The Aja Project FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

San Diego, CA501(c)(3)InternationalEIN 33-0969020

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To provide photography-based programming to transform the lives of youth and communities. Aja has provided long-term, community-based programming for over 4,500 individuals, and has shared visual narratives with over 1 million viewers through large-scale public exhibits.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
76¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$8K 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

FY2020 · 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 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $14K a year · 3% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
76%
of spending
Looks good: 76% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$8K
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.6 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $140K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$138K
64% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 64% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$437K
Spent
$474K
To programs
76%
Net assets
$77K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$437K
FY2020
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$437K
FY2021$646K
FY2022$718K
FY2023$507K
FY2024$499K
FY2025$358K
Expenses
$474K
FY2020
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$474K
FY2021$573K
FY2022$843K
FY2023$321K
FY2024$451K
FY2025$422K
Net assets
$77K
FY2020
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$77K
FY2021$150K
FY2022$25K
FY2023$212K
FY2024$259K
FY2025$196K

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending August 2020) · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 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 2001.

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

Where the money goes

76 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 76% · $362K Management & general 22% · $104K Fundraising 2% · $8K

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; $8K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
Managing Director
$8,405Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Rizzhel Javier’s $63K as Director (former) is at the 58th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1637 $100K–1M international 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

NameFY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Rizzhel Javier$62,627$69,992$39,469$8,405

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 The Aja Project 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 youth and communities through transformative photography programs and public exhibits.

Provided by the organization

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1 program service account for $362K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2019.
01

Programs

The aja project exists to ignite change, break cycles of marginalization, and to build healthy communities. We do this through a platform called participatory photography, which asks youth to reflect on and analyze their personal and social landscapes.

$362Kprogram expense

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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 6 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$437K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$323K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$104K
Other incomeLn 4–11$10K
Money outPt IX
$474K
Ln 25
Programscol B$362K
Managementcol C$104K
Fundraisingcol D$8K
Owns and owesPt X
$77K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$63K
Total assetsLn 16$216K
LiabilitiesLn 26$138K
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$323K
Government grantsLn 1e$257K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$104K
Other incomeLn 4–11$10K
Total revenueLn 12$437K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$62K
SavingsLn 2$458
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$63K
Total assetsLn 16$216K
LiabilitiesLn 26$138K
Net assetsLn 32$77K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 519
VolunteersI 612
Fiscal year endsHeaderAugust
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$46K$63K
Total assetsLn 16$141K$216K
LiabilitiesLn 26$26K$138K
Net assetsLn 32$115K$77K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$8K$8K$200$200
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$274K$261K$7K$7K
Payroll taxesLn 10$29K$28K$690$690
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$64K$7K$56K
Office expensesLn 13$9K$3K$6K
OccupancyLn 16$20K$10K$10K
TravelLn 17$1K$716$487
InsuranceLn 23$18K$13K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$47K$32K$15K
All other expensesLn 24e$3K$65$3K$660
Total functional expensesLn 25$474K$362K$104K$8K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $358K$422K−$64K$196K 990 PDF
FY2024 $499K$451K$47K$259K 990 PDF
FY2023 $507K$321K$187K$212K 990 PDF
FY2022 $718K$843K−$125K$25K 990 PDF
FY2021 $646K$573K$73K$150K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $437K$474K−$37K$77K 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 FY2020 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $436,702 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$257,363
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$65,284
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$322,647
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $104,138$104,138
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $9,549$9,549
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $368$368
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $104,138 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $9,917$436,702
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $473,980 across 10 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $8,005 · Management $200 · Fundraising $200$8,405
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $260,704 · Management $6,529 · Fundraising $6,529$273,762
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $27,538 · Management $690 · Fundraising $690$28,918
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $7,490 · Management $56,345$63,835
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,714 · Management $6,439$9,153
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $10,000 · Management $10,314$20,314
IX-17 TravelPrograms $716 · Management $487$1,203
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $13,104 · Management $4,662$17,766
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $31,721 · Management $15,490$47,211
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $65 · Management $2,688 · Fundraising $660$3,413
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $362,057 · Management $103,844 · Fundraising $8,079$473,980
Part X · Balance sheet $215,725 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $43,194$62,215
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $2,457$458
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $86,977$149,532
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $8,328$3,520
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $140,956$215,725
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $14,906$14,959
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $11,535$123,529
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $26,441$138,488
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $114,515$77,237
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $114,515$77,237
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $140,956$215,725
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $77,237 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$436,702
XI-2 Total expenses$473,980
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$37,278
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$114,515
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$77,237

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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