The mission of Engaging Creative Minds is to inspire the Creative and innovative potential of all students to achieve academically and become imaginative, adaptable, and productive adults resulting in stronger communities and an increasingly competitive south carolina workforce.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
95¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$197K 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

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 $29K a year · 1% 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
95%
of spending
Looks good: 95% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$197K
to officers and key staff · 14% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 14% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.8 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $25K
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$40K
19% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 19% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
15
of 15 voting members
Looks good: 15 of 15 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
-75% vs prior year
Spent
$1.4M
To programs
95%
Net assets
$178K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$1.1M
FY2025▼ -75%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$1.5M
FY2022$2.5M
FY2023$1.6M
FY2024$4.3M
FY2025$1.1M
Expenses
$1.4M
FY2025▼ -66%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$1.6M
FY2023$2.7M
FY2024$4.1M
FY2025$1.4M
Net assets
$178K
FY2025▼ -64%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$458K
FY2022$1.3M
FY2023$268K
FY2024$496K
FY2025$178K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending August 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jan 2014.

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

Where the money goes

95 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 95% · $1.3M Management & general 1% · $19K Fundraising 4% · $54K

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

16 people listed on the 990; $197K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$197,154Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Robin Berlinsky’s $197K as Executive Director is at the 81st percentile of top reported officer pay among 3395 $1–10M education 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Robin Berlinsky$197,154$183,154$190,673$151,067$131,104

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

Inspires student creativity and innovation for academic success and productive adulthood.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $1.3M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Summer Steam Institute

Designed for creative and energetic students in grades k-8 who want to spend their summer engaged in six weeks of unique learning experiences that foster creativity to solve real-world challenges alongside local artists, cultural organizations, and professionals in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.

$699Kprogram expense
02

In-School Engaged Learning Experiences (eles)

Engaging creative minds provides training and opportunities for artists and cultural organizations to collaborate and integrate the arts into the existing K-8TH grade curriculum during the school DAY.THE goal is to close the opportunity gap for all students which ultimately closes the achievement gap.

$441Kprogram expense
03

Yescarolina Entrepreneurship

Designed for students in grades grades 6-12, yescarolina provides certification for teachers to teach entrepreneurship. This curriculum, created by teachers for teachers, is a course thatsupports students who are at the beginning of their entrepreneurial journey and prepares them to compete in yescarolina's annual state business plan…

$196Kprogram 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 FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.1M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$974K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$85K
Other incomeLn 4–11$32K
Money outPt IX
$1.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.3M
Managementcol C$19K
Fundraisingcol D$54K
Owns and owesPt X
$178K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$217K
Total assetsLn 16$218K
LiabilitiesLn 26$40K
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a15
IndependentVI 1b15
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$85K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$974K
Investment incomeLn 3$7K
Other incomeLn 4–11$32K
Total revenueLn 12$1.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$217K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$217K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1K
Total assetsLn 16$218K
LiabilitiesLn 26$40K
Net assetsLn 32$178K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 511
VolunteersI 60
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$530K$217K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K$1K
Total assetsLn 16$534K$218K
LiabilitiesLn 26$38K$40K
Net assetsLn 32$496K$178K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$197K$187K$956$9K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$733K$696K$4K$34K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$53K$50K$256$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$72K$69K$351$3K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$41K$39K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$7K$5K$78$2K
Office expensesLn 13$3K$3K$149
Information technologyLn 14$2K$1K$757
OccupancyLn 16$25K$15K$8K$1K
TravelLn 17$18K$17K$592
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$32$28$4
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$1K$1K
InsuranceLn 23$22K$21K$230$36
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$227K$226K$114$717
All other expensesLn 24e$17K$15K$1K$643
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.4M$1.3M$19K$54K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $1.1M$1.4M−$319K$178K 990 PDF
FY2024 $4.3M$4.1M$229K$496K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.6M$2.7M−$1.1M$268K 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.5M$1.6M$882K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.5M$1.1M$423K$458K 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 J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,098,366 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $3,701,405$85,283
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $510,388$974,171
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $35,059$7,317
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $95,197$31,595
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $4,342,049$1,098,366
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 $2,806,029$1,055,538
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,307,497$361,573
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $4,113,526$1,417,111
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $228,523−$318,745
Part VI · Governance 15 of 15 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body15
VI-1b Independent voting members15
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 $1,098,366 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$85,283
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$85,283
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $974,171$974,171
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $7,317$7,317
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $31,595$31,595
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,005,766 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $7,317$1,098,366
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,417,111 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $187,140 · Management $956 · Fundraising $9,058$197,154
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $695,909 · Management $3,556 · Fundraising $33,684$733,149
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $50,170 · Management $256 · Fundraising $2,428$52,854
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $68,705 · Management $351 · Fundraising $3,325$72,381
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $38,787 · Management $2,322$41,109
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $5,289 · Management $78 · Fundraising $1,766$7,133
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,531 · Fundraising $149$2,680
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $1,208 · Fundraising $757$1,965
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $15,102 · Management $8,362 · Fundraising $1,156$24,620
IX-17 TravelPrograms $16,960 · Fundraising $592$17,552
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $28 · Fundraising $4$32
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $1,425$1,425
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $21,350 · Management $230 · Fundraising $36$21,616
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $225,894 · Management $114 · Fundraising $717$226,725
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $14,582 · Management $1,491 · Fundraising $643$16,716
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,343,655 · Management $19,141 · Fundraising $54,315$1,417,111
Part X · Balance sheet $218,035 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $529,889$216,976
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,967$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $2,483$1,059
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $534,339$218,035
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $35,397$40,337
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $2,500$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $37,897$40,337
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $211,899$177,698
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $284,543$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $496,442$177,698
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $534,339$218,035
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $177,698 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,098,366
XI-2 Total expenses$1,417,111
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$318,745
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$496,442
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$177,698

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

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