Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Mar 2022.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
51 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
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; $310K paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).
Dionna Dorsey’s $190K as Chief Executive Officer is at the 80th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3395 $1–10M education 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dionna Dorsey | $190,000 | $180,974 | $91,281 |
| David Griner | $18,462 | $160,000 | $75,766 |
| Abnia Loriston | $101,371 | — | — |
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 Creative Ladder 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 15aYes
Programs and updates
Connects students and young professionals to creative careers through training and mentorship.
Questions for Creative Ladder
Your first name shows with your question. Creative Ladder answers here, for everyone.
Seminars and workshopsthrough both in-person events and virtual opportunities open to all, the creative ladder connects emerging professionals with inspiring creative leaders via intentional programming on topics such as creative industry skills, leadership development, and wellbeing.
Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 86-3255346) · Dispute this lineFunders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2025 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY25 | End FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $779K | $446K |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $4K | $3K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $1.0M | $948K |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $49K | $42K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $996K | $906K |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5 | $201K | $68K | $66K | $66K |
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $226K | $125K | $37K | $64K |
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $10K | $4K | $2K | $3K |
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $40K | $18K | $10K | $12K |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $32K | $14K | $8K | $10K |
| Legal feesLn 11b | $18K | $18K | ||
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $93K | $93K | ||
| Professional fundraising feesLn 11e | $90K | $90K | ||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $45K | $17K | $27K | $1K |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $10K | $10K | ||
| Office expensesLn 13 | $5K | $781 | $4K | $128 |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $20K | $1K | $5K | $14K |
| TravelLn 17 | $56K | $25K | $14K | $17K |
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $232K | $232K | ||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $64K | $62K | $1K | $396 |
| InsuranceLn 23 | $3K | $3K | ||
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $10K | $7K | $3K | |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $1.2M | $585K | $291K | $277K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Feb 5, 2026 | $1.1M | $1.2M | −$90K | $906K | 990 PDF |
| FY2024Filed with the IRS Feb 14, 2025 | $933K | $1.4M | −$454K | $996K | 990 PDF |
| FY2023Filed with the IRS Apr 17, 2024 | $2.3M | $1.0M | $1.3M | $1.5M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022Filed with the IRS Mar 14, 2023 | $171K | $149K | 990 PDF |
Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2025 990
Part I · Summary $1,062,683 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, 2 to look at
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,062,683 across 5 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,153,114 across 17 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $948,032 assets, 13 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $905,999 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file FY2025 from the IRS (about our sources) · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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