To spark personal and professional transformation by empowering people with the skill set, tool set, and mindset of deliberate creativity.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
64¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$119K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2023 · 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 $69K a year · 15% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
64%
of spending
Worth a look: 64% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$119K
to officers and key staff · 20% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 20% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
13 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 12.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $181K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$205K
22% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 22% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
15
of 15 voting members
Looks good: 15 of 15 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$472K
+8% vs prior year
Spent
$586K
To programs
64%
Net assets
$726K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$472K
FY2023▲ +8%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$300K
FY2021$548K
FY2022$437K
FY2023$472K
FY2024$492K
FY2025$537K
Expenses
$586K
FY2023▲ +1%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$376K
FY2021$411K
FY2022$579K
FY2023$586K
FY2024$594K
FY2025$651K
Net assets
$726K
FY2023▼ -12%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$827K
FY2021$968K
FY2022$827K
FY2023$726K
FY2024$631K
FY2025$526K

From the FY2023 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 1955.

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

Where the money goes

64 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 64% · $377K Management & general 26% · $154K Fundraising 9% · $55K

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

17 people listed on the 990; $119K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$118,959Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice-Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Mary E Miller’s $126K as Executive Director is at the 92nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 1612 $100K–1M 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
Mary E Miller$126,204$122,528$118,959$113,728$110,416$111,323

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 Creative Education Foundation 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

Empowers people with creativity skills, tools, and mindset for personal and professional growth.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $377K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

The foundation conducts two annual, international creativity conferences - the florida creativity conference (FLCC) and the creative problem solving institute (cpsi) - which welcome hundreds of participants and which present deliberate creativity and creative leadership workshops for personal and professional development.

$290Kprogram expense
02

Cef provides education services through training and consulting about creative thinking techniques and how people can develop creativity environments to support creative problem solving and innovation: 1. Cef's educator training programs trains educators how to integrate creative problem solving tools and skills in the classroom. 2.

$68Kprogram expense
03

The foundation publishes the academic journal entitled the "journal of creative behavior (JCB)" quarterly. The journal includes scholarship and current research in creative thinking and practice. For more than five decades, the JCB has been the benchmark academic periodical in the field.

$19Kprogram 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
Total grants receivedfrom 3 funders$181K
See all 3 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$472K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$391K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$77K
Investment incomeLn 3$4K
Money outPt IX
$586K
Ln 25
Programscol B$377K
Managementcol C$154K
Fundraisingcol D$55K
Owns and owesPt X
$726K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$622K
Total assetsLn 16$931K
LiabilitiesLn 26$205K
PeoplePt VI, VII
17
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a15
IndependentVI 1b15
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$77K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$391K
Investment incomeLn 3$4K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$4K
Total revenueLn 12$472K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$232K
SavingsLn 2$390K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$622K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$144K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K
Other assetsLn 15$124K
Total assetsLn 16$931K
LiabilitiesLn 26$205K
Net assetsLn 32$726K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 53
VolunteersI 631
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$699K$622K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$136K$144K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K$2K
Total assetsLn 16$1.0M$931K
LiabilitiesLn 26$214K$205K
Net assetsLn 32$827K$726K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$129K$48K$49K$32K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$116K$81K$34K$1K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$6K$5K$1K$277
Payroll taxesLn 10$19K$10K$6K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$20K$20K
Investment management feesLn 11f$1K$1K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$32K$32K
Office expensesLn 13$14K$13K$809$293
Information technologyLn 14$13K$6K$2K$5K
OccupancyLn 16$5K$4K$1K
TravelLn 17$16K$12K$2K$2K
InterestLn 20$4K$4K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$816$616$121$79
InsuranceLn 23$6K$3K$2K$740
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$187K$152K$24K$11K
All other expensesLn 24e$18K$10K$7K$793
Total functional expensesLn 25$586K$377K$154K$55K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $537K$651K−$113K$526K 990 PDF
FY2024 $492K$594K−$102K$631K 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $472K$586K−$114K$726K 990 PDF
FY2022 $437K$579K−$142K$827K 990 PDF
FY2021 $548K$411K$136K$968K 990 PDF
FY2020 $300K$376K−$76K$827K 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 FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $471,783 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $153,791$76,642
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $277,522$391,311
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $5,565$3,830
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $436,878$471,783
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 $288,895$269,435
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $290,084$316,512
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $578,979$585,947
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$142,101−$114,164
Part VI · Governance 15 of 15 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body15
VI-1b Independent voting members15
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 $471,783 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$76,642
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$76,642
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $391,311$391,311
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $8,008$8,008
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission −$4,178−$4,178
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $387,133 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $8,008$471,783
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $585,947 across 16 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $48,319 · Management $48,672 · Fundraising $31,822$128,813
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $80,846 · Management $33,684 · Fundraising $1,164$115,694
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $4,671 · Management $1,005 · Fundraising $277$5,953
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $10,124 · Management $6,359 · Fundraising $2,492$18,975
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $20,289$20,289
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $1,000$1,000
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $32,417$32,417
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $12,511 · Management $809 · Fundraising $293$13,613
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $6,053 · Management $1,730 · Fundraising $4,999$12,782
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $4,030 · Management $1,050$5,080
IX-17 TravelPrograms $12,279 · Management $2,135 · Fundraising $1,913$16,327
IX-20 InterestManagement $3,696$3,696
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $616 · Management $121 · Fundraising $79$816
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $3,007 · Management $1,890 · Fundraising $740$5,637
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $151,740 · Management $24,437 · Fundraising $10,793$186,970
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $10,415 · Management $6,677 · Fundraising $793$17,885
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $377,028 · Management $153,554 · Fundraising $55,365$585,947
Part X · Balance sheet $931,479 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $544,058$231,902
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $155,254$390,216
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,000$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $25,041$25,318
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $8,035$6,344
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $6,714$7,310
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $2,254$2,197
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $135,867$143,745
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $162,852$124,447
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,041,075$931,479
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $30,532$14,410
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $33,320$41,830
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $213,852$205,464
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $489,048$431,351
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $338,175$294,664
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $827,223$726,015
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,041,075$931,479
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $726,015 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$471,783
XI-2 Total expenses$585,947
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$114,164
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$827,223
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$12,956
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$726,015

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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