Activate the power of play to enrich the lives of children and their families, build stronger communities, and create a better world.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
78¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$646K 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

FY2024 · 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
0 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $1.7M a year · 41% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 0 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
78%
of spending
Looks good: 78% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$646K
to officers and key staff · 11% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 11% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Named funders
10
named funders · $357K
Looks good: 10 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$15.7M
71% of total assets
Worth a look: liabilities are 71% of assets; over 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.8M
-23% vs prior year
Spent
$5.9M
To programs
78%
Net assets
$6.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$3.8M
FY2024▼ -23%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$5.0M
FY2021$3.4M
FY2022$4.6M
FY2023$4.9M
FY2024$3.8M
FY2025$2.7M
Expenses
$5.9M
FY2024▼ -8%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$6.5M
FY2021$4.6M
FY2022$5.5M
FY2023$6.4M
FY2024$5.9M
FY2025$5.5M
Net assets
$6.3M
FY2024▼ -25%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$11.2M
FY2021$10.8M
FY2022$9.9M
FY2023$8.4M
FY2024$6.3M
FY2025$3.6M

From the FY2024 Form 990 (year ending June 2024) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2024 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 Feb 2005.

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

Where the money goes

78 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 78% · $4.6M Management & general 12% · $734K Fundraising 9% · $540K

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

25 people listed on the 990; $646K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2023); the FY2024 filing did not itemize Part VII
President & Founder
$193,222Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Executive Officer
$180,178Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Program Officer
$150,870Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Officer
$121,282Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jessica Aronoff’s $239K as CEO (thru 07/2024) is at the 92nd 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 · 7 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Esther Netter—$193,222$248,240$249,099$254,399$259,647
Jessica Aronoff$239,391$180,178$178,369$159,894$143,873$40,491
Lisa Sherman-Colt—$150,870$122,050———
Carly Harrill——$150,100$138,951$128,319$117,348
Amy Shapiro—————$121,919
Christopher Jackson—$121,282$19,630———
Anneliese Sinzinger$114,507—————

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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Programs and updates

Empowers young people to become responsible community members who positively shape the world.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $4.6M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Museum

Cayton children's museum offers 21,000 square feet of discovery-based exhibits and immersive play, arts, and cultural activities designed for children 0 to 8 and their families.

$4.6Mprogram 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 10 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.2M
Other incomeLn 4–11$1.6M
Money outPt IX
$5.9M
Ln 25
Programscol B$4.6M
Managementcol C$734K
Fundraisingcol D$540K
Owns and owesPt X
$6.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Total assetsLn 16$22.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$15.7M
PeoplePt VI, VII
25
listed · VII A
PaidVII A4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.2M
Other incomeLn 4–11$1.6M
Total revenueLn 12$3.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
Total assetsLn 16$22.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$15.7M
Net assetsLn 32$6.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 555
VolunteersI 650
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $2.7M$5.5M−$2.8M$3.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $3.8M$5.9M−$2.1M$6.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 $4.9M$6.4M−$1.5M$8.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $4.6M$5.5M−$850K$9.9M 990 PDF
FY2021 $3.4M$4.6M−$1.2M$10.8M 990 PDF
FY2020 $5.0M$6.5M−$1.5M$11.2M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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