Level Ground seeks to provoke empathy among divisive cultural narratives through arts ability to expand our understanding of each other. We present the work of underrepresented artists and engage new and unexpected audiences with innovative and challenging art.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
100¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$51K 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
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $17K a year · 6% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
100%
of spending
Looks good: 100% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$51K
to officers and key staff · 26% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 26% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
7
named funders · $784K
Looks good: 7 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2K
3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 3% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
0
of 5 voting members
Concern: none of 5 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$227K
Spent
$197K
To programs
100%
Net assets
$54K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$227K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$227K
FY2021$214K
FY2022$206K
FY2023$231K
FY2024$452K
Expenses
$197K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$197K
FY2021$213K
FY2022$191K
FY2023$184K
FY2024$460K
Net assets
$54K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$54K
FY2021$55K
FY2022$70K
FY2023$117K
FY2024$109K

From the FY2020 Form 990 · 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 Feb 2015.

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

Where the money goes

100 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 100% · $197K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25. 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; $51K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Di
$50,798Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Ytnd Olagbaju’s $54K as Co-Director is at the 49th 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2020
Ytnd Olagbaju$53,999—
Samantha Curley$34,978$50,798

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 Level Ground 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Provokes empathy by presenting underrepresented artists' work to expand understanding.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $197K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Artist Collective

Serves the personal and professional growth of underrepresented and emerging artists in los angeles through a variety of opportunities and programs.

$155Kprogram expense
02

Creative Studio

Provides critical earned income for level ground and individual collective artists.

$37Kprogram expense
03

Production Incubator

Develops, produces, and pitches empathy-building media projects and initiatives from underrepresented creators.

$5Kprogram 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 7 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$227K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$134K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$93K
Money outPt IX
$197K
Ln 25
Programscol B$197K
Owns and owesPt X
$54K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$56K
Total assetsLn 16$56K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K
PeoplePt VI, VII
4
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b0
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$134K
Government grantsLn 1e$93K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$93K
Total revenueLn 12$227K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$56K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$56K
Total assetsLn 16$56K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K
Net assetsLn 32$54K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 57
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$24K$56K
Total assetsLn 16$24K$56K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$2K
Net assetsLn 32$24K$54K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$117K$117K
Payroll taxesLn 10$11K$11K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$68K$68K
Total functional expensesLn 25$197K$197K$0$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $452K$460K−$8K$109K 990 PDF
FY2023 $231K$184K$48K$117K 990 PDF
FY2022 $206K$191K$14K$70K 990 PDF
FY2021 $214K$213K$1K$55K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $227K$197K$30K$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 FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $226,675 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $64,276$133,600
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $172,665$93,075
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $236,941$226,675
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $53,021$128,033
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $175,580$68,492
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $228,601$196,525
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $8,340$30,150
Part VI · Governance 0 of 5 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members0
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $226,675 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$40,730
VIII-1e Government grants$92,870
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$133,600
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $93,075$93,075
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $93,075$226,675
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $196,525 across 3 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $117,287$117,287
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $10,746$10,746
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $68,492$68,492
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $196,525 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$196,525
Part X · Balance sheet $55,831 assets, 6 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $23,968$55,831
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $23,968$55,831
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$1,713
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$1,713
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $23,968$54,118
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $23,968$55,831
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $54,118 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$226,675
XI-2 Total expenses$196,525
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$30,150
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$23,968
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$54,118

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

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