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

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
92¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$55K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2021 · 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
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $20K a year · 2% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
92%
of spending
Looks good: 92% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$55K
to officers and key staff · 10% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 10% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $25K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.1M
73% of total assets
Worth a look: liabilities are 73% of assets; over 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$646K
Spent
$536K
To programs
92%
Net assets
$386K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$646K
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$646K
FY2022$783K
FY2023$969K
FY2024$906K
FY2025$1.1M
Expenses
$536K
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$536K
FY2022$734K
FY2023$914K
FY2024$985K
FY2025$1.1M
Net assets
$386K
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$386K
FY2022$434K
FY2023$490K
FY2024$411K
FY2025$375K

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 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 Aug 2003.

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

Where the money goes

92 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 92% · $493K Management & general 7% · $37K Fundraising 1% · $5K

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

8 people listed on the 990; $55K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Di
$55,000Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Preside
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$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.

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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
  • 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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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $493K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Schedule o `

$492Kprogram expense
02

Schedule o

$1Kprogram 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 · 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 FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$646K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$361K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$285K
Other incomeLn 4–11$300
Money outPt IX
$536K
Ln 25
Programscol B$493K
Managementcol C$37K
Fundraisingcol D$5K
Owns and owesPt X
$386K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$334K
Total assetsLn 16$1.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.1M
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$285K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$361K
Other incomeLn 4–11$300
Total revenueLn 12$646K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$334K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$334K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.1M
Total assetsLn 16$1.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.1M
Net assetsLn 32$386K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 521
VolunteersI 6157
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$225K$334K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.1M$1.1M
Total assetsLn 16$1.4M$1.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.1M$1.1M
Net assetsLn 32$275K$386K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$40K$40K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$55K$50K$4K$1K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$209K$190K$18K$1K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$3K$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$21K$19K$2K$201
Accounting feesLn 11c$2K$2K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$2K$2K$643
Advertising and promotionLn 12$747$645$102
Office expensesLn 13$51K$42K$8K$1K
OccupancyLn 16$41K$39K$639$793
InterestLn 20$50K$47K$2K$495
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$42K$42K$585
InsuranceLn 23$17K$17K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$536K$493K$37K$5K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $1.1M$1.1M−$36K$375K 990 PDF
FY2024 $906K$985K−$78K$411K 990 PDF
FY2023 $969K$914K$56K$490K 990 PDF
FY2022 $783K$734K$48K$434K 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $646K$536K$111K$386K 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 FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $646,277 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $161,060$285,435
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $498,842$360,542
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $8,755$300
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $668,657$646,277
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $32,300$39,870
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $399,525$287,930
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $223,580$207,891
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $655,405$535,691
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $13,252$110,586
Part VI · Governance 7 of 8 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members7
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $646,277 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$285,435
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$285,435
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $360,542$360,542
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $300$300
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $360,542 · Excluded from tax $300$646,277
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $535,691 across 14 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $39,870$39,870
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $50,187 · Management $3,667 · Fundraising $1,146$55,000
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $189,639 · Management $17,771 · Fundraising $1,480$208,890
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $3,258$3,258
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $19,071 · Management $1,510 · Fundraising $201$20,782
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $2,500$2,500
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,632 · Management $643$2,275
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $645 · Fundraising $102$747
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $41,793 · Management $7,781 · Fundraising $1,177$50,751
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $39,124 · Management $639 · Fundraising $793$40,556
IX-20 InterestPrograms $47,071 · Management $1,982 · Fundraising $495$49,548
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $41,634 · Management $585$42,219
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $16,945$16,945
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,350$2,350
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $493,219 · Management $37,078 · Fundraising $5,394$535,691
Part X · Balance sheet $1,450,902 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $225,409$334,412
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $51,690$35,274
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,121,135$1,081,216
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,398,334$1,450,902
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $5,975$1,680
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $84,100$57,459
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,123,397$1,065,379
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $150,028$290,234
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $124,909$95,289
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $274,937$385,523
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,398,334$1,450,902
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $385,523 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$646,277
XI-2 Total expenses$535,691
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$110,586
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$274,937
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$385,523

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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