Urban Arts Partnership
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
URBAN ARTS USES GAME DEVELOPMENT AS A POWERFUL EDUCATIONAL TOOL TO TEACH COMPUTER SCIENCE, CREATIVITY, COLLABORATION, AND LEADERSHIP, WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS NATIONWIDE WITH EQUITABLE STEAM CURRICULA, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND RESOURCES ENDORSED BY THE COLLEGE BOARD AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
- Income
- $7.5 million
- Spending
- $6.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- 14.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 46%
- Employees
- 62
- Volunteers
- 20
- Highest pay
- $318,537, chief executive officer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 90 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 14.1 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 41% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1573% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 17 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 June 30, 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 (3)
- $3.0 million spent. URBAN ARTS SERVES 3,000 STUDENTS ANNUALLY WITH FOUR PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO HELP STUDENTS BUILD CREATIVE AND TECHNICAL SKILLS AS A PATHWAY TO COLLEGE AND CAREER. 1) CREATIVE CODERS IS A MIDDLE SCHOOL COMPUTER SCIENCE CURRICULUM THAT FOCUSES ON GAME CREATION AND WORLD BUILDING. 2) GAME ON IS A HIGH SCHOOL AP COMPUTER SCIENCE CURRICULUM ENDORSED BY THE COLLEGE BOARD. 3) GAME ACADEMY IS A FULL-SERVICE HIGH SCHOOL GAME DEVELOPMENT AND COLLEGE ACCESS PROGRAM WITH $46M IN COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS TO DATE. 4) ALUMNI SERVICES IS A COLLEGE PERSISTENCE PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES ACCELERATORS, MENTORSHIPS AND INTERNSHIPS. FORMALLY KNOWN AS SCHOOL OF INTERACTIVE ARTS.
- $1.7 million spent. PARTNER SCHOOLS: WE SERVE THREE ANCHOR SCHOOLS WHERE UAP EMPLOYEES ARE STATIONED FULL TIME AS COMMUNITY SCHOOL DIRECTORS. WE PROVIDE WHOLE SCHOOL SUPPORT AND OVERSEE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CORE UAP PROGRAMS DURING AND AFTER SCHOOL, AS WELL AS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. ANCHOR SCHOOLS ARE A CRITICAL LAB SPACE FOR UAP TO WORK WITH SCHOOL LEADERS AND TEACHERS TO TEST INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO ENGAGING STUDENTS THROUGH THE ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY.
- $95,913 spent. NAGLER SCHOLARSHIP: THE NAGLER SCHOLAR IS A PRESTIGIOUS SCHOLARSHIP OFFERED BY BOARD MEMBER NICLAS NAGLER TO PROVIDE URBAN ARTS STUDENTS WITH THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT NEEDED TO REDUCE THE COST OF HIGHER EDUCATION, ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS AND GROW AS LEADERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. IN ADDITION TO ONE NAGLER SCHOLAR EACH YEAR, THE TOP THREE RUNNERS-UP FOR THE AWARD ALSO RECEIVE FUNDING TO OFFSET COLLEGE EXPENSES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 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 June 2025.
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 1994.
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.