The mission is to expand equitable access to Arts education in historically underserved public middle and high schools.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
75¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 10 volunteers and 12 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
1 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $538K a year · 36% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
75%
of spending
Looks good: 75% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$280K
to officers and key staff · 15% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 15% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $582K in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 0.8 months of spending in cash, plus $582K in investments.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
12
named funders · $610K
Looks good: 12 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$181K
10% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 10% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 10 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 10 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.4M
-12% vs prior year
Spent
$1.9M
To programs
75%
Net assets
$1.7M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.4M
FY2025▼ -12%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.6M
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$2.4M
FY2023$1.0M
FY2024$1.6M
FY2025$1.4M
Expenses
$1.9M
FY2025▼ -12%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.0M
FY2021$1.9M
FY2022$2.1M
FY2023$2.1M
FY2024$2.2M
FY2025$1.9M
Net assets
$1.7M
FY2025▼ -19%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$4.9M
FY2021$3.9M
FY2022$3.8M
FY2023$2.6M
FY2024$2.1M
FY2025$1.7M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jan 2000.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

75 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 75% · $1.4M Management & general 23% · $447K Fundraising 1% · $29K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

12 people listed on the 990; $280K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
La Executive Director
$142,643Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director
$137,308Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President/Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer/Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary/Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Rubi Fregoso’s $143K as La Executive Director is at the 63rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $1–10M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Toby Boshak$137,308$212,308$200,000$200,000$199,746$16,667
Cheri Walsh————$1,768$152,376
Rubi Fregoso$142,643$132,746$116,333$115,000——
Faith Childs-Davis—————$113,968
Hannah Berson——$110,500$106,500$104,810$101,753

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Exploring the Arts INC executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Transforms young lives through arts education in public schools.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $1.0M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Internship Program

Provides students who face structural barriers with paid work experiences, mentorship opportunities, and professional development in the arts that empower self-identity and help build valuable skills for the futures.

$482Kprogram expense
02

Lang Arts Scholars Program

Provides 15 students from etas nyc partner schools with fully-funded, intensive training in the performing arts, coupled with a wrap-around, college and career preparatory curriculum.

$286Kprogram expense
03

Four-Year Plan

Provides funding and technical assistance over the course of four years to help principals and teachers implement strategic plans for building rigorous, school-day arts programs and curricula that lead to measurable improvements in student learning, student engagement, and program sustainability.

$268Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 12 funders →
Grants paid · 10 grants · $735K · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$147,770
Unitemized GrantFY2023$190,224
Unitemized GrantFY2022$50,000
Frank Sinatra School of the ArtsFY2022$40,000
Frank Sinatra School of the ArtFY2021$40,000
Unitemized GrantFY2021$38,263
Unitemized GrantFY2020$49,410
Frank Sinatra School of the ArtFY2020$41,500
Unitemized GrantFY2019$97,965
Frank Sinatra School of the ArtFY2019$40,000

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$43K
Other incomeLn 4–11$14K
Money outPt IX
$1.9M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.4M
Managementcol C$447K
Fundraisingcol D$29K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$124K
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$181K
PeoplePt VI, VII
12
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$112K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$5K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$25K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$43K
Investment incomeLn 3$13K
Other incomeLn 4–11$14K
Total revenueLn 12$1.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$124K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$124K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$582K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$250
Other assetsLn 15$56K
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$181K
Net assetsLn 32$1.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 512
VolunteersI 610
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2−$7K$124K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.1M$582K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$509$250
Total assetsLn 16$2.3M$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$217K$181K
Net assetsLn 32$2.1M$1.7M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$148K$148K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$177K$91K$63K$23K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$594K$562K$32K$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$137K$117K$18K$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$63K$54K$8K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$94K$0$94K$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$111K$51K$59K$541
Office expensesLn 13$8K$950$7K$0
OccupancyLn 16$113K$0$113K$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$259$0$259$0
InsuranceLn 23$8K$0$8K$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$419K$407K$11K$0
All other expensesLn 24e$36K$3K$32K$789
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.9M$1.4M$447K$29K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $1.4M$1.9M−$486K$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.6M$2.2M−$551K$2.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.0M$2.1M−$1.1M$2.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.4M$2.1M$240K$3.8M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.1M$1.9M−$844K$3.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.6M$2.0M−$454K$4.9M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,422,911 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,542,526$1,353,430
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $24,975$43,050
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $38,394$12,931
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,964$13,500
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,607,859$1,422,911
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $190,224$147,770
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,103,227$972,019
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $864,964$789,466
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,158,415$1,909,255
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$550,556−$486,344
Part VI · Governance 10 of 10 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body10
VI-1b Independent voting members10
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,422,911 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$25,188
VIII-1e Government grants$112,475
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,215,767
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$4,949
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,353,430
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$43,050
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $12,931$12,931
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $13,500 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$13,500
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $56,550 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $12,931$1,422,911
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,909,255 across 13 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $147,770$147,770
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $91,440 · Management $63,100 · Fundraising $22,860$177,400
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $562,062 · Management $32,309 · Fundraising $0$594,371
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $116,696 · Management $17,949 · Fundraising $2,580$137,225
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $53,528 · Management $7,739 · Fundraising $1,756$63,023
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $94,460 · Fundraising $0$94,460
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $50,708 · Management $59,337 · Fundraising $541$110,586
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $950 · Management $7,424 · Fundraising $0$8,374
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $0 · Management $112,967 · Fundraising $0$112,967
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $0 · Management $259 · Fundraising $0$259
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $0 · Management $8,324 · Fundraising $0$8,324
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $407,329 · Management $11,355 · Fundraising $0$418,684
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $3,114 · Management $31,909 · Fundraising $789$35,812
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,433,597 · Management $447,132 · Fundraising $28,526$1,909,255
Part X · Balance sheet $1,897,955 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year −$6,859$124,041
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,086,091$1,078,340
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $25,257$56,950
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $509$250
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $1,081,600$582,374
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $142,101$56,000
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,328,699$1,897,955
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $72,736$127,011
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $144,496$53,716
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $217,232$180,727
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,641,015$619,706
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $470,452$1,097,522
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,111,467$1,717,228
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,328,699$1,897,955
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,717,228 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,422,911
XI-2 Total expenses$1,909,255
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$486,344
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,111,467
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$92,105
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,717,228

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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