Coney Island USA
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO OPERATE A MULTI-ARTS CENTER LEADING A CULTURAL REVIVAL OF A HISTORIC DISTRICT. BY COMBINING PERFORMING/VISUAL ARTS WITH IMAGINATION WE BRING TO THE COMMUNITY AND ARTISTS TO CONEY ISLAND. WE SEEK TO REVITALIZE OUR COMMUNITY ATTRACTING INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION AND VISITORS WHILE PROVIDING LOW-COST ART TO A MASS, WORKING CLASS, NYC AUDIENCE
- Income
- $803,678
- Spending
- $655,589
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- -82.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 76%
- Employees
- 29
- Highest pay
- $50,725, artistic 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
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 18% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 20% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 29 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 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.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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 (4)
- $222,611 spent. SIDESHOW BY THE SEASHORE: AMERICAS LAST TRADITIONAL STATIONARY 10-IN-1 SIDE SHOW INCLUDES ENDANGERED TRADITIONAL SIDESHOW ACTS SUCH AS SWORD SWALLOWING CONTORTIONISTS BED OF NAILS ETC. THIS PROGRAM PRESERVES AN IMPORTANT SET OF AMERICAN TRADITIONAL PERFORMANCE FORMS FOR THE AUDIENCE
- $113,778 spent. MERMAID PARADE: ANNUAL ART PARADE THAT BRINGS ARTISTS AND CREATIVE INDIVIDUALS TO THE BEACH IN THE SPIRIT OF CONEY ISLAND'S HISTORIC MARDI GRAS PARADES. OVER 1,500 INDIVIDUALS CREATE THEIR OWN FLOATS AND COSTUMES AND PARADE THROUGH THE AMUSEMENT AREAS IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE OF OVER 750,000 ANNUALLY
- $74,203 spent. MUSEUM: THE CONEY ISLAND MUSEUM - THE ONLY MUSEUM IN THE UNITED STATES DEDICATED TO TELLING STORIES ABOUT THE HISTORY OF CONEY ISLAND. ALSO CIUSA.'s VISUAL ART PROGRAM. THE MUSEUM COLLECTION CONTAINS ARTIFACTS AND MATERIALS RELATED TO CONEY ISLAND's HISTORY AND TO THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN POPULAR CULTURE. EXHIBITION BRINGS VISUAL ARTISTS TO THE COLLECTION AND ASKS THEM TO TELL UNIQUE AND EXCITING STORIES USING THE OBJECTS IN THE COLLECTION AS A MEDIUM
- $84,097 spent. PROGRAMS SUCH AS BURLESQUE AT THE BEACH, CONGRESS OF CURIOUS PEOPLE, FILM FESTIVAL STUFF YOURSELF SILLY BEARD AND MUSTACHE
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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 1989.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.