The 51st FY2024 filing

Tax-deductible

Washington, DC501(c)(3)Since 2024Arts & CultureEIN 99-3371005

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The 51st is an information source that makes living in the District of Columbia easier, more fun, and more equitable for all residents. We provide news as a public service, educate readers, and build community through engagement events.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
67¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$138K 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

FY2024 · 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 2
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $286K a year · 43% of revenue · last 2 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 2 of the last 2 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 2 filings
Spent on programs
67%
of spending
Fine: 67% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$138K
to officers and key staff · 90% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 90% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
11 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 11.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $50K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2K
0.7% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
0
of 7 voting members
Concern: none of 7 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$419K
Spent
$153K
To programs
67%
Net assets
$266K
By yearFY2024–FY2025
Revenue
$419K
FY2024
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2024$419K
FY2025$903K
Expenses
$153K
FY2024
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2024$153K
FY2025$596K
Net assets
$266K
FY2024
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2024$266K
FY2025$573K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2024 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 May 2025.

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

Where the money goes

67 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 67% · $103K Management & general 27% · $41K Fundraising 6% · $9K

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

8 people listed on the 990; $138K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Treasurer
$27,950Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Founder
$26,950Pt VII · Sec A
$22,663Pt VII · Sec A
$21,538Pt VII · Sec A
$11,875Pt VII · Sec A
$11,100Pt VII · Sec A
$8,113Pt VII · Sec A
$8,113Pt VII · Sec A

Christina Sturdivant Sani’s $90K as Executive Director is at the 82nd 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024
Christina Sturdivant Sani$89,778$11,875
Maddie Poore$78,605$26,950
Eric Falquero$75,988$27,950
Martin Austermuhle$74,150—
Abigail Higgins$38,288$22,663
Colleen Grabick$35,988—
Natalie Delgadillo$23,500$11,100
Colleen Grablick—$21,538

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 The 51st 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

Provides news and events to make living in D.C. easier, more fun, and equitable for residents.

Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $103K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Journalism

providing local news to DC residents.

$85Kprogram expense
02

Outreach to DC communitees.

$13Kprogram expense
03

Spotlight DC Grant

$5Kprogram 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
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$50K

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$419K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$418K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1K
Investment incomeLn 3$7
Money outPt IX
$153K
Ln 25
Programscol B$103K
Managementcol C$41K
Fundraisingcol D$9K
Owns and owesPt X
$266K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$144K
Total assetsLn 16$268K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b0
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$418K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1K
Investment incomeLn 3$7
Total revenueLn 12$419K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$144K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$144K
Total assetsLn 16$268K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K
Net assetsLn 32$266K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$144K
Total assetsLn 16$0$268K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$2K
Net assetsLn 32$0$266K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$130K$92K$29K$9K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$9K$9K
InsuranceLn 23$881$764$117
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$3K$980$2K
All other expensesLn 24e$10K$10K
Total functional expensesLn 25$153K$103K$41K$9K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $903K$596K$307K$573K 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $419K$153K$266K$266K 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 FY2024 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $419,309 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$417,852
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$417,852
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,450$1,450
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $7$7
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,457 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$419,309
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $153,139 across 5 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $92,246 · Management $28,963 · Fundraising $8,980$130,189
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $9,249$9,249
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $764 · Management $117$881
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $980 · Management $1,751$2,731
IX-24e All other expensesManagement $10,089$10,089
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $103,239 · Management $40,920 · Fundraising $8,980$153,139
Part X · Balance sheet $268,170 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearing$143,652
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$5,000
X-4 Accounts receivable$115,111
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$4,407
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $0$268,170
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$2,000
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$2,000
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictions$266,170
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $0$266,170
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $0$268,170
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $266,170 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$419,309
XI-2 Total expenses$153,139
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$266,170
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$266,170

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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