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Bams Fest INC FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

Dorchester, MA501(c)(3)Arts & Culture EIN 81-2970737Revenue $875K in FY2023Latest return filed Nov 17, 2025

On file with the IRSbamsfest.orgDorchester, MATax-exempt since Dec 2016Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Our mission is to provide a high qulaity, value based, annual arts and community festival, which strives to break down racial and social barriers to arts and culture equity.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
82¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2023 · 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 $20K a year · 3% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
82%
of spending
Looks good: 82% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
7
named funders · $78K
Looks good: 7 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 10 voting members
Looks good: 9 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
$875K
+46% vs prior year
Spent
$960K
To programs
82%
Net assets
$306K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$875K
FY2023▲ +46%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$368K
FY2021$333K
FY2022$598K
FY2023$875K
FY2024$690K
Expenses
$960K
FY2023▲ +20%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$87K
FY2021$319K
FY2022$797K
FY2023$960K
FY2024$801K
Net assets
$306K
FY2023▲ +77%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$289K
FY2021$303K
FY2022$173K
FY2023$306K
FY2024$195K

From the FY2023 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 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 Dec 2016.

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

Where the money goes

82 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 82% · $788K Management & general 14% · $137K Fundraising 4% · $34K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

11 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Amy Carleton
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Gregory Ball
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Todd Dahn
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Reginauld Williams
Board Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Catherine T Morris
Executive Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Betsy Morris
Secretary and Co Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Bams Fest INC executive salaries →

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

Hosts an annual arts festival to break down barriers and promote arts and culture equity.

Questions for Bams Fest INC

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1 program · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Bams Fest

Bams fest is a cultural movement led by greater boston black and brown artists, culture makers and creative entrepreneurs who are on the front lines of racial equity, spatial justice, and economic empowerment.

Pt IX · col B

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
Wagner FoundationFY2024$25K
New England Patriots Charitable Foundation INCFY2024$15K
The New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund INCFY2024$12K
Boston Foundation INCFY2024$10K
Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFY2024$5K
Krupp Family FoundationFY2024$5K
Mortimer and Mimi Levitt Foundation INCFY2024$5K
Total grants receivedfrom 7 funders$78K
See all 7 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$875K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$875K
Money outPt IX
$960K
Ln 25
Programscol B$788K
Managementcol C$137K
Fundraisingcol D$34K
Owns and owesPt X
$306K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$306K
Total assetsLn 16$306K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$875K
Total revenueLn 12$875K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$306K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$306K
Total assetsLn 16$306K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$306K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 615
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$173K$306K
Total assetsLn 16$173K$306K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$173K$306K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$335K$235K$67K$34K
Payroll taxesLn 10$8K$6K$3K
Management feesLn 11a$55K$55K
Legal feesLn 11b$18K$13K$6K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$7K$5K$1K$726
Office expensesLn 13$82K$31K$51K
TravelLn 17$13K$12K$566
InsuranceLn 23$9K$9K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$432K$432K
Total functional expensesLn 25$960K$788K$137K$34K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 LatestFiled with the IRS Nov 17, 2025 $690K$801K−$111K$195K 990 PDF
FY2023 ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 15, 2024 $875K$960K−$84K$306K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Mar 1, 2023 $598K$797K−$199K$173K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Mar 1, 2023 $333K$319K$14K$303K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Aug 3, 2021 $368K$87K$281K$289K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $875,184 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $598,386$875,184
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $598,386$875,184
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $268,892$343,582
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $528,079$615,998
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $796,971$959,580
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$198,585−$84,396
Part VI · Governance 9 of 10 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body10
VI-1b Independent voting members9
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $875,184 across 3 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$875,184
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$875,184
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$875,184
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $959,580 across 9 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $234,662 · Management $67,046 · Fundraising $33,523$335,231
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $5,846 · Management $2,505$8,351
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $54,889$54,889
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $12,915 · Management $5,535$18,450
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $5,080 · Management $1,452 · Fundraising $726$7,258
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $30,696 · Management $50,990$81,686
IX-17 TravelPrograms $12,431 · Management $566$12,997
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $8,941$8,941
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $431,777$431,777
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $788,296 · Management $137,035 · Fundraising $34,249$959,580
Part X · Balance sheet $306,144 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $172,540$306,144
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $172,540$306,144
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $0$0
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $0$0
X-29 Capital stock or trust principalStart of year $0$0
X-30 Paid-in or capital surplusStart of year $0$0
X-31 Retained earnings or endowmentStart of year $172,540$306,144
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $172,540$306,144
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $172,540$306,144
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $306,144 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$875,184
XI-2 Total expenses$959,580
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$84,396
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$172,540
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$306,144

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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