before the return is filed by one of two methods. Either it will be uploaded to a website that only the Board has access to or they will be sent a password protected electronic copy of the return.
Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Question 12c
The governing body is required to complete a statement regarding conflict of interests on an annual basis. Lists of statements sent out are maintained and checked off as the statement is received. Each statement is reviewed for conflicts.
Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Question 15a
SBL focuses on comparable nonprofit organizations in our area to benchmark pay. In addition, market information from two additional market segments, private foundations and published not-for-profit compensation surveys may be used as a supplement. We also collect other published survey data, when appropriate, for for-profit organizations for specific functional competencies. Data from these market segments are used to form a "market composite" to assess the competitiveness of compensation. Executive Director compensation policy is administered by the Finance/Audit/Investment Committee. It is responsible for establishing and maintaining a competitive compensation program for the Executive Director of the organization. The Committee meets as needed to review the compensation program and make recommendations for any changes to Council as appropriate. The committee reviews and approves base salaries and annual incentive opportunity adjustments, and objectives and goals for the upcoming year's annual incentive plan.
Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Question 19
The organization's governing documents and conflict of interest policy are available to the public upon request. Financial statements are published annually on the SBL website, Guidestar, and are also available upon request.
For Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see the Instructions for Form 990 or 990-EZ.