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Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region

EIN 20-5794244 · Colorado Springs, CO

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak44 out of 100GovernanceGood84 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE CHAMPION OUR DIVERSE CREATIVE COMMUNITY AS A VITAL PART OF THE REGION'S IDENTITY AND ECONOMY THROUGH SERVICE, CONNECTION, AND ADVOCACY.

Income
$675,560
Spending
$756,500
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
-1 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 70%
Employees
5
Volunteers
23
Highest pay
$99,895, executive di

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: 44 out of 100. Higher than 13% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 48% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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

Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    13 of 13 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (5)
  1. $283,935 spent. CULTURAL PROMOTION & TOURISM: THE CULTURAL OFFICE INCREASES CULTURAL PARTICIPATION AMONG LOCAL RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS, CONNECTS OUR ARTS COMMUNITY WITH PEERS IN THE TOURISM AND MEDIA INDUSTRIES, AND ULTIMATELY WORKS TO BUILD OUR REGION AS A REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ARTS DESTINATION. THE CENTERPIECE OF THIS WORK IS PEAKRADAR.COM, THE MOST POWERFUL LOCAL RESOURCE FOR RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS TO EXPLORE ARTS, CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT, BUY TICKETS, DISCOVER NEARBY ORGANIZATIONS, FIND CREATIVE CLASSES, LEARN ABOUT PUBLIC ART AND MORE.
  2. $184,105 spent. CREATIVE ECONOMY: THIS PROGRAM VERTICAL IGNITES THE CREATIVE SECTOR BY STRENGTHENING COLLABORATION WITH DIVERSE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND BUSINESS INITIATIVES, DEVELOPING INTERVENTIONS AND PROGRAMS THAT BUILD CAPACITY FOR THE FIELD, CONDUCTING RESEARCH, AND LEADING THE ARTS MONTH CAMPAIGN EACH OCTOBER.
  3. $71,400 spent. ARTS EDUCATION: THIS PROGRAM VERTICAL (NEW IN 2023) INCREASES EQUITABLE ACCESS TO ARTS EDUCATION FOR ALL AGES IN OUR COMMUNITY BY INVESTING IN CENTRALIZED COORDINATION, FAR-REACHING TOOLS, PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS, AND STRATEGIC TRAININGS. FUNCTIONING AS A NERVE CENTER FOR FORMAL AND INFORMAL ARTS EDUCATION TOGETHER, THE CULTURAL OFFICE IS STRENGTHENING THE FABRIC OF HOW ARTS EDUCATION WORKS IN OUR REGION.
  4. $53,021 spent. IN ADDITION TO THESE MAIN PROGRAM VERTICALS, THE CULTURAL OFFICE WORKS YEAR-ROUND IN ARTS ADVOCACY THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVEL, HOSTS SMALL AND LARGE GATHERINGS TO SUPPORT THE CONNECTIVITY OF THE ARTS COMMUNITY, AND SELLS TINY ART THROUGH THE LOCAL ART-O-MAT IN THE IVYWILD SCHOOL.
  5. IN ADDITION TO THESE MAIN PROGRAM VERTICALS, THE CULTURAL OFFICE WORKS YEAR-ROUND IN ARTS ADVOCACY THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVEL, HOSTS SMALL AND LARGE GATHERINGS TO SUPPORT THE CONNECTIVITY OF THE ARTS COMMUNITY, AND SELLS TINY ART THROUGH THE LOCAL ART-O-MAT IN THE IVYWILD SCHOOL.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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 November 6, 2026.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since December 2006.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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 November 4, 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.