Community-Word Project INC

Tax-deductible

New York, NY501(c)(3)Since 2000EducationEIN 13-4114145Revenue $2.1M in FY2025

On file with the IRScommunitywordproject.org11 Broadway Ste 508, 10004-3105 · New York, NYTax-exempt since Jul 2000Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Our mission is to facilitate culturally responsive, multidisciplinary art programs for students, teaching artists, and communities to develop and amplify their voices and creative skills.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
71¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 45 volunteers and 61 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
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $76K a year · 4% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
71%
of spending
Fine: 71% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$146K
to officers and key staff · 8% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 62% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 8% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
24
named funders · $390K
Looks good: 24 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$128K
10% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 10% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
20
of 20 voting members
Looks good: 20 of 20 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.1M
+40% vs prior year
Spent
$1.7M
To programs
71%
Net assets
$1.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$2.1M
FY2025▲ +40%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.5M
FY2021$1.8M
FY2022$2.0M
FY2023$1.7M
FY2024$1.5M
FY2025$2.1M
Expenses
$1.7M
FY2025▼ -12%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.4M
FY2021$1.5M
FY2022$1.7M
FY2023$1.9M
FY2024$2.0M
FY2025$1.7M
Net assets
$1.2M
FY2025▲ +39%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$890K
FY2021$1.2M
FY2022$1.5M
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$867K
FY2025$1.2M

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 Jul 2000.

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

Where the money goes

71 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 71% · $1.2M Management & general 17% · $300K Fundraising 12% · $200K

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

21 people listed on the 990; $146K 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
Executive Director
$146,396Pt VII · Sec A
Board Co-Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Michele Kotler’s $146K as Executive Director is at the 62nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 3394 $1–10M education 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Michele Kotler$146,396$142,500$133,117$109,076$103,511$100,619

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 Community-Word Project 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 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Teaches NYC youth literacy, arts, and critical thinking to boost awareness and emotional intelligence.

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3 programs · $1.2M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Collaborative Arts Residencies

Community-word project establishes in-school and after-school collaborative arts residencies (car) in new york city title I public schools as well as workshops through nyc public library partners to bring professional writers and artists to youth with a unique and stimulating arts-integrated curriculum.

$818Kprogram expense
02

Teaching Artist Project (tap)

Tap provides professional artists with comprehensive, skills-training seminars incorporating creative and multi-modal activities and on-the-job internships to provide students with the qualified teaching artists they need to meet their individual needs and exceed city- and state-mandated learning STANDARDS.TAP leads the tap cohort, a…

$320Kprogram expense
03

Professional development CWP holds professional development seminars and workshops to serve new and advanced teaching artists.

$95Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 24 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.1M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.8M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$312K
Investment incomeLn 3$3K
Money outPt IX
$1.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.2M
Managementcol C$300K
Fundraisingcol D$200K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$574K
Total assetsLn 16$1.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$128K
PeoplePt VI, VII
21
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a20
IndependentVI 1b20
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.8M
Government grantsLn 1e$225K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$250
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$287K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$312K
Investment incomeLn 3$3K
Total revenueLn 12$2.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$483K
SavingsLn 2$91K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$574K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$911
Other assetsLn 15$54K
Total assetsLn 16$1.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$128K
Net assetsLn 32$1.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 561
VolunteersI 645
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$560K$574K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$10K$911
Total assetsLn 16$1.0M$1.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$154K$128K
Net assetsLn 32$867K$1.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$166K$42K$42K$83K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$949K$828K$98K$23K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$159K$146K$11K$1K
Payroll taxesLn 10$94K$81K$8K$5K
Accounting feesLn 11c$65K$65K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$39K$39K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$38K$16K$22K$322
OccupancyLn 16$68K$39K$4K$25K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$6K$4K$2K$340
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$10K$8K$838$501
InsuranceLn 23$15K$5K$3K$7K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$112K$57K$38K$16K
All other expensesLn 24e$14K$8K$6K$359
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.7M$1.2M$300K$200K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $2.1M$1.7M$335K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.5M$2.0M−$488K$867K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.7M$1.9M−$126K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.0M$1.7M$261K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.8M$1.5M$340K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.5M$1.4M$132K$890K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,068,658 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,133,320$1,754,407
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $370,286$311,661
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $10,155$2,590
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$39,486$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,474,275$2,068,658
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,615,974$1,367,802
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $4,736$38,544
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $341,515$327,188
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,962,225$1,733,534
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$487,950$335,124
Part VI · Governance 20 of 20 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body20
VI-1b Independent voting members20
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
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 $2,068,658 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$286,734
VIII-1e Government grants$224,692
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,242,981
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$250
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,754,407
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $311,661$311,661
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $2,590$2,590
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $311,661 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,590$2,068,658
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,733,534 across 13 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $41,591 · Management $41,591 · Fundraising $83,182$166,364
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $828,170 · Management $98,083 · Fundraising $22,505$948,758
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $146,318 · Management $11,245 · Fundraising $1,071$158,634
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $80,880 · Management $8,229 · Fundraising $4,937$94,046
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $64,900$64,900
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $38,544$38,544
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $15,693 · Management $22,277 · Fundraising $322$38,292
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $38,843 · Management $3,834 · Fundraising $25,036$67,713
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $3,583 · Management $1,780 · Fundraising $340$5,703
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $8,211 · Management $838 · Fundraising $501$9,550
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $4,914 · Management $3,272 · Fundraising $7,005$15,191
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $57,179 · Management $38,183 · Fundraising $16,272$111,634
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $8,341 · Management $5,505 · Fundraising $359$14,205
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,233,723 · Management $299,737 · Fundraising $200,074$1,733,534
Part X · Balance sheet $1,330,293 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $319,593$482,662
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $240,015$91,128
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $344,812$701,697
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $10,461$911
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $106,274$53,895
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,021,155$1,330,293
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $58,699$59,043
X-19 Deferred revenue$30,000
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $95,638$39,253
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $154,337$128,296
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $759,818$846,997
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $107,000$355,000
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $866,818$1,201,997
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,021,155$1,330,293
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,201,997 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,068,658
XI-2 Total expenses$1,733,534
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$335,124
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$866,818
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$55
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,201,997

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

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