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Passes our checks

One Reel

EIN 23-7246862 · Seattle, WA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair54 out of 100GovernanceStrong92 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ONE REEL FUELS CIVIC PRIDE THROUGH SIGNATURE PROGRAMS THAT FOSTER GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN COMMUNITY AND THE ARTS.

Income
$83,772
Spending
$78,101
Spent on programs
68%
Reserves
0.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 66%
Employees
1
Volunteers
4
Highest pay
$7,842, 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

Fair: 54 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 9% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 46% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    68% 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

Strong: 92 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    3 of 3 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

    7 of 7

    Has a 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.

  • 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, 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)
  1. $52,946 spent. AT THE START OF 2024, ONE REEL'S BOARD RECOGNIZED THAT THE ORGANIZATION COULD NOT CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ITS MOST SIGNIFICANT PUBLICDISPLAY.ART, THE PRINT PUBLICATION AND WEBSITE SERVING SEATTLE'S ARTISTS AND CREATIVE COMMUNITY. YET, THEY RECOGNIZED ITS IMPORTANCE TO THE COMMUNITY AND UNDERSTOOD HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO FIND ANOTHER ORGANIZATION TO TRANSFER THE PROGRAM AS ONE REEL PREPARED TO DISSOLVE ITS NON-PROFIT STATUS.PUBLICDISPLAY.ARTIN 2024, ONE REEL PUBLISHED THE FIRST TWO ISSUES OF PUBLICDISPLAY.ART. THE MARCH ISSUE CENTERED AROUND THE THEME "THE STATE OF THE ARTS" A LOCAL EXPLORATION OF HOW THE SEATTLE'S ARTS COMMUNITY WAS FARING IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD. IT INCLUDED IN-DEPTH ARTICLES WITH KING COUNTY'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DOW CONSTANTINE, AND THE CITY OF SEATTLE'S OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE AND FEATURED THE RESULTS OF THE PUBLICATIONS RECENT LOCAL ARTIST SURVEY AND THE ARTS ORGANIZATION SURVEY. MANY IN THE COMMUNITY CITED THIS ISSUE TO BE INSTRUMENTAL IN SECURING ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE ARTS THROUGH KING COUNTY AND THE CITY OF SEATTLE. OUR JUNE 2024 ISSUE'S THEME, "PRIDE ON PUBLIC DISPLAY", FOCUSED ON CELEBRATING LGBTQIA+ ARTISTS.ONE REEL PROVED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN FINDING ANOTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION TO TRANSFER THE PROGRAM PUBLICDISPLAY.ART AND ITS COMPANION WEBSITE, ENSURING THE PUBLICATION WOULD CONTINUE TO BE PUBLISHED FOR ANOTHER THREE YEARS GUARANTEED.PRIDE ON PUBLIC DISPLAYIN ADDITION TO PUBLISHING A THEMED ISSUE THAT FOCUSED ON LGBTQIA+ LOCAL ARTISTS, ONE REEL WORKED WITH 6 SELECTED LGBTQIA+ ARTISTS TO CREATE A SERIES OF PRIDE THEMED POSTERS. THE ARTISTS WERE CELEBRATED IN A CEREMONY IN JUNE AND 6,000 COPIES OF THE POSTERS WERE PRINTED AND POSTED THROUGHOUT SEATTLE THROUGHOUT THE MONTH TO PROMOTE LGBTQIA+ VISIBILITY AND IN CELEBRATION OF PRIDE.TIE-IN EVENTSIN ADDITION TO PRIDE ON PUBLIC DISPLAY, ONE REEL WORKED WITH 10 LOCAL ARTISTS TO CREATE A PUBLIC INSTALLATION IN APRIL OF THEIR ART AND HOSTED AN ARTIST RECEPTION FOR THE PARTICIPATING ARTISTS.ADDITIONALLY, ONE REEL PARTNERED WITH THE CONRU ART FOUNDATION, THE NEWLY FORMED NON-PROFIT THAT WAS ESTABLISHED AS THE FUTURE PUBLISHERS OF PUBLICDISPLAY.ART, TO HOST AN EVENT FOR LOCAL CIVIC LEADERS AND ART NON-PROFITS TO NOTIFY THEM OF THE IMPORTANT CHANGES TO ONE REEL'S PROGRAMMING PLANS. AS SAD AS THE NEWS WAS THAT THE ONE REEL BOARD PREPARED TO FILE DOCUMENTS OF DISSOLUTION, THEY RECEIVED PRAISE FOR FINDING A NEW HOME FOR THEIR KEY PROGRAMMING INITIATIVE, PUBLICDISPLAY.ART.
  2. BUMBERSHOOT POSTER SALES - IN 2024, ONE REEL CONTINUED ITS ONLINE SALE OF VINTAGE OFFICIAL BUMBERSHOOT FESTIVAL POSTERS. THE NEW PROMOTERS OF THE BUMBERSHOOT FESTIVAL ALSO PURCHASED THE SOCIAL MEDIA RIGHTS FROM ONE REEL.

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

  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 October 13, 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 2024.

    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 May 1975.

    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 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.