To make visual and performing Arts available to the entire bedford population; to become a creative force and an educational resource for the community, and to harness the economic vitality of the Arts.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
61¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 22 volunteers and 5 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

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
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
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $4K a year · 2% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
61%
of spending
Worth a look: 61% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$64K
to officers and key staff · 23% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 23% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.9 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
8
named funders · $123K
Looks good: 8 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$28K
7% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 7% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$322K
+30% vs prior year
Spent
$280K
To programs
61%
Net assets
$391K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$322K
FY2024▲ +30%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$191K
FY2021$236K
FY2022$231K
FY2023$248K
FY2024$322K
Expenses
$280K
FY2024▲ +3%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$205K
FY2021$223K
FY2022$266K
FY2023$272K
FY2024$280K
Net assets
$391K
FY2024▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$395K
FY2021$408K
FY2022$373K
FY2023$350K
FY2024$391K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in May 2016.

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

Where the money goes

61 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 61% · $171K Management & general 27% · $76K Fundraising 12% · $33K

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

12 people listed on the 990; $64K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$63,750Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Facilities Chair Person
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Susan Martin’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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Susan Martin$63,750$63,750$63,750$62,500$60,000

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 Bower Center for the Arts 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Brings visual and performing arts to the community, serving as a creative and educational resource.

Questions for Bower Center for the Arts

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $171K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Programs to make visual and performing arts available to the entire bedford population: to become a creative force and an educational resource for the community, and to harness the economic vitality of the arts.

$171Kprogram 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 8 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$322K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$230K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$67K
Other incomeLn 4–11$25K
Money outPt IX
$280K
Ln 25
Programscol B$171K
Managementcol C$76K
Fundraisingcol D$33K
Owns and owesPt X
$391K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$68K
Total assetsLn 16$420K
LiabilitiesLn 26$28K
PeoplePt VI, VII
12
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$230K
Government grantsLn 1e$12K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$27K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$67K
Investment incomeLn 3$48
Other incomeLn 4–11$25K
Total revenueLn 12$322K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$68K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$68K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$55
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$344K
Total assetsLn 16$420K
LiabilitiesLn 26$28K
Net assetsLn 32$391K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 55
VolunteersI 622
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$52K$68K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$55
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$319K$344K
Total assetsLn 16$378K$420K
LiabilitiesLn 26$28K$28K
Net assetsLn 32$350K$391K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$64K$16K$32K$16K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$59K$37K$19K$4K
Payroll taxesLn 10$9K$2K$5K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$15K$15K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$4K$4K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$1K$800$533
Office expensesLn 13$6K$5K$577$577
OccupancyLn 16$10K$10K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$14K$11K$1K$1K
InsuranceLn 23$3K$669$1K$669
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$83K$81K$3K
All other expensesLn 24e$12K$8K$3K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$280K$171K$76K$33K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $322K$280K$41K$391K 990 PDF
FY2023 $248K$272K−$24K$350K 990 PDF
FY2022 $231K$266K−$35K$373K 990 PDF
FY2021 $236K$223K$13K$408K 990 PDF
FY2020 $191K$205K−$14K$395K 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 $321,721 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $177,814$229,594
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $51,290$67,350
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $112$48
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $18,960$24,729
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $248,176$321,721
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 $115,485$132,418
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $156,316$147,917
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $271,801$280,335
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$23,625$41,386
Part VI · Governance 11 of 11 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members11
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $321,721 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $967 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$26,505
VIII-1e Government grants$12,350
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$190,739
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$229,594
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $67,350$67,350
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $48$48
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $23,758$23,758
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $4$4
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $92,079 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $48$321,721
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $280,335 across 12 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $15,938 · Management $31,875 · Fundraising $15,937$63,750
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $36,698 · Management $18,660 · Fundraising $3,857$59,215
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $2,363 · Management $4,727 · Fundraising $2,363$9,453
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $14,950$14,950
IX-11g Other fees for servicesFundraising $3,687$3,687
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $800 · Fundraising $533$1,333
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $4,616 · Management $577 · Fundraising $577$5,770
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $10,388$10,388
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $10,887 · Management $1,361 · Fundraising $1,361$13,609
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $669 · Management $1,338 · Fundraising $669$2,676
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $80,683 · Fundraising $2,727$83,410
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $8,267 · Management $2,549 · Fundraising $1,278$12,094
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $171,309 · Management $76,037 · Fundraising $32,989$280,335
Part X · Balance sheet $419,621 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $51,747$67,979
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $6,816$7,500
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $559$561
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $318,903$343,526
X-12 Other securities$55
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $378,025$419,621
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $9,943$9,639
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $18,258$18,772
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $28,201$28,411
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $332,301$350,814
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $17,523$40,396
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $349,824$391,210
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $378,025$419,621
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $391,210 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$321,721
XI-2 Total expenses$280,335
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$41,386
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$349,824
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$391,210

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

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