Words Beats and Life Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
The mission of Words Beats and Life is to transform individual lives and communities through Hip-Hop culture in all its forms: emceeing, deejaying, graffiti, street art, spoken word poetry, dance, beat production, and knowledge of self.
- Income
- $1.8 million
- Spending
- $1.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- -1.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 42%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 90
- Highest pay
- $88,462, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 24 out of 100. Higher than 2% 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
0 of 20It owes 152% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 24% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1577% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, 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 2518 of 18 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 August 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 (4)
- $608,349 spent. Our Arts Education programming exposes students to new knowledge, techniques and methods, as well as provides opportunities to grow their knowledge and network through alternative winter and spring break activities. We also provide opportunities for young artists to practice what we teach through performances, and public art making, as well as encouraging these students to manage their own projects and events by participating in our Arts Management program. Our work in schools has been with young people in Middle School, High School and College, with participants ranging from 12-22. In community contexts, we work with people as young as 10 and with adults 23 and older. Despite popular misunderstandings about our culture, Hip-Hop is likely created, participated in, and celebrated by the most diverse set of people in terms of audiences, practitioners, supporters, and consumers. Our teachers, students, audiences, and selected master artists are diverse not just racially, ethnically, religiously, and economically but also in terms of age, gender, orientation, and ability status. Programs include the WBL Academy, Like a Boss: Arts Management Program, Walk It Like I talk It, Entrepreneurship Program. Finally we have our College and career mentorship program called College Material.
- $553,264 spent. Other Programs
- Centering Marginalized Voices: There is power in the margins. Power to innovate, create and tell stories that are new for many Americans. Our priority is to expand minds, knock down walls, and build bridges between communities. Our approach to this work is interdisciplinary, people of color and often women led. It has included theater, gallery shows, mural making, poetry performances, publishing, and documentary work. This work has allowed us to share the histories of people and places through the arts that would not ordinarily attend a hip-hop based event.
- Cultural Diplomacy: Since 2010, Words Beats and Life has been working to send artists abroad, and bring artists from abroad to the US. These collaborations have taken the form of master classes, musical and dance performances, along with public art creation and offering scholarships to pay for primary schools for students in partner organizations abroad. We are working to make more of these collaborations more focused in commerce. We want to develop cooperative agreements that allow for greater exchange, and revenue generation for WBL and our international partners.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 August 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 January 2004.
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.