Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 1996.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
89 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
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; $846K paid to officers and key staff.
Afa S Dworkin’s $508K as Pres./Artist is at the 100th 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afa S Dworkin | $507,955 | $468,914 | $464,887 | $417,801 | $421,999 | $403,370 |
| Andre Dowell | $198,200 | $191,000 | $131,702 | $124,556 | $120,000 | $116,620 |
| Julie Renfro | $128,462 | $123,566 | $121,663 | $115,566 | $183,566 | $108,066 |
| Achia Floyd | $165,500 | $126,372 | $103,088 | — | — | — |
| Stephanee Strasburg | — | — | — | — | $120,500 | $113,500 |
| Abigayl Venman | — | — | — | $117,000 | — | — |
| Olivia Custodio | $112,000 | $103,000 | — | — | — | — |
| Elizabeth Lanni | — | — | — | $106,500 | — | — |
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
Programs and updates
Uses the arts to empower individuals and communities, fostering personal growth and positive change.
Questions for Sphinx Organization INC
Your first name shows with your question. Sphinx Organization INC answers here, for everyone.
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Artist Development
Naas, sphinx competition (oldest program), soloist program, college- BOUND/MUSIC assistance FUND/INSTRUMENT fund. The sphinx competition identifies and empowers top young musicians of color by offering performance, competition and professional development opportunities, along with collaboration and mentorship from members of the…
Arts Leadership
Lead, scotus, sphinx medals of excellence, sphinxconnect, MPOWER.THE arts leadership program encompasses the flagship program of sphinxconnect, our epicenter for artists and leaders in diversity, along with artist grants, our most prestigious award program, an administrative leadership academy and industry service work.
Performing Artists
Carnegie gala, exigence, sphinx virtuosithe performing artists program is the primary vehicle for promoting the top artists who serve as ambassadors to the field, sphinx's mission and arts citizenship. The program encompasses touring and performances by the various sphinx ensembles.
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2021 990, line by line.
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| Line | Start FY21 | End FY21 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $3.5M | $5.6M |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $8.8M | $15.1M |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $50K | $50K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $14.1M | $23.5M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $309K | $138K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $13.8M | $23.4M |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants to domestic individualsLn 2 | $902K | $902K | ||
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $483K | $338K | $24K | $121K |
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $773K | $551K | $32K | $190K |
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $168K | $119K | $7K | $42K |
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $21K | $15K | $591 | $5K |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $75K | $53K | $3K | $19K |
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $177K | $169K | $8K | |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $58K | $58K | $208 | |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $25K | $24K | $584 | |
| OccupancyLn 16 | $6K | $6K | $96 | |
| TravelLn 17 | $399K | $399K | ||
| InsuranceLn 23 | $15K | $15K | $498 | |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $1.2M | $1.2M | ||
| All other expensesLn 24e | $28K | $16K | $12K | |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $4.4M | $3.9M | $89K | $375K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest | $9.2M | $7.3M | $1.9M | $25.7M | 990 PDF |
| FY2024 | $6.9M | $7.9M | −$992K | $23.1M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 | $7.6M | $7.2M | $424K | $24.2M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022 | $7.9M | $6.0M | $1.9M | $22.8M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 Viewing | $14.2M | $4.4M | $9.9M | $23.4M | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 | $3.3M | $4.0M | −$705K | $13.8M | 990 PDF |
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Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $14,240,622 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 16 of 17 board members independent, no flags
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $14,240,622 across 9 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $4,359,758 across 14 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $23,511,690 assets, 15 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $23,373,795 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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