Sidewalk Detroit exists to celebrate public and creative life through the lens of arts, culture and deep engagement with residents. We seek to improve livability for residents through the promotion of spatial equity and strong social infrastructure. Our emphasis is on public art, neighborhood place-keeping, and equitable access to urban greenspace. We facilitate processes in which residents reclaim their spaces and envision a joyful, protected and connected future.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
76¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 100 volunteers and 6 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
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $108K a year · 16% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
76%
of spending
Looks good: 76% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$77K
to officers and key staff · 13% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 13% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
14 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 13.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $15K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$27K
3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 3% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
5
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 5 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$637K
-18% vs prior year
Spent
$611K
To programs
76%
Net assets
$802K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$637K
FY2025▼ -18%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$638K
FY2021$495K
FY2022$838K
FY2023$635K
FY2024$775K
FY2025$637K
Expenses
$611K
FY2025▼ -5%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$410K
FY2021$516K
FY2022$677K
FY2023$514K
FY2024$642K
FY2025$611K
Net assets
$802K
FY2025▲ +29%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$228K
FY2021$208K
FY2022$369K
FY2023$490K
FY2024$623K
FY2025$802K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 2019.

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

Where the money goes

76 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 76% · $466K Management & general 21% · $129K Fundraising 3% · $16K

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

6 people listed on the 990; $77K 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
$76,818Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Ryan Myers-Johnson$76,818$70,340$59,084$54,625$51,841$9,167

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 Sidewalk Detroit 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

Promotes equity by fostering arts, culture, and community engagement.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $466K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Sidewalk festivalsidewalk festival doesn't use traditional stages - artists are challenged to create site-specific performance and installation art for the alleys, gardens, storefronts, courtyards, parking lots and streets of detroit.

$213Kprogram expense
02

Eliza Howell Park

Each year, sidewalk detroit selects talented artists and community organizations to lead weekly outdoor workshops in eliza howell park. Through weekly programming, sidewalk detroit is able to connect neighbors with art in this serene natural landscape to improve the community's mental and physical wellness and increase awareness of…

$151Kprogram expense
03

Consultant Work

Sidewalk detroit earns income through consultancy work focused on community engagement. The 2024-2025 fiscal year included work with the city of pittsburgh, the city of grand rapids, and the city of detroit on several different projects including the joe louis greenway neighborhood planning study, the arts alleys initiative, and vibrant…

$102Kprogram 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
CulturesourceFY2025$15K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$15K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$637K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$521K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$111K
Investment incomeLn 3$5K
Money outPt IX
$611K
Ln 25
Programscol B$466K
Managementcol C$129K
Fundraisingcol D$16K
Owns and owesPt X
$802K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$695K
Total assetsLn 16$828K
LiabilitiesLn 26$27K
PeoplePt VI, VII
6
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b5
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$521K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$111K
Investment incomeLn 3$5K
Total revenueLn 12$637K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$695K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$695K
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$828K
LiabilitiesLn 26$27K
Net assetsLn 32$802K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 56
VolunteersI 6100
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$598K$695K
Total assetsLn 16$793K$828K
LiabilitiesLn 26$18K$27K
Net assetsLn 32$776K$802K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$90K$64K$22K$4K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$221K$157K$54K$10K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$25K$18K$6K$1K
Payroll taxesLn 10$27K$19K$7K$1K
Accounting feesLn 11c$7K$7K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$71K$64K$7K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$9K$9K
Office expensesLn 13$16K$16K
OccupancyLn 16$5K$5K
TravelLn 17$9K$9K
InsuranceLn 23$5K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$115K$115K
All other expensesLn 24e$10K$4K$7K
Total functional expensesLn 25$611K$466K$129K$16K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $637K$611K$26K$802K 990 PDF
FY2024 $775K$642K$133K$623K 990 PDF
FY2023 $635K$514K$121K$490K 990 PDF
FY2022 $838K$677K$161K$369K 990 PDF
FY2021 $495K$516K−$21K$208K 990 PDF
FY2020 $638K$410K$228K$228K 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $637,366 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $487,858$521,439
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $137,952$111,227
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,457$4,700
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $627,267$637,366
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 $300,075$363,352
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $341,764$247,775
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $641,839$611,127
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$14,572$26,239
Part VI · Governance 5 of 5 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members5
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $637,366 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$521,439
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$521,439
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $111,227$111,227
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $4,700$4,700
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $111,227 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $4,700$637,366
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $611,127 across 13 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $63,617 · Management $21,892 · Fundraising $3,991$89,500
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $157,165 · Management $54,081 · Fundraising $9,861$221,107
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $18,060 · Management $6,215 · Fundraising $1,133$25,408
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $19,431 · Management $6,687 · Fundraising $1,219$27,337
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $7,347$7,347
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $63,638 · Management $7,096$70,734
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $9,406$9,406
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $15,895$15,895
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $5,182$5,182
IX-17 TravelPrograms $8,953$8,953
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $5,096$5,096
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $114,671$114,671
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $3,832 · Management $6,659$10,491
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $466,120 · Management $128,803 · Fundraising $16,204$611,127
Part X · Balance sheet $828,305 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $597,563$694,661
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $137,500$90,000
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $31,375$41,644
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $2,000$2,000
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $25,000$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $793,438$828,305
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $13,918$12,739
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $3,991$13,798
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $17,909$26,537
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $672,202$637,558
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $103,327$164,210
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $775,529$801,768
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $793,438$828,305
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $801,768 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$637,366
XI-2 Total expenses$611,127
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$26,239
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$775,529
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$801,768

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

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