Capital Fringe Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 167 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Capital Fringe was founded in 2005 with a mission to celebrate cultural democracy and access to art and artistic expression for all. By embracing diversity and a spirit of independence, we create earning opportunities for individual artists.
- Income
- $94,648
- Spending
- $270,621
- Spent on programs
- 69%
- Reserves
- 6.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 66%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 3
- Highest pay
- $108,156, presidentsecretary
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 48 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 186% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 78% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1569% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 167 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 92 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Independent board
18 of 253 of 4 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $187,294 spent. In 2025, Capital Fringe made the difficult decision to cease production of the annual Capital/DC Fringe Festival after two decades. This decision followed years of effort to build and sustain stable infrastructure for large-scale open-access live performance amid the steady loss of affordable and proximate venues across Washington, DC. Fringe festivals require a dense cluster of spaces capable of supporting more than one hundred productions annually; while Capital Fringe achieved this for a time in Downtown DC at Fort Fringe and later across multiple neighborhoods including H Street NE/Trinidad, Southwest DC, Georgetown, and Downtown DC, the long-term erosion of venue availability and rising costs made continuation unsustainable. Over twenty years, Capital Fringe activated 158 venues, nearly two thirds of which no longer exist. While the festival has concluded, Capital Fringe continues its mission through new program models, including the launch of the Ed Tyler Fringe Touring Fund and through fiscal sponsorship of independent artists and producers across the DMV. These programs extend Capital Fringes commitment to open access, experimentation, and artist support beyond a single annual event and into sustainable, future-facing forms.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 2005.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.