Howard County Arts Council

Tax-deductible

Ellicott City, MD501(c)(3)Arts & CultureEIN 52-1219079

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To serve and enrich the Howard County community by fostering the Arts, artists, and Arts organizations. The Arts Council supports local artists and Arts organizations, furthers the public's appreciation of the Arts, and ensures that the Arts are accessible-regardless of age, ability or economic status.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 200 volunteers and 28 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
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $440K a year · 21% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
87%
of spending
Looks good: 87% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$155K
to officers and key staff · 8% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 68% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 8% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
20 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 19.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $8K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$130K
3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 3% 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
$3.6M
+87% vs prior year
Spent
$1.9M
To programs
87%
Net assets
$3.7M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$3.6M
FY2025▲ +87%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.5M
FY2021$1.4M
FY2022$1.7M
FY2023$2.3M
FY2024$1.9M
FY2025$3.6M
Expenses
$1.9M
FY2025▲ +7%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.4M
FY2021$1.4M
FY2022$1.6M
FY2023$1.7M
FY2024$1.8M
FY2025$1.9M
Net assets
$3.7M
FY2025▲ +88%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.1M
FY2021$1.2M
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.8M
FY2024$2.0M
FY2025$3.7M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 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 Jul 1981.

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

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $1.7M Management & general 5% · $96K Fundraising 8% · $145K

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; $155K 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
$154,588Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$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
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Coleen West’s $155K as Executive Director is at the 68th 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.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Coleen West$154,588$150,000$132,500$119,000$100,154$103,385

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 Howard County Arts Council 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

Fosters arts, artists, and organizations, making them accessible to all.

Provided by the organization

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3 program services account for $1.5M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Grant Awards

To advance and support the arts, the arts council administers the following grant programs: community arts development, artists-in-education, baltimore city arts and cultural organizations, creative howard, organizational development, outreach howard, and the jim rouse theatre subsidy program.

$771Kprogram expense
02

Art Center

To encourage an active and supportive relationship between artists and the public, the arts council manages a 32,000 square feet multi-purpose arts center, which provides affordable studio and meeting space to artists, a black box theatre, and a dance studio for performances and rehearsals, classrooms for arts education, and two exhibit…

$508Kprogram expense
03

Community Services

To foster and promote the arts, the arts council maintains a website that promotes upcoming programs and performances, develops partnerships to advance the arts, publishes a quarterly newsletter, maintains an active social media presence and online calendar of art events in the county, offers awards and scholarships, and provides various…

$235Kprogram expense

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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 1 funder$8K
Grants paid · 177 grants · $3.8M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$73,550
Columbia Festival INCMD · FY2024$55,650
Chamber Music Maryland INCMD · FY2024$43,251
Kinetics Dance Theatre INCMD · FY2024$41,250
Columbia Pro Cantare LtdMD · FY2024$33,311
Baltimore Museum of Art INCMD · FY2024$22,000
Maryland Academy of SciencesMD · FY2024$21,515
Center Stage Associates INCMD · FY2024$20,529
National Aquarium INCMD · FY2024$12,736
Howard Community CollegeFY2024$10,000
See all 177 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.6M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.2M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$342K
Investment incomeLn 3$27K
Money outPt IX
$1.9M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.7M
Managementcol C$96K
Fundraisingcol D$145K
Owns and owesPt X
$3.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.1M
Total assetsLn 16$3.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$130K
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$3.2M
Government grantsLn 1e$3.1M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$44K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$80K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$342K
Investment incomeLn 3$27K
Total revenueLn 12$3.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.0M
SavingsLn 2$2.1M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$3.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$209K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$140K
Total assetsLn 16$3.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$130K
Net assetsLn 32$3.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 528
VolunteersI 6200
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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$1.8M$3.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$194K$209K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$86K$140K
Total assetsLn 16$2.1M$3.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$135K$130K
Net assetsLn 32$2.0M$3.7M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$682K$682K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$74K$74K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$191K$151K$15K$25K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$462K$365K$37K$60K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$8K$6K$632$1K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$38K$30K$3K$5K
Payroll taxesLn 10$48K$38K$4K$6K
Accounting feesLn 11c$30K$30K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$137K$137K$585
Advertising and promotionLn 12$327$293$10$24
Office expensesLn 13$72K$68K$4K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$12K$11K$354$831
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$17K$14K$1K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$7K$6K$597$967
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$118K$75K$11$44K
All other expensesLn 24e$94$78$4$12
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.9M$1.7M$96K$145K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $3.6M$1.9M$1.7M$3.7M 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.9M$1.8M$152K$2.0M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.3M$1.7M$563K$1.8M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.7M$1.6M$33K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.4M$1.4M$65K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.5M$1.4M$133K$1.1M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2025 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $3,592,707 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$79,976
VIII-1e Government grants$3,060,514
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$90,965
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$43,758
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,231,455
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $342,243$342,243
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $27,132$27,132
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$8,123−$8,123
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $342,243 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $19,009$3,592,707
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,897,217 across 16 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $682,381$682,381
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $73,550$73,550
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $150,652 · Management $15,256 · Fundraising $24,792$190,700
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $364,927 · Management $36,954 · Fundraising $60,051$461,932
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $6,242 · Management $632 · Fundraising $1,027$7,901
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $30,191 · Management $3,058 · Fundraising $4,968$38,217
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $37,630 · Management $3,810 · Fundraising $6,192$47,632
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $29,840$29,840
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $136,632 · Management $585$137,217
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $293 · Management $10 · Fundraising $24$327
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $68,196 · Management $3,783$71,979
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $10,950 · Management $354 · Fundraising $831$12,135
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $13,743 · Management $1,391 · Fundraising $2,261$17,395
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $5,877 · Management $597 · Fundraising $967$7,441
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $74,562 · Management $11 · Fundraising $43,903$118,476
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $78 · Management $4 · Fundraising $12$94
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,655,904 · Management $96,285 · Fundraising $145,028$1,897,217
Part X · Balance sheet $3,807,634 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $222,778$1,044,088
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,553,989$2,103,358
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $28,000$300,000
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $9,247$10,869
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $86,015$140,164
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $193,929$209,155
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,093,958$3,807,634
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $18,169$25,551
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $110,570$100,120
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $5,898$4,536
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $134,637$130,207
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,579,882$1,541,325
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $379,439$2,136,102
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,959,321$3,677,427
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,093,958$3,807,634
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $3,677,427 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,592,707
XI-2 Total expenses$1,897,217
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$1,695,490
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,959,321
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$6,927
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$15,689
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$3,677,427

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

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