501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
80¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

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
2 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $815 a year · under 1% of revenue · last 4 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
80%
of spending
Looks good: 80% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: 0.1 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $500K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
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
0
of 2 voting members
Concern: none of 2 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$247K
+45% vs prior year
Spent
$273K
To programs
80%
Net assets
$40K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$247K
FY2025▲ +45%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$55K
FY2021$28K
FY2022$575K
FY2023$633K
FY2024$170K
FY2025$247K
Expenses
$273K
FY2025▲ +135%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020Not on file
FY2021Not on file
FY2022$550K
FY2023$683K
FY2024$116K
FY2025$273K
Net assets
$40K
FY2025▼ -39%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$30K
FY2021$37K
FY2022$62K
FY2023$11K
FY2024$65K
FY2025$40K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

990 PDF Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Feb 2022.

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

Where the money goes

80 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 80% · $219K Management & general 20% · $54K

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

2 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary/CFO
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Lihi Benisty’s $15K as Executive Director is at the 11th 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.

See Mara Foundation 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Encourages promising young people in arts and sciences, and promotes women's rights and artistic contributions.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $219K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

The August 2025 Event

Jericho somerset in united kingdomset within a nature reserve in the uk countryside, the august 2025 jericho event is a multi-day wellness and creative retreat designed for fostering emerging voices in literature, film, art, music, and beyond; sharing ideas; and training leaders and role models for younger talent in those areas.

$116Kprogram expense
02

The January 2025 Event

Casa majani punta de mita in mexicoset within an isolated villa compound in the mexican countryside, the january 2025 jericho event is a week-long wellbeing and personal development retreat designed to provide support for young artists working in literature, film, art, music, and beyond using creativity to unlock confidence.

$103Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2023
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$500K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $25K · 2022–2022
Unitemized GrantFY2022$25,284

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$247K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$247K
Money outPt IX
$273K
Ln 25
Programscol B$219K
Managementcol C$54K
Owns and owesPt X
$40K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1K
Total assetsLn 16$40K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
2
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a2
IndependentVI 1b0
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$247K
Total revenueLn 12$247K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1K
Total assetsLn 16$40K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$40K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 60
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$23K$1K
Total assetsLn 16$67K$40K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K$0
Net assetsLn 32$65K$40K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Legal feesLn 11b$12K$5K$7K
Accounting feesLn 11c$40K$40K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$254$41$213
InsuranceLn 23$19K$14K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$184K$184K$196
All other expensesLn 24e$17K$16K$750
Total functional expensesLn 25$273K$219K$54K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $247K$273K−$26K$40K 990 PDF
FY2024 $170K$116K$54K$65K 990 PDF
FY2023 $633K$683K−$50K$11K 990 PDF
FY2022 $575K$550K$25K$62K 990 PDF
FY2021 $28K$37K 990 PDF
FY2020 $55K$30K 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 $247,050 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $170,000$247,050
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $170,000$247,050
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 $0$0
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $115,810$272,611
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $115,810$272,611
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $54,190−$25,561
Part VI · Governance 0 of 2 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body2
VI-1b Independent voting members0
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 $247,050 across 3 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$247,050
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$247,050
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$247,050
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $272,611 across 6 lines filed
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $4,706 · Management $7,020$11,726
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $40,334$40,334
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $41 · Management $213$254
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $13,746 · Management $5,053$18,799
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $184,267 · Management $196$184,463
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $16,285 · Management $750$17,035
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $219,045 · Management $53,566 · Fundraising $0$272,611
Part X · Balance sheet $39,897 assets, 6 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $23,266$1,170
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $43,560$38,727
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $67,058$39,897
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,600$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $65,458$39,897
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $67,058$39,897
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $39,897 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$247,050
XI-2 Total expenses$272,611
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$25,561
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$65,458
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$39,897

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

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