Project Create provides opportunities for creative youth development through accessible, multidisciplinary arts education to empower young people and amplify their voices.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
71¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$83K 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $364K a year · 28% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
71%
of spending
Fine: 71% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$83K
to officers and key staff · 12% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 12% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
13
named funders · $1.2M
Looks good: 13 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$632K
34% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 34% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
12
of 12 voting members
Looks good: 12 of 12 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$761K
Spent
$708K
To programs
71%
Net assets
$1.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$761K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$761K
FY2021$771K
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$1.8M
FY2024$2.3M
Expenses
$708K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$708K
FY2021$732K
FY2022$841K
FY2023$1.0M
FY2024$1.5M
Net assets
$1.2M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.2M
FY2021$1.3M
FY2022$1.6M
FY2023$2.3M
FY2024$3.1M

From the FY2020 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Mar 2003.

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% · $502K Management & general 17% · $119K Fundraising 12% · $88K

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

12 people listed on the 990; $83K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$83,077Pt VII · Sec A
Chairperson
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chairperson
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Christie Walser’s $102K as Executive Director is at the 28th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1552 $1–10M youth development 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Christie Walser$101,600$89,563$82,400$76,289$83,077
Nicola Charles$5,000————

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 Project Create 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

Offers creative arts education to empower young people and amplify their voices.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $502K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

At the Project Create Arts Center, we offer daily in-person and virtual arts courses all year long for over 200 students, based on an innovative curriculum that combines multi-disciplinary arts education with social- emotional learning and a positive youth development framework.

$450Kprogram expense
02

Project Create's longest-running program includes weekly multi-disciplinary arts education classes in partnership with community-based organizations such as housing providers, low-income/Section 8 housing, community centers, Department of Parks and Recreation, D.C. Public and Public Charter Schools, mentorship organizations, and more.

$46Kprogram expense
03

Two Saturdays a month, we host local families in artistic exploration, art-making and creative play serving two (or three!) generations of family members, from infants to grandparents, all of whom enjoy the chance to create art in community.

$5Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 13 funders →
Grants paid · 1 grant · $7K · 2023–2023
Unitemized GrantFY2023$7,468

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$761K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$727K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$33K
Other incomeLn 4–11$669
Money outPt IX
$708K
Ln 25
Programscol B$502K
Managementcol C$119K
Fundraisingcol D$88K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$393K
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$632K
PeoplePt VI, VII
12
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a12
IndependentVI 1b12
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$727K
Government grantsLn 1e$271K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$33K
Investment incomeLn 3$316
Other incomeLn 4–11$669
Total revenueLn 12$761K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$143K
SavingsLn 2$250K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$393K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.4M
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$632K
Net assetsLn 32$1.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 56
VolunteersI 610
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$232K$393K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.5M$1.4M
Total assetsLn 16$1.8M$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$608K$632K
Net assetsLn 32$1.2M$1.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$25$25
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$83K$42K$21K$21K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$161K$115K$27K$19K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$7K$5K$759$690
Other employee benefitsLn 9$9K$6K$3K$707
Payroll taxesLn 10$19K$15K$2K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$19K$0$19K$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$40K$40K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$113K$105K$8K$0
Office expensesLn 13$12K$7K$3K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$98K$86K$13K$0
TravelLn 17$1K$1K$22$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$3K$0$3K$0
InterestLn 20$25K$22K$3K$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$60K$55K$5K$0
InsuranceLn 23$17K$12K$5K$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$35K$32K$2K$914
All other expensesLn 24e$4K$0$4K$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$708K$502K$119K$88K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $2.3M$1.5M$785K$3.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.8M$1.0M$723K$2.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.1M$841K$218K$1.6M 990 PDF
FY2021 $771K$732K$40K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $761K$708K$52K$1.2M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $760,804 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,513,549$726,909
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $50,506$32,910
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $2$316
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $708$669
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,564,765$760,804
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $200$25
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $181,248$278,963
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $50,857$40,425
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $389,883$389,016
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $622,188$708,429
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $942,577$52,375
Part VI · Governance 12 of 12 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body12
VI-1b Independent voting members12
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $760,804 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$234
VIII-1e Government grants$271,187
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$455,488
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$726,909
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$32,910
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $316$316
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $669 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$669
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $33,579 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $316$760,804
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $708,429 across 18 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $25$25
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $41,539 · Management $20,769 · Fundraising $20,769$83,077
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $114,859 · Management $26,867 · Fundraising $19,439$161,165
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $5,448 · Management $759 · Fundraising $690$6,897
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $5,584 · Management $2,777 · Fundraising $707$9,068
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $14,817 · Management $2,063 · Fundraising $1,876$18,756
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $19,486 · Fundraising $0$19,486
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $40,425$40,425
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $105,041 · Management $8,380 · Fundraising $0$113,421
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $6,519 · Management $2,784 · Fundraising $3,085$12,388
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $85,559 · Management $12,688 · Fundraising $0$98,247
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,197 · Management $22 · Fundraising $0$1,219
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $0 · Management $2,748 · Fundraising $0$2,748
IX-20 InterestPrograms $21,598 · Management $3,235 · Fundraising $0$24,833
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $55,362 · Management $4,704 · Fundraising $0$60,066
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $12,210 · Management $4,734 · Fundraising $0$16,944
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $32,086 · Management $2,333 · Fundraising $914$35,333
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $0 · Management $4,331 · Fundraising $0$4,331
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $501,844 · Management $118,680 · Fundraising $87,905$708,429
Part X · Balance sheet $1,880,156 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $231,868$143,147
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $35$249,642
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $75,901$79,157
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $2,650$2,650
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,493,736$1,405,560
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,804,190$1,880,156
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $8,438$6,999
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payable$39,089
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $608,438$632,029
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,063,252$1,110,627
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $132,500$137,500
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,195,752$1,248,127
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,804,190$1,880,156
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,248,127 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$760,804
XI-2 Total expenses$708,429
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$52,375
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,195,752
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,248,127

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

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