Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FOUNDED IN 2001, GBCA IS A LEADING NONPROFIT PROVIDER OF SERVICES TO ARTISTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE REGION. (SEE SCHEDULE O)
- Income
- $1.1 million
- Spending
- $878,252
- Spent on programs
- 54%
- Reserves
- -2.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 88%
- Employees
- 10
- Volunteers
- 55
- Highest pay
- $155,130, 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
Weak: 48 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 34% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 17% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 11% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1554% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2525 of 25 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 (3)
- $280,745 spent. AN INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE FOR BALTIMORE ARTISTS-BAKER ARTIST PORTFOLIOS:FOR 14 YEARS, GBCA HAS MANAGED A FREE ONLINE PORTFOLIO USED BY 600 TO 1,000 TO HELP AREA ARTISTS CREATE AND MAINTAIN A CURRENT COLLECTION OF THEIR WORK. IN MANY CASES, ARTISTS USE THE PORTFOLIOS FOR THEIR PRIMARY WEBSITE. TO DATE, THE ASSOCIATED BAKER ARTIST AWARDS HAVE RECOGNIZED OVER 100 ARTISTS AND AWARDED OVER $1.3 MILLION TO INDIVIDUALS LIVING AND WORKING IN THE REGION. AHEAD OF ITS TIME, THE PORTFOLIOS HAS CREATED AN ONLINE COMMUNITY OF ARTISTS THAT IS VISITED BY CURATORS, COLLECTORS, MUSEUM LEADERS, PHILANTHROPIC VISIONARIES, AND OTHERS IN ALMOST EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES USE THE SITE AS A PRIMER FOR STUDENTS BEING INTRODUCED TO THE DIVERSITY OF CULTURAL PRODUCTION IN BALTIMORE AND TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS AND PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE ACADEMIC YEAR AND BEYOND. THE AWARDS INCLUDE A DESIGNATED SEGMENT ON MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION'S ART WORKS SERIES, PORTIONS OF WHICH ARE REBROADCAST IN OTHER NATIONAL MARKETS; A SEMIANNUAL EXHIBITION OF VISUAL ARTS AWARDEES AT THE BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART, AND FINALIST SHOWCASES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. DURING THIS TIME WHEN ARTISTS STRUGGLE TO CREATE AUTHENTIC AND MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS IN AN ONLINE SETTING, THE BAKER ARTIST PORTFOLIOS HAS NEARLY 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND OFFERS A MODEL FOR AUTHENTIC ONLINE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PATRONS AND AMONGST ARTISTS. IT IS A SOURCE OF COMMUNITY PRIDE AND INSPIRATION, AND A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF INCOME FOR ARTISTS.
- $105,326 spent. A HISTORY OF EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND ANTI-RACISM WORK:CELEBRATING ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY, URBAN ARTS LEADERSHIP (UAL) HAS BEEN THE FLAGSHIP PROGRAM OF THE GREATER BALTIMORE CULTURAL ALLIANCE'S EQUITY AND INCLUSION EFFORTS. UAL SERVES AS A CAREER PIPELINE FOR EMERGING LEADERS FROM BACKGROUNDS THAT ARE UNDERREPRESENTED, PARTICULARLY THOSE OF COLOR, IN THE CULTURAL WORKFORCE. HAVING DEEP EXPERIENCE IN DEVELOPING AND OPERATING UAL, GBCA IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO RESPOND TO THE CURRENT ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL UPHEAVALS EXACERBATED BY THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC AND RACIAL INJUSTICE. WORKING TO ADDRESS SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO EQUITY IN THE CULTURAL WORKFORCE, THE PROGRAM ALSO FOCUSES ON TOOLS AND TRAINING FOR PARTICIPATING HOST CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS AIMED AT STRENGTHENING THEIR ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY RECRUIT, HIRE, AND RETAIN A MORE DIVERSE WORKFORCE. GBCA RECEIVED RENEWED SUPPORT FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS TO DEEPEN THE WORK OF THE UAL THROUGH ITS GROUNDBREAKING FIELD SCHOOL. THE FIELD SCHOOL TEACHES THE PRACTICES OF FOLKLORISTS AS A MEANS FOR ARTISTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS TO ENGAGE AUTHENTICALLY AND RESPECTFULLY IN COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMMING. THE FIRST PHASE OF THIS PROJECT, BEAUTY BENEATH THE BLIGHT, FOCUSED ON THE STORIES OF PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE IN BALTIMORE CITY. SKILLS DEVELOPED BY FELLOWS THROUGH THE FIELD SCHOOL ARE REPLICABLE AND CARRIED WITH EACH INTO THEIR RESPECTIVE PLACEMENTS AND THROUGHOUT THEIR CAREERS. PARTNERS FOR THIS INITIATIVE INCLUDE THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AND THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE FOLKLIFE CENTER. IMPORTANTLY, OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS UAL ALUMNI HAVE LAUNCHED EXCITING CAREERS AND ARE PUTTING THEIR COMMITMENT TO JUSTICE AND THEIR TRAINING TO WORK. ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE BENEFITED BY HIRING ALUMNI INCLUDE THE MARYLAND STATE ARTS COUNCIL, THE NATIONAL MUSEUM FOR WOMEN IN THE ARTS, MARYLAND CITIZENS FOR THE ARTS, MARYLAND VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR THE ARTS, GREATER BALTIMORE CULTURAL ALLIANCE, AND MANY MORE.
- $86,226 spent. OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS, GBCA HAS REFINED ITS ROLE AS A WAYFINDER AND PRIMARY SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR THE CULTURAL COMMUNITY. THROUGH ITS REGIONAL EVENTS CALENDAR, CULTURE FLY IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE SOURCE OF EVENTS AND NOW VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES. THE SITE IS EASY TO USE AND HIGHLY SEARCHABLE BY INTEREST, GEOGRAPHY, DISCIPLINE, AND MORE. IT INCLUDES A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER TO 16,000 SUBSCRIBERS, CULTURE FLYER, THAT PROMOTES A WIDE OFFERING OF FREE AND HALF PRICED EVENTS. BECAUSE GBCA ALREADY HAD THIS INFRASTRUCTURE AS SOON AS THE PANDEMIC WAS DECLARED ORGANIZATIONS WERE QUICKLY ABLE TO BEGIN PROMOTING ONLINE EVENTS. AND BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED NEEDS FOR LEARNING AT HOME AND WELL-BEING RESOURCES, THOSE CATEGORIES WERE QUICKLY ADDED TO THE SEARCH OPTIONS. JUST PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, THE CULTURE FLY SITE HAD 103,000 VIEWS ANNUALLY AND AN ANNUAL AVERAGE OF 400 EVENT POSTINGS AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THESE PROGRAMS OFFER ADDITIONAL EXPOSURE FOR GBCA MEMBERS, SAVING ON MARKETING COSTS AND LABOR. JOBSPLUS IS THE NUMBER ONE RESOURCE FOR CULTURAL POSITIONS IN THE REGION AND IS THE MOST HIGHLY VISITED OF ALL GBCA WEBSITES. GBCA IS ALSO A SOURCE FOR UP-TO-DATE FUNDING, ANTI-RACISM RESOURCES, ADVOCACY, SPACE, AND OTHER RESOURCES.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 2002.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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