Sunflower Creative Arts INC

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Sunflower's mission is to empower children to be confident, Creative and compassionate through play, nature and the Arts. Sunflower Creative Arts provides a unique and diverse collection of Arts and educational programs for children and families. Sunflower's work is grounded in the belief that hands-on learning experiences in play, nature and the Arts are absolutely essential for healthy human development. The pillars of sunflower's educational philosophy are respect for the individual, learning through experience and learning within community. Our programs nurture the Creative spirit, promote children's community engagement, and support parents in their work of raising strong children. A key component to fulfilling our mission is to provide children with opportunities for learning through play, nature, and the Arts, while increasing the community's understanding of the importance of these experiences for healthy child development. We offer early childhood programs on our campus which

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 16-1656606) · Dispute this line
501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 157 volunteers and 21 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
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
The IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $20K a year · 2% of revenue · last 5 filings
A surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
87%
of spending
87% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$58K
to officers and key staff · 5% of spending
Pay to officers and key staff is 5% of spending.
Part VII, Section A
3.1 mo
of spending, in cash
3.1 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $25K
1 funder names it on their filings.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$888K
70% of total assets
Liabilities are 70% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
9 of 9 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$1.1M
+17% vs prior year
Spent
$1.1M
To programs
87%
Net assets
$375K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$1.1M
FY2025▲ +17%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$646K
FY2022$783K
FY2023$969K
FY2024$906K
FY2025$1.1M
Expenses
$1.1M
FY2025▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$536K
FY2022$734K
FY2023$914K
FY2024$985K
FY2025$1.1M
Net assets
$375K
FY2025▼ -9%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$386K
FY2022$434K
FY2023$490K
FY2024$411K
FY2025$375K

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

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 2003.

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

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $959K Management & general 10% · $106K Fundraising 3% · $35K

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

9 people listed on the 990; $58K paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Director
$58,323Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Susan Caruso’s $58K as Director is at the 7th 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Susan Caruso$58,323$62,000———
Susan D Caruso——$57,000$56,650$55,000

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 Sunflower Creative Arts INC executive salaries →

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
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II1 listed

Programs and updates

Empowers children through play, nature, and arts programs to foster confidence and compassion.

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2 programs · $959K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Seedlings preschool

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 16-1656606) · Dispute this line
$959Kprogram expense
02

Build and play

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 16-1656606) · Dispute this line
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B

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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$25K
Grants paid · 4 grants · $188K · 2020–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$51,181
Unitemized GrantFY2022$43,189
Unitemized GrantFY2021$53,854
Unitemized GrantFY2020$39,870

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.1M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$707K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$295K
Other incomeLn 4–11$56K
Money outPt IX
$1.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$959K
Managementcol C$106K
Fundraisingcol D$35K
Owns and owesPt X
$375K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$287K
Total assetsLn 16$1.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$888K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$295K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$707K
Investment incomeLn 3$6K
Other incomeLn 4–11$56K
Total revenueLn 12$1.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$287K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$287K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$975K
Total assetsLn 16$1.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$888K
Net assetsLn 32$375K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 521
VolunteersI 6157
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$295K$287K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.0M$975K
Total assetsLn 16$1.3M$1.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$905K$888K
Net assetsLn 32$411K$375K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$51K$51K
Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5$58K$42K$5K$11K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$568K$492K$71K$4K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$5K$4K$184
Office expensesLn 13$122K$95K$20K$8K
InterestLn 20$34K$32K$1K$335
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$46K$46K
InsuranceLn 23$35K$35K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$138K$117K$9K$12K
All other expensesLn 24e$43K$42K$355
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.1M$959K$106K$35K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Mar 13, 2026 $1.1M$1.1M−$36K$375K 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Nov 30, 2024 $906K$985K−$78K$411K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Jan 16, 2024 $969K$914K$56K$490K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Dec 6, 2022 $783K$734K$48K$434K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Feb 14, 2022 $646K$536K$111K$386K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support I · Grants O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990
Part I · Summary $1,063,645 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $235,274$295,001
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $671,069$707,428
I-10 Investment income$5,520
I-11 Other revenue$55,696
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $906,343$1,063,645
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$51,181
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $567,099$0
I-15 Salaries and benefits$625,916
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $417,585$422,917
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $984,684$1,100,014
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$78,341−$36,369
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
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 $1,063,645 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$295,001
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$295,001
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $707,428$707,428
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $5,520$5,520
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $55,696$55,696
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $768,644$1,063,645
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,100,014 across 10 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $51,181$51,181
IX-5 Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Programs $42,073 · Management $5,417 · Fundraising $10,833$58,323
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $492,492 · Management $70,845 · Fundraising $4,256$567,593
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $4,469 · Fundraising $184$4,653
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $95,218 · Management $19,568 · Fundraising $7,558$122,344
IX-20 InterestPrograms $31,923 · Management $1,344 · Fundraising $335$33,602
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $46,126$46,126
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $35,395$35,395
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $117,462 · Management $8,552 · Fundraising $12,070$138,084
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $42,358 · Management $355$42,713
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $958,697 · Management $106,081 · Fundraising $35,236$1,100,014
Part X · Balance sheet $1,262,321 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $295,017$287,176
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,021,271$975,145
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,316,288$1,262,321
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $7,630$12,150
X-22 Loans from officers and insidersStart of year $783,936$763,675
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $113,489$111,722
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $905,055$887,547
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $376,797$374,774
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $411,233$374,774
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,316,288$1,262,321
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $374,774 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,063,645
XI-2 Total expenses$1,100,014
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$36,369
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$411,233
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$374,774

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

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