The Aja Project FY2024 filing

Tax-deductible

San Diego, CA501(c)(3)InternationalEIN 33-0969020Revenue $499K in FY2024

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.
71¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

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
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
71%
of spending
Fine: 71% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
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
$9K
3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 3% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 3 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 3 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$499K
-2% vs prior year
Spent
$451K
To programs
71%
Net assets
$259K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$499K
FY2024▼ -2%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$437K
FY2021$646K
FY2022$718K
FY2023$507K
FY2024$499K
FY2025$358K
Expenses
$451K
FY2024▲ +41%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$474K
FY2021$573K
FY2022$843K
FY2023$321K
FY2024$451K
FY2025$422K
Net assets
$259K
FY2024▲ +22%
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 FY2024 Form 990 (year ending August 2024) · 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 Jul 2001.

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

Where the money goes

71 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 71% · $321K Management & general 23% · $106K Fundraising 5% · $24K

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

3 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2023); the FY2024 filing did not itemize Part VII
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$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 · $321K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Programs

The aja project exists to ignite change, break cycles of marginalization, and to build healthy communities. To achieve this, aja provides participatory art and media arts programming to underserved, marginalized, and displaced youth, while amplifying their voices to advocate for social JUSTICE.SEE schedule o for continuance of program…

$321Kprogram 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 FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$499K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$381K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$114K
Investment incomeLn 3$4K
Money outPt IX
$451K
Ln 25
Programscol B$321K
Managementcol C$106K
Fundraisingcol D$24K
Owns and owesPt X
$259K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$144K
Total assetsLn 16$269K
LiabilitiesLn 26$9K
PeoplePt VI, VII
3
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$381K
Government grantsLn 1e$229K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$114K
Investment incomeLn 3$4K
Other incomeLn 4–11$495
Total revenueLn 12$499K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$26K
SavingsLn 2$118K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$144K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$14K
Other assetsLn 15$5K
Total assetsLn 16$269K
LiabilitiesLn 26$9K
Net assetsLn 32$259K
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$99K$144K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$24K$14K
Total assetsLn 16$214K$269K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K$9K
Net assetsLn 32$212K$259K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$196K$157K$20K$20K
Payroll taxesLn 10$18K$14K$2K$2K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$30K$12K$17K$750
Advertising and promotionLn 12$90$90
Office expensesLn 13$1K$1K
OccupancyLn 16$25K$25K
TravelLn 17$2K$2K$128$4
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$10K$10K
InsuranceLn 23$20K$6K$12K$807
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$139K$124K$14K$1K
All other expensesLn 24e$11K$5K$5K
Total functional expensesLn 25$451K$321K$106K$24K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $358K$422K−$64K$196K 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $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 $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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $498,884 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $454,910$381,225
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $52,192$113,550
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$3,614
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $330$495
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $507,432$498,884
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $138,360$213,866
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $182,540$237,602
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $320,900$451,468
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $186,532$47,416
Part VI · Governance 3 of 3 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members3
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 $498,884 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$228,819
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$152,406
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$381,225
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $113,550$113,550
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $3,614$3,614
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $495$495
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $114,045 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $3,614$498,884
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $451,468 across 11 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $156,702 · Management $19,588 · Fundraising $19,588$195,878
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $14,390 · Management $1,799 · Fundraising $1,799$17,988
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $11,950 · Management $17,017 · Fundraising $750$29,717
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $90$90
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $1,266$1,266
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $24,888$24,888
IX-17 TravelPrograms $2,112 · Management $128 · Fundraising $4$2,244
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $10,238$10,238
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $6,458 · Management $12,269 · Fundraising $807$19,534
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $124,336 · Management $13,577 · Fundraising $1,197$139,110
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $5,462 · Management $5,053$10,515
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $321,410 · Management $105,913 · Fundraising $24,145$451,468
Part X · Balance sheet $268,558 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $78,370$26,420
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $20,744$117,698
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $82,661$102,064
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $2,461$3,310
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $24,354$14,116
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $4,950$4,950
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $213,540$268,558
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,545$9,147
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,545$9,147
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $211,995$259,411
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $211,995$259,411
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $213,540$268,558
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $259,411 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$498,884
XI-2 Total expenses$451,468
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$47,416
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$211,995
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$259,411

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

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