Mainframe Studios provides affordable arts workspace and fosters creative communities in central Iowa.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
88¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2021 · 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
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $532K a year · 25% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
88%
of spending
Looks good: 88% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $370K
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$304K
3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 3% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
14
of 14 voting members
Looks good: 14 of 14 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.1M
-69% vs prior year
Spent
$1.3M
To programs
88%
Net assets
$8.7M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.1M
FY2021▼ -69%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$3.6M
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$3.3M
FY2023$1.5M
FY2024$1.7M
FY2025$1.8M
Expenses
$1.3M
FY2021▲ +36%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$925K
FY2021$1.3M
FY2022$1.6M
FY2023$2.0M
FY2024$2.0M
FY2025$2.1M
Net assets
$8.7M
FY2021▼ -2%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$8.8M
FY2021$8.7M
FY2022$10.4M
FY2023$9.9M
FY2024$9.6M
FY2025$9.3M

From the FY2021 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 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 2014.

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

Where the money goes

88 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 88% · $1.1M Management & general 9% · $112K Fundraising 3% · $39K

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

14 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Julia Franklin-Jones’s $115K as Executive Director is at the 44th 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.

See Mainframe Studios 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Provides permanent, affordable workspace for artists, fostering a thriving arts scene.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $578K · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

Mainframe completed phase ii of its building renovations to increase its nonresidential workspaces to 133 total studios offered to individual creative professionals and arts-related nonprofits. We filled the additional 58 spaces within 30 days of completion and our wait list consistently hovers around 100 applicants.

$531Kprogram expense
02

Mainframe studios normally spends over 90% of its marketing budget on programming monthly first friday open studio events that attract hundreds of visitors. The festive, free events feature a unique theme, creating a new experience for visitors each month.

$47Kprogram 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 4 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.1M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$701K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$422K
Other incomeLn 4–11$1K
Money outPt IX
$1.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.1M
Managementcol C$112K
Fundraisingcol D$39K
Owns and owesPt X
$8.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$626K
Total assetsLn 16$9.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$304K
PeoplePt VI, VII
14
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b14
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$422K
Government grantsLn 1e$72K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$701K
Investment incomeLn 3$81
Other incomeLn 4–11$1K
Total revenueLn 12$1.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$626K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$626K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$8.0M
Total assetsLn 16$9.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$304K
Net assetsLn 32$8.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 56
VolunteersI 617
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.6M$626K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$7.3M$8.0M
Total assetsLn 16$9.2M$9.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$395K$304K
Net assetsLn 32$8.8M$8.7M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$112K$67K$28K$17K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$1K$772$322$193
Payroll taxesLn 10$9K$5K$2K$1K
Management feesLn 11a$24K$24K
Legal feesLn 11b$3K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$12K$1K$10K$1K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$2K$2K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$19K$7K$10K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$33K$29K$3K
Office expensesLn 13$4K$2K$2K$631
Information technologyLn 14$12K$10K$2K
OccupancyLn 16$445K$425K$20K
TravelLn 17$610$488$122
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$7K$2K$3K$3K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$533K$533K
InsuranceLn 23$5K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$36K$28K$8K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.3M$1.1M$112K$39K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $1.8M$2.1M−$290K$9.3M 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.7M$2.0M−$320K$9.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.5M$2.0M−$482K$9.9M 990 PDF
FY2022 $3.3M$1.6M$1.7M$10.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $1.1M$1.3M−$133K$8.7M 990 PDF
FY2020 $3.6M$925K$2.7M$8.8M 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 FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,124,336 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $3,212,294$421,762
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $432,374$701,475
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $178$81
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,602$1,018
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,646,448$1,124,336
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 $99,970$121,467
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$2,000
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $824,760$1,133,974
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $924,730$1,257,441
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $2,721,718−$133,105
Part VI · Governance 14 of 14 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body14
VI-1b Independent voting members14
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $1,124,336 across 7 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for −$495 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$71,699
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$350,063
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$421,762
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $701,475$701,475
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $81$81
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $1,513$1,513
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $700,980 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,594$1,124,336
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,257,441 across 17 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $66,984 · Management $27,910 · Fundraising $16,746$111,640
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $772 · Management $322 · Fundraising $193$1,287
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $5,124 · Management $2,135 · Fundraising $1,281$8,540
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $24,000$24,000
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $3,404$3,404
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $1,241 · Management $9,926 · Fundraising $1,241$12,408
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $2,000$2,000
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $6,911 · Management $10,026 · Fundraising $2,314$19,251
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $29,371 · Fundraising $3,263$32,634
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,964 · Management $1,723 · Fundraising $631$4,318
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $9,754 · Management $2,439$12,193
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $425,267 · Management $19,746$445,013
IX-17 TravelPrograms $488 · Fundraising $122$610
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,822 · Management $2,582 · Fundraising $2,582$6,986
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $532,631$532,631
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $4,597$4,597
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Management $27,583 · Fundraising $8,346$35,929
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,106,329 · Management $112,393 · Fundraising $38,719$1,257,441
Part X · Balance sheet $8,963,700 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,575,965$626,469
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $267,543$339,527
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $14,826$4,134
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $7,328,095$7,993,570
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $9,188,448$8,963,700
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $184,114$36,981
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $10,952$62,841
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $32,577$47,886
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $395,318$303,675
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $8,793,130$8,660,025
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $8,793,130$8,660,025
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $9,188,448$8,963,700
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $8,660,025 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,124,336
XI-2 Total expenses$1,257,441
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$133,105
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$8,793,130
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$8,660,025

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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