The Puppet Co was established to create Puppet theatre, especially for children and family audiences, as a synthesis of the visual and performing arts; through interpretive programs including classes, demonstrations, and exhibits, to inform and excite the public about the potential of puppetry; and to establish theaters to house those programs.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
100¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$55K 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

FY2024 · 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 $9K a year · 3% 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
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
$55K
to officers and key staff · 16% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 16% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $63K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$55K
26% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 26% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$417K
-3% vs prior year
Spent
$354K
To programs
100%
Net assets
$156K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$417K
FY2024▼ -3%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$259K
FY2021$277K
FY2022$397K
FY2023$430K
FY2024$417K
FY2025$318K
Expenses
$354K
FY2024▼ -22%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$113K
FY2021$288K
FY2022$436K
FY2023$451K
FY2024$354K
FY2025$402K
Net assets
$156K
FY2024▼ -6%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$201K
FY2021$190K
FY2022$172K
FY2023$165K
FY2024$156K
FY2025$79K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2024 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 Jan 1990.

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% · $353K Management & general 0% · $500

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

8 people listed on the 990; $55K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$55,000Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Isabel Dawson’s $55K as Executive Director is at the 50th 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 · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Isabel Dawson$55,000$16,077———
Elizabeth Dapo—$50,000$49,670$41,385$19,027
Rachel Goldberg—$32,769$47,305$40,000—
Toni Goldberg————$12,308
Justin Mohay———$1,800—

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 Puppet Co 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

Creates engaging puppet shows and educational programs for children and families.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $353K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The puppet co is committed to providing accessible educational entertainment to children by producing classic children's stories using the fine art of puppet performance. Attendance was approximately 18,123 during the year.

$353Kprogram 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 6 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$417K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$269K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$141K
Other incomeLn 4–11$7K
Money outPt IX
$354K
Ln 25
Programscol B$353K
Managementcol C$500
Owns and owesPt X
$156K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$105K
Total assetsLn 16$211K
LiabilitiesLn 26$55K
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$141K
Government grantsLn 1e$99K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Fees for servicesLn 2g$269K
Other incomeLn 4–11$7K
Total revenueLn 12$417K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$105K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$105K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$106K
Total assetsLn 16$211K
LiabilitiesLn 26$55K
Net assetsLn 32$156K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 541
VolunteersI 621
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$25K$105K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$206K$211K
LiabilitiesLn 26$41K$55K
Net assetsLn 32$165K$156K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$112K$112K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$97K$97K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$1K$1K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$4K$4K
Payroll taxesLn 10$16K$16K
Accounting feesLn 11c$26K$26K$500
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$22K$22K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$4K$4K
OccupancyLn 16$25K$25K
TravelLn 17$182$182
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$956$956
InsuranceLn 23$3K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$38K$38K$0$0
All other expensesLn 24e$2K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$354K$353K$500$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $318K$402K−$84K$79K 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $417K$354K$64K$156K 990 PDF
FY2023 $430K$451K−$21K$165K 990 PDF
FY2022 $397K$436K−$38K$172K 990 PDF
FY2021 $277K$288K−$11K$190K 990 PDF
FY2020 $259K$113K$147K$201K 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $417,430 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $167,716$141,208
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $259,126$269,443
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $2,928$6,779
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $429,770$417,430
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 $272,657$230,446
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $177,964$123,088
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $450,621$353,534
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$20,851$63,896
Part VI · Governance 6 of 8 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members6
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 $417,430 across 9 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $276,222 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$98,819
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$42,389
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$141,208
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $276,222 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$417,430
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $353,534 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $112,056$112,056
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $97,227$97,227
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,134$1,134
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $3,720$3,720
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $16,309$16,309
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $25,801 · Management $500$26,301
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $21,664$21,664
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,928$1,928
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $4,334$4,334
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $24,985$24,985
IX-17 TravelPrograms $182$182
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $956$956
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $2,674$2,674
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $37,925 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$37,925
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $2,139$2,139
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $353,034 · Management $500 · Fundraising $0$353,534
Part X · Balance sheet $210,965 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $24,969$104,619
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $22,593$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $635$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $52,752$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $105,496$106,346
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $206,445$210,965
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $39,699$40,827
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $1,450$14,463
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $41,149$55,290
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $165,296$155,675
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $165,296$155,675
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $206,445$210,965
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $155,675 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$417,430
XI-2 Total expenses$353,534
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$63,896
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$165,296
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$73,517
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$155,675

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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