Truartspeaks FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

Saint Paul, MN501(c)(3)Since 2018Arts & CultureEIN 82-4061997Revenue $402K in FY2023

On file with the IRStruartspeaks.org2285 University Ave W Unit 465, 55114-1655 · Saint Paul, MNTax-exempt since Jun 2023Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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To cultivate literacy, leadership, and social justice through the study & application of spoken word and hip hop culture.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
59¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$86K 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

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
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
3 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $40K a year · 14% of revenue · last 4 filings
Fine: a surplus in 3 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
59%
of spending
Worth a look: 59% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$86K
to officers and key staff · 32% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 32% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $280K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$6K
3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 3% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 3 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 3 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$402K
+64% vs prior year
Spent
$270K
To programs
59%
Net assets
$183K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$402K
FY2023▲ +64%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$121K
FY2022$245K
FY2023$402K
FY2024$320K
FY2025$200K
Expenses
$270K
FY2023▲ +15%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021Not on file
FY2022$234K
FY2023$270K
FY2024$271K
FY2025$233K
Net assets
$183K
FY2023▲ +266%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$40K
FY2022$50K
FY2023$183K
FY2024$214K
FY2025$181K

From the FY2023 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 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 Jun 2023.

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

Where the money goes

59 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 59% · $159K Management & general 34% · $93K Fundraising 7% · $18K

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

5 people listed on the 990; $86K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$86,035Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Latisha Jones’s $101K as Executive Director is at the 89th 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Latisha Jones$100,972$96,425$86,035$76,031$44,650

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 Truartspeaks 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

Empowers youth through spoken word and hip hop to build literacy, leadership, and social justice skills.

Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $159K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Hip Hop Education

Truartspeaks has a robust list of teaching artists in our network, each representative of some element or aspect of spoken word and hip hop culture, and BEYOND.OUR crew is rooted and trained in the pillars of our pedagogical practice, engaging in ongoing and regular development opportunities to ensure that they are constantly enhancing…

$142Kprogram expense
02

Professional Development

It takes a village and knowledge benefits us all when we share it towards the collective good. At truartspeaks we believe that every young person, emerging artist, and inspiring leader can benefit from learning the best, latest, and tried and true cultural & art PRACTICES.WITH an extensive history of training educators (k-collegiate…

$13Kprogram expense
03

Racial Equity Training

Like our arts-based professional development, we provide training and educational resources in the realms of social justice, racial equity, and community ORGANIZING.THESE sessions range from deep dives into anti-racism work, strategies for building community in and through the arts, narrative strategy work, ally-based workshops, creating…

$4Kprogram 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
Total grants receivedfrom 3 funders$280K
See all 3 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$402K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$387K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$14K
Investment incomeLn 3$348
Money outPt IX
$270K
Ln 25
Programscol B$159K
Managementcol C$93K
Fundraisingcol D$18K
Owns and owesPt X
$183K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$137K
Total assetsLn 16$189K
LiabilitiesLn 26$6K
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$387K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$2K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$14K
Investment incomeLn 3$348
Total revenueLn 12$402K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$137K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$137K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K
Total assetsLn 16$189K
LiabilitiesLn 26$6K
Net assetsLn 32$183K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52
VolunteersI 63
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$45K$137K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K$2K
Total assetsLn 16$57K$189K
LiabilitiesLn 26$7K$6K
Net assetsLn 32$50K$183K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$86K$49K$25K$12K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$7K$4K$2K$1K
Payroll taxesLn 10$8K$8K
Legal feesLn 11b$6K$6K
Accounting feesLn 11c$10K$10K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$86K$74K$8K$4K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$4K$2K$1K$907
Office expensesLn 13$16K$5K$10K$154
OccupancyLn 16$16K$3K$13K
TravelLn 17$12K$12K$202
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$226$226
InsuranceLn 23$779$779
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$19K$11K$8K$59
Total functional expensesLn 25$270K$159K$93K$18K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $200K$233K−$33K$181K 990 PDF
FY2024 $320K$271K$49K$214K 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $402K$270K$132K$183K 990 PDF
FY2022 $245K$234K$11K$50K 990 PDF
FY2021 $121K$40K 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 FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $401,882 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $216,173$387,165
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $28,747$14,369
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $22$348
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $244,942$401,882
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 $90,704$101,157
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $143,667$168,950
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $234,371$270,107
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $10,571$131,775
Part VI · Governance 3 of 3 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members3
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $401,882 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$387,165
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$2,400
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$387,165
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $14,369$14,369
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $348$348
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $14,369 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $348$401,882
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $270,107 across 13 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $48,582 · Management $25,445 · Fundraising $12,008$86,035
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $4,077 · Management $2,135 · Fundraising $1,008$7,220
IX-10 Payroll taxesManagement $7,902$7,902
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $5,718$5,718
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $9,550$9,550
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $73,597 · Management $8,351 · Fundraising $3,622$85,570
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,523 · Management $1,408 · Fundraising $907$3,838
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $5,486 · Management $10,298 · Fundraising $154$15,938
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $3,312 · Management $13,087$16,399
IX-17 TravelPrograms $11,978 · Management $202$12,180
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $226$226
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $779$779
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $10,929 · Management $7,764 · Fundraising $59$18,752
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $159,484 · Management $92,865 · Fundraising $17,758$270,107
Part X · Balance sheet $189,486 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $45,151$136,780
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $9,250$36,388
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $399$14,585
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,959$1,733
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $56,759$189,486
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $6,653$5,994
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $6,653$5,994
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $48,106$183,492
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,000$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $50,106$183,492
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $56,759$189,486
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $183,492 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$401,882
XI-2 Total expenses$270,107
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$131,775
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$50,106
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$1,611
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$183,492

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

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