Mission- creating community one story at a time.motto- to create what we need from what we have been gifted.invested in the equitable representation of black people in the arts and the world since creation.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
58¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 5 volunteers and 29 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $113K a year · 24% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
58%
of spending
Worth a look: 58% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$109K
to officers and key staff · 31% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 31% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
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
2
named funders · $240K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 4 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 4 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$540K
-23% vs prior year
Spent
$349K
To programs
58%
Net assets
$734K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$540K
FY2025▼ -23%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$159K
FY2021$246K
FY2022$597K
FY2023$274K
FY2024$704K
FY2025$540K
Expenses
$349K
FY2025▲ +13%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020Not on file
FY2021$251K
FY2022$319K
FY2023$568K
FY2024$310K
FY2025$349K
Net assets
$734K
FY2025▲ +35%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$54K
FY2021$40K
FY2022$445K
FY2023$149K
FY2024$543K
FY2025$734K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Revoked May 2017, reinstated. IRS ruling Jan 2018, per the IRS master file. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jan 2018.

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

Where the money goes

58 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 58% · $202K Management & general 30% · $103K Fundraising 13% · $44K

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

4 people listed on the 990; $109K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$109,100Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Ayodele Nzinga’s $109K as Executive Director is at the 92nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 2216 $100K–1M 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 · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Ayodele Nzinga$109,100$100,500$111,275$106,293$66,606$30,250
Cat Brooks————$14,850—
Marvin Jackmon—————$6,500
Marvin X Jackman———$6,000——

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 Lower Bottom Playaz INC 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

Empowering Black artists and communities through storytelling and equitable representation.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $202K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

The primary purpose of the lower bottom playaz, inc is to foster the creation, production, and presentation of quality theater in the tradition of the black arts continuum.

$202Kprogram 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
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$240K
Grants paid · 2 grants · $24K · 2021–2022
Unitemized GrantFY2022$14,600
Unitemized GrantFY2021$9,500

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$540K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$507K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$32K
Investment incomeLn 3$333
Money outPt IX
$349K
Ln 25
Programscol B$202K
Managementcol C$103K
Fundraisingcol D$44K
Owns and owesPt X
$734K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$48K
Total assetsLn 16$734K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
4
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$507K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$32K
Investment incomeLn 3$333
Total revenueLn 12$540K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$48K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$48K
Total assetsLn 16$734K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$734K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 529
VolunteersI 65
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$48K
Total assetsLn 16$543K$734K
LiabilitiesLn 26$140$0
Net assetsLn 32$543K$734K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$109K$44K$22K$44K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$124K$110K$14K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$3K$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$15K$13K$2K$90
Accounting feesLn 11c$14K$14K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$13K$13K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$4K$3K$731
Office expensesLn 13$13K$786$13K
OccupancyLn 16$13K$13K
TravelLn 17$29$29
InsuranceLn 23$23K$23K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$16K$14K$2K
All other expensesLn 24e$396$396
Total functional expensesLn 25$349K$202K$103K$44K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $540K$349K$191K$734K 990 PDF
FY2024 $704K$310K$394K$543K 990 PDF
FY2023 $274K$568K−$294K$149K 990 PDF
FY2022 $597K$319K$278K$445K 990 PDF
FY2021 $246K$251K−$5K$40K 990 PDF
FY2020 $159K$54K 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $540,177 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $679,739$507,362
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $24,601$32,482
I-10 Investment income$333
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $704,340$540,177
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $228,109$251,162
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $81,907$97,659
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $310,016$348,821
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $394,324$191,356
Part VI · Governance 3 of 4 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
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 $540,177 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$507,362
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$507,362
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $32,103 · Excluded from tax $379$32,482
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $333$333
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $32,103 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $712$540,177
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $348,821 across 13 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $43,640 · Management $21,820 · Fundraising $43,640$109,100
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $109,579 · Management $14,023$123,602
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $3,329$3,329
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $13,367 · Management $1,674 · Fundraising $90$15,131
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $13,950$13,950
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $13,158$13,158
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $3,466 · Management $731$4,197
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $786 · Management $12,535$13,321
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $13,032$13,032
IX-17 TravelPrograms $29$29
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $23,307$23,307
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $13,975 · Management $2,294$16,269
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $396$396
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $201,725 · Management $103,366 · Fundraising $43,730$348,821
Part X · Balance sheet $734,379 assets, 6 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$47,513
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $400,000$686,866
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $543,163$734,379
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $140$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $543,023$734,379
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $543,163$734,379
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $734,379 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$540,177
XI-2 Total expenses$348,821
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$191,356
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$543,023
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$734,379

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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