Area 58 Community Access Media Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE ORGANIZATION'S PRIMARY EXEMPT PURPOSE WILL BE TO PROVIDE OUTREACH AND EDUCATIONAL TRAINING TO THE INTERESTED STUDENTS, CITIZENS, COMMUNITY GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND TO OPERATE AN EDUCATIONAL AND COMMUNITY STUDIO. AFTER LEARNING THECAPABILITIES AND POTENTIALS OF A PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNEL ON ACABLE TELEVISION SYSTEM AS A FORUM FOR EDUCATION, INFORMATION AND EXPRESSION, THE MEMBERS ARE THEN PROVIDED ACCESS ON AFIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS ON THE PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNELON THE CABLE SYSTEM.
- Income
- $609,384
- Spending
- $506,755
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 8.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
- Employees
- 5
- Highest pay
- $99,739, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 17% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 39% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Weak: 41 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
0 of 5Reports that it does not keep minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
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, 2024, 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)
- $382,105 spent. BY BEING AN EXEMPT ORGANIZATION, CCAT IS ABLE TO PURCHASE STUDIO/CABLE EQUIPMENT TO OUTFIT THE CARVER STUDIO AND PROVIDE LOCAL ACCESS PROGRAMMING, IN ADDITION TO EMPLOYING A FULL-TIME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAY TO DAY OPERATION OF THE STUDIO. CCAT IS PROVIDING ITS OWN LOCAL PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING TELEVISING SELECTMAN'S MEETINGS, SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETINGS, TOWN MEETING, AND OTHER MUNICIPAL ACTIVITIES. ADDITIONALLY, A NUMBER OF CITIZEN PROGRAMS WERE SHOWN, AND SOME PUBLIC DOMAIN MOVIES. CLASSES IN PROGRAMMING AND PRODUCTION WERE ALSO PROVIDED. THERE ARE OVER 3,300 SUBSCRIBERS IN TOWN, REPRESENTING APPROXIMATELY 9,000 PEOPLE WHO HAD ACCESS TO THE PROGRAMS AIRED. NO GRANTS WERE AWARDED OR UTILIZED DURING THIS YEAR. PROGRAM EXPENSES WERE INCIDENTAL AND TYPICAL OF LOCAL ACCESS PRODUCTIONS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 2024.
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 July 1998.
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.