Studio by the Tracks INC FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Irondale, AL501(c)(3)Arts & CultureEIN 63-1004336Revenue $364K in FY2020

On file with the IRSstudiobythetracks.org301 20th St S, 35210-1637 · Irondale, ALTax-exempt since Mar 1990Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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We provide free art classes for our clients. We provide an environment which allows troubled young people & adults with special needs an outlet to create. We encourage a supportive and nonjudgmental atmosphere necessary to nurture creative abilities.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
46¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$46K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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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
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $392K a year · 49% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
46%
of spending
Concern: 46% of spending went to programs; under 50%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$46K
to officers and key staff · 15% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 15% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
16 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 15.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $5K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$13K
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 10 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 10 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$364K
Spent
$320K
To programs
46%
Net assets
$587K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$364K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$364K
FY2021$386K
FY2022$444K
FY2023$2.3M
FY2024$506K
Expenses
$320K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$320K
FY2021$378K
FY2022$430K
FY2023$445K
FY2024$472K
Net assets
$587K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$587K
FY2021$611K
FY2022$622K
FY2023$2.3M
FY2024$2.3M

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 Mar 1990.

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

Where the money goes

46 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 46% · $147K Management & general 27% · $86K Fundraising 27% · $87K

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

11 people listed on the 990; $46K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$46,486Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Merrilee Challiss’s $64K as Executive Director is at the 59th 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Merrilee Challiss$63,545$45,252———
Suzanne Boozer——$45,954$62,848$46,486

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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Offers free art classes for troubled youth and adults with special needs in a supportive environment.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $147K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Studio by the tracks was formed to provide free art classes to emotionally conflicted children and adults with autism spectrum disorder or other mental illnesses. SBTT maintains a focused, energized atmosphere that provides students a haven in which to create.

$147Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$5K

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$364K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$252K
Other incomeLn 4–11$110K
Investment incomeLn 3$872
Money outPt IX
$320K
Ln 25
Programscol B$147K
Managementcol C$86K
Fundraisingcol D$87K
Owns and owesPt X
$587K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$421K
Total assetsLn 16$600K
LiabilitiesLn 26$13K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$252K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$84K
Investment incomeLn 3$872
Other incomeLn 4–11$110K
Total revenueLn 12$364K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$122K
SavingsLn 2$299K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$421K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$6K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$172K
Total assetsLn 16$600K
LiabilitiesLn 26$13K
Net assetsLn 32$587K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 55
VolunteersI 620
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$368K$421K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$5K$6K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$173K$172K
Total assetsLn 16$546K$600K
LiabilitiesLn 26$5K$13K
Net assetsLn 32$541K$587K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$46K$23K$23K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$133K$90K$22K$21K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$13K$7K$3K$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$17K$9K$4K$4K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$54K$27K$600$27K
Office expensesLn 13$11K$3K$8K
OccupancyLn 16$23K$12K$12K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$4K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$5K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$13K$4K$9K
Total functional expensesLn 25$320K$147K$86K$87K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $506K$472K$34K$2.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.3M$445K$1.9M$2.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $444K$430K$13K$622K 990 PDF
FY2021 $386K$378K$9K$611K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $364K$320K$44K$587K 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 FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $363,616 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $226,863$252,486
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $32,249$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,389$872
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $54,754$110,258
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $315,255$363,616
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 $207,892$209,699
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $113,860$110,144
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $321,752$319,843
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$6,497$43,773
Part VI · Governance 10 of 10 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body10
VI-1b Independent voting members10
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 $363,616 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1b Membership dues$25,774
VIII-1c Fundraising events$83,635
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$143,077
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$252,486
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $872$872
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $67,258$67,258
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $43,000$43,000
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $43,000 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $68,130$363,616
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $319,843 across 10 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $23,243 · Fundraising $23,243$46,486
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $89,823 · Management $22,094 · Fundraising $21,243$133,160
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $6,503 · Management $3,251 · Fundraising $3,251$13,005
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $8,524 · Management $4,262 · Fundraising $4,262$17,048
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $27,103 · Management $600 · Fundraising $26,572$54,275
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $3,266 · Management $7,772$11,038
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $11,705 · Management $11,705$23,410
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $3,755$3,755
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $5,115$5,115
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Management $3,998 · Fundraising $8,553$12,551
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $146,924 · Management $85,795 · Fundraising $87,124$319,843
Part X · Balance sheet $599,737 assets, 9 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $79,433$121,970
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $288,497$299,468
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $173,140$172,002
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $4,542$6,297
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $545,612$599,737
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $4,718$13,145
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $4,718$13,145
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $540,894$586,592
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $545,612$599,737
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $586,592 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$363,616
XI-2 Total expenses$319,843
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$43,773
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$540,894
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$1,762
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$163
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$586,592

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

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