Burbank Arts Education Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO ENGAGE AND INSPIRE THE COMMUNITY TO INVEST IN MEETING THE DIVERSE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF EVERY BUSD STUDENT.
- Income
- $206,043
- Spending
- $196,820
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- 32.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 70%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 75
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: 95 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 32.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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 92% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 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.
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 (2)
- $154,551 spent. THE BURBANK ARTS & EDUCATION FOUNDATION (BAEF) ADVANCES EXCELLENCE AND EQUITY IN BURBANK PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY INVESTING IN CREATIVE, ACADEMIC, AND INNOVATIVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL STUDENTS. WITH THE SUPPORT OF DONORS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS, BAEF WORKS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT IN THE BURBANK UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (BUSD) HAS ACCESS TO AN ENGAGING, INCLUSIVE, AND INSPIRING PUBLIC SCHOOL EXPERIENCE.IN 2024, BAEF AWARDED $100,010 IN GRANTS TO SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT BUSD, FUNDING A WIDE RANGE OF IMPACTFUL PROGRAMS:VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS: GRANTS PROVIDED INSTRUMENTS, ART SUPPLIES, THEATER COSTUMES, AND PRODUCTION SUPPORT, ENABLING STUDENTS FROM ELEMENTARY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN HIGH-QUALITY ARTS EDUCATION AND PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCES.STEM ENRICHMENT: FUNDING SUPPORTED ROBOTICS PROGRAMS, CODING CURRICULUM, AND HANDS-ON SCIENCE ACTIVITIES, EQUIPPING STUDENTS WITH REAL-WORLD PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS AND ACCESS TO CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY.WELLNESS AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES: THE FOUNDATION PRIORITIZED MENTAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL WELLNESS, AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING BY SUPPORTING SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMS THAT CREATE SAFE, INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS WHERE ALL STUDENTS CAN THRIVE.CLASSROOM INNOVATION: TEACHERS WERE EMPOWERED TO ENHANCE LEARNING THROUGH FLEXIBLE SEATING, PROJECT-BASED LEARNING KITS, CREATIVE INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS, AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE CURRICULUM-FOSTERING DEEPER STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND ACADEMIC GROWTH.IN 2024, BAEF ALSO REACHED A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE BY HIRING ITS FIRST DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT. THIS STRATEGIC ADDITION HAS STRENGTHENED THE FOUNDATION'S FUNDRAISING EFFORTS, EXPANDED COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND IMPROVED DONOR ENGAGEMENT. WITH DEDICATED LEADERSHIP FOCUSED ON GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY, BAEF IS WELL-POSITIONED TO DEEPEN ITS LONG-TERM IMPACT ON BURBANK PUBLIC EDUCATION.IN SEPTEMBER 2024, BAEF HOSTED ITS ANNUAL STATE OF THE SCHOOLS EVENT AT THE GARRY MARSHALL THEATRE, BRINGING TOGETHER EDUCATORS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND STAKEHOLDERS TO CELEBRATE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF BUSD AND SHARE THE DISTRICT'S GOALS, INITIATIVES, AND PROGRESS. THE FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THESE PRIORITIES, ENSURING THAT COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS DIRECTED TOWARD INNOVATIVE AND INCLUSIVE PROJECTS THAT STRENGTHEN THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION IN BURBANK.TO FURTHER ITS OUTREACH, BAEF ALSO ORGANIZED AND PARTICIPATED IN NUMEROUS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THESE EVENTS HELPED BUILD AWARENESS, FOSTER MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS, AND CELEBRATE THE VITAL ROLE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION. EACH GATHERING SERVED AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES AND INSPIRE CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN BURBANK'S SCHOOLS.IN ADDITION TO ITS GRANTMAKING AND ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS, BAEF MAINTAINED A STRATEGIC INVESTMENT FUND THROUGH ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE VERDUGOS, SUPPORTING LONG-TERM FINANCIAL GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY.THE FOUNDATION'S IMPACT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROSITY OF INDIVIDUAL DONORS, CORPORATE SPONSORS, AND DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS. BAEF CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A VITAL BRIDGE BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS-WORKING TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT, IN EVERY CLASSROOM, HAS ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY, CREATIVITY, AND SUCCESS.
- $8,000 spent. IN ADDITION TO ITS TWO FORMAL GRANT CYCLES, BAEF ADMINISTERED $8,000 IN DESIGNATED FOUNDATION GRANTS THAT WERE AWARDED DIRECTLY TO THE FOUNDATION AND THEN DISTRIBUTED TO BURBANK UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOLS THROUGH A TARGETED GRANTMAKING PROCESS ALIGNED WITH EACH FUNDER'S CRITERIA.A $5,000 GRANT FROM PASADENA SHOWCASE HOUSE FOR THE ARTS WAS DISTRIBUTED TO SUPPORT MUSIC EDUCATION AT FIVE BUSD CAMPUSES-PROVIDING $1,000 EACH TO BOTH BURBANK AND BURROUGHS HIGH SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS LUTHER BURBANK, MUIR, AND JORDAN MIDDLE SCHOOLS. SEPARATELY, A $3,000 GRANT FROM THE SIMON STRAUSS FOUNDATION ENABLED BAEF TO AWARD $1,000 EACH TO LUTHER, MUIR, AND JORDAN MIDDLE SCHOOLS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PURCHASE OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. THESE TARGETED GRANTS PROVIDED MEANINGFUL ENRICHMENT IN ARTS EDUCATION OUTSIDE OF BAEF'S GENERAL GRANTMAKING CYCLES AND DEMONSTRATE THE FOUNDATION'S FLEXIBILITY IN STEWARDING DONOR INTENT WHILE RESPONDING TO SPECIFIC NEEDS WITHIN BUSD SCHOOLS.
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 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 September 2006.
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.