The Aja Project FY2022 filing

Tax-deductible

San Diego, CA501(c)(3)InternationalEIN 33-0969020Revenue $718K in FY2022

On file with the IRSajaproject.org4504 51st St, 92115-3448 · San Diego, CATax-exempt since Jul 2001Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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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.
66¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$70K 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

FY2022 · 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
66%
of spending
Fine: 66% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$70K
to officers and key staff · 8% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 8% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.3 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
$382K
94% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 94% of assets; over 80%.
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
$718K
+11% vs prior year
Spent
$843K
To programs
66%
Net assets
$25K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$718K
FY2022▲ +11%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$437K
FY2021$646K
FY2022$718K
FY2023$507K
FY2024$499K
FY2025$358K
Expenses
$843K
FY2022▲ +47%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$474K
FY2021$573K
FY2022$843K
FY2023$321K
FY2024$451K
FY2025$422K
Net assets
$25K
FY2022▼ -83%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$77K
FY2021$150K
FY2022$25K
FY2023$212K
FY2024$259K
FY2025$196K

From the FY2022 Form 990 (year ending August 2022) · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2022 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

66 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 66% · $558K Management & general 28% · $237K Fundraising 6% · $47K

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; $70K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2021); the FY2022 filing did not itemize Part VII
Managing Director
$69,992Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$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.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $558K · in their own filed words · FY2021
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.

$558Kprogram 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 6 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2022 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$718K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$483K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$210K
Other incomeLn 4–11$24K
Money outPt IX
$843K
Ln 25
Programscol B$558K
Managementcol C$237K
Fundraisingcol D$47K
Owns and owesPt X
$25K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$89K
Total assetsLn 16$408K
LiabilitiesLn 26$382K
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$483K
Government grantsLn 1e$101K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$210K
Investment incomeLn 3$678
Other incomeLn 4–11$24K
Total revenueLn 12$718K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$48K
SavingsLn 2$41K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$89K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$40K
Total assetsLn 16$408K
LiabilitiesLn 26$382K
Net assetsLn 32$25K
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 FY22End FY22
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$390K$89K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$45K$40K
Total assetsLn 16$466K$408K
LiabilitiesLn 26$315K$382K
Net assetsLn 32$150K$25K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$2K$2K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$400$400
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$70K$56K$7K$7K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$240K$192K$24K$24K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$16K$7K$8K$858
Payroll taxesLn 10$28K$22K$3K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$51K$51K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$4K$4K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$669$647$22
Office expensesLn 13$26K$25K$722
OccupancyLn 16$26K$26K
TravelLn 17$2K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$10K$10K
InsuranceLn 23$5K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$300K$258K$35K$8K
All other expensesLn 24e$62K$21K$39K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$843K$558K$237K$47K

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 Viewing $718K$843K−$125K$25K 990 PDF
FY2021 $646K$573K$73K$150K 990 PDF
FY2020 $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 FY2022 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $717,624 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $561,538$482,594
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $74,156$210,070
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$678
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $10,135$24,282
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $645,829$717,624
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $2,150$2,625
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $335,483$353,860
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $234,967$486,142
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $572,600$842,627
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $73,229−$125,003
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
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 $717,624 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$100,771
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$381,823
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$482,594
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $210,070$210,070
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $678$678
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $9,025$9,025
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $15,257$15,257
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $225,327 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $9,703$717,624
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $842,627 across 16 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $2,225$2,225
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $400$400
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $55,994 · Management $6,999 · Fundraising $6,999$69,992
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $192,144 · Management $24,018 · Fundraising $24,018$240,180
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $6,862 · Management $8,175 · Fundraising $858$15,895
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $22,235 · Management $2,779 · Fundraising $2,779$27,793
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $50,833$50,833
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $4,371$4,371
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $647 · Fundraising $22$669
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $24,855 · Fundraising $722$25,577
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $26,214$26,214
IX-17 TravelFundraising $1,677$1,677
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $10,156$10,156
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $4,819$4,819
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $257,652 · Management $34,604 · Fundraising $7,583$299,839
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $20,715 · Management $38,991 · Fundraising $2,281$61,987
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $558,227 · Management $237,461 · Fundraising $46,939$842,627
Part X · Balance sheet $407,854 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $243,667$47,972
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $146,537$40,587
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $25,674$275,918
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $5,057$3,691
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $44,880$39,686
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $465,815$407,854
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $19,411$27,059
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $295,938$355,332
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $315,349$382,391
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $150,466$25,463
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $150,466$25,463
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $465,815$407,854
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $25,463 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$717,624
XI-2 Total expenses$842,627
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$125,003
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$150,466
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$25,463

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2022 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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