To inspire passion for the circus arts through training, performance, and community engagement. In FY24-25, we provided 4,400 classes to 1,800 participants, produced 6 shows, and provided sustained enrichment activities to dozens of underserved youth.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
76¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 20 volunteers and 116 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
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $53K a year · 3% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 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
$41K
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: 0.3 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
5
named funders · $137K
Looks good: 5 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$962K
416% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 416% of assets; over 80%.
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
$2.0M
-3% vs prior year
Spent
$2.1M
To programs
76%
Net assets
−$731K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$2.0M
FY2025▼ -3%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.6M
FY2021$1.5M
FY2022$2.5M
FY2023$2.6M
FY2024$2.1M
FY2025$2.0M
Expenses
$2.1M
FY2025▼ -22%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.6M
FY2021$1.2M
FY2022$2.4M
FY2023$2.6M
FY2024$2.7M
FY2025$2.1M
Net assets
−$731K
FY2025▼ -22%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020−$170K
FY2021$76K
FY2022$179K
FY2023$101K
FY2024−$598K
FY2025−$731K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending August 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in May 1994.

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% · $1.6M Management & general 18% · $383K Fundraising 6% · $122K

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

16 people listed on the 990; $41K 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 (8/26/24 - 11/11/24)
$29,403Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director (11/18/24 - 10/3/24)
$11,291Pt VII · Sec A
Chair (term 10/4/24)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chair (term 6/30/25)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer (term 11/14/24)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer (term 8/31/25)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer (eff 5/1/25)
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jeff Thomas’s $29K as Executive Director (8/26/24 - 11/11/24) is at the 2nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 3925 $1–10M 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Anthony B Kendall—$107,136$104,201$96,755$81,602$81,602
Jeff Thomas$29,403—————
Anne Clark$11,291—————

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 Circus Center 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
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II1 listed

Programs and updates

Inspires passion for circus arts through training, performance, and community engagement.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $1.6M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Training

Circus Center offers classes for every level of ability in flying trapeze, acrobatics, aerial arts, contortion, juggling, and many other disciplines. We have training for all ages, from our recreational and pre-professional youth programs serving students as young as 6 years old, to our recreational adult classes and private lessons.

$1.3Mprogram expense
02

Community Engagement

Circus Center partners with schools and community organizations to offer circus arts activities to underserved young people. This year, we continued and grew our after-school program at a center for economically disadvantaged children.

$175Kprogram expense
03

Performance

Circus Center produced a full season of in-person shows featuring over a hundred Circus Center professional and student circus artists in seven different performances. These shows employ dozens of circus, music, and variety artists annually.

$127Kprogram 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
See all 5 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.0M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.4M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$680K
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Money outPt IX
$2.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.6M
Managementcol C$383K
Fundraisingcol D$122K
Owns and owesPt X
−$731K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$50K
Total assetsLn 16$232K
LiabilitiesLn 26$962K
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b5
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$680K
Government grantsLn 1e$156K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$68
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Total revenueLn 12$2.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$50K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$50K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$143K
Other assetsLn 15$5K
Total assetsLn 16$232K
LiabilitiesLn 26$962K
Net assetsLn 32−$731K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5116
VolunteersI 620
Fiscal year endsHeaderAugust
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$72K$50K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$170K$143K
Total assetsLn 16$291K$232K
LiabilitiesLn 26$889K$962K
Net assetsLn 32−$598K−$731K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$128K$49K$59K$20K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.3M$1.1M$160K$56K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$69K$51K$13K$5K
Payroll taxesLn 10$109K$92K$13K$4K
Legal feesLn 11b$26K$0$26K$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$44K$0$44K$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$62K$54K$5K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$41K$31K$6K$4K
Office expensesLn 13$101K$80K$13K$8K
Information technologyLn 14$3K$2K$292$146
OccupancyLn 16$77K$66K$7K$4K
TravelLn 17$13K$13K
InterestLn 20$27K$27K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$60K$51K$6K$3K
InsuranceLn 23$17K$13K$3K$2K
All other expensesLn 24e$44K$44K$450$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.1M$1.6M$383K$122K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $2.0M$2.1M−$49K−$731K 990 PDF
FY2024 $2.1M$2.7M−$573K−$598K 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.6M$2.6M−$79K$101K 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.5M$2.4M$103K$179K 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.5M$1.2M$246K$76K 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.6M$1.6M$35K−$170K 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 $2,045,202 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $461,589$679,517
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,653,525$1,362,640
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $767$68
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$1,619$2,977
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,114,262$2,045,202
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 $2,024,033$1,578,598
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $663,665$515,569
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,687,698$2,094,167
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$573,436−$48,965
Part VI · Governance 5 of 5 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members5
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $2,045,202 across 12 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $2,977 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$156,309
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$523,208
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$679,517
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,362,640 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$1,362,640
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $68 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$68
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,365,685 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$2,045,202
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,094,167 across 16 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $48,524 · Management $58,740 · Fundraising $20,431$127,695
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,056,550 · Management $160,440 · Fundraising $55,805$1,272,795
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $50,907 · Management $13,262 · Fundraising $4,613$68,782
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $91,941 · Management $12,899 · Fundraising $4,486$109,326
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $0 · Management $26,401 · Fundraising $0$26,401
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $44,301 · Fundraising $0$44,301
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $54,241 · Management $4,870 · Fundraising $2,435$61,546
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $31,060 · Management $5,943 · Fundraising $3,898$40,901
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $79,842 · Management $12,779 · Fundraising $8,100$100,721
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $2,480 · Management $292 · Fundraising $146$2,918
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $65,995 · Management $7,373 · Fundraising $3,687$77,055
IX-17 TravelFundraising $13,271$13,271
IX-20 InterestManagement $26,758$26,758
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $51,164 · Management $6,019 · Fundraising $3,010$60,193
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $12,931 · Management $2,586 · Fundraising $1,724$17,241
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $43,813 · Management $450 · Fundraising $0$44,263
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,589,448 · Management $383,113 · Fundraising $121,606$2,094,167
Part X · Balance sheet $231,548 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $72,286$50,299
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $0$10,000
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $18,366$18,872
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $7,316$4,227
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $169,988$142,726
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $23,231$5,424
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $291,187$231,548
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $124,091$194,671
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $433,649$367,583
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $171,000$240,000
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $888,740$962,254
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$647,553−$740,706
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $50,000$10,000
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$597,553−$730,706
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $291,187$231,548
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$730,706 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,045,202
XI-2 Total expenses$2,094,167
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$48,965
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$597,553
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$84,188
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year−$730,706

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

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