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Recess Activities

EIN 27-1109399 · Brooklyn, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood70 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

RECESS PARTNERS WITH ARTISTS AND YOUTH TO BUILD A MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE CREATIVE COMMUNITY. BY WELCOMING RADICAL THINKERS TO IMAGINE AND SHAPE NETWORKS OF RESILIENCE AND SAFETY, RECESS DEFINES AND ADVANCES THE POSSIBILITIES OF CONTEMPORARY ART. OUR PROGRAMS OFFER SPACE AND RESOURCES TO GENERATE ART, IDEAS AND ACTIONS THAT CHALLENGE DOMINANT NARRATIVES AND ACTIVATE NEW FORMS. RECESS IS ALWAYS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO SERVE AS A MEETING PLACE FOR MEANINGFUL EXCHANGE ACROSS A MULTIPLICITY OF COMMUNITIES.

Income
$647,315
Spending
$1.9 million
Spent on programs
70%
Reserves
13 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 74%
Employees
23
Volunteers
7
Highest pay
$142,377, ex-officio / co-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

Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 13.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 12% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 197% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 85% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    70% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 23 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 95% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 9 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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, 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 (1)
  1. $1.3 million spent. RECESS PROGRAMS REIMAGINE TRADITIONAL STUDIO, EXHIBITION, AND CLASSROOM PLATFORMS, OFFERING ARTISTS, COMMUNITIES, AND PARTICIPANTS RESOURCES TO GENERATE NEW WORKS THAT PRESENT ALTERNATIVES TO DOMINANT AND OPPRESSIVE SYSTEMS. OUR CORE PROGRAMS OPERATE WITHIN AN ECOSYSTEM WHEREIN EACH INITIATIVE SUPPORTS AND INFORMS THE OTHER. ASSEMBLY OFFERS SYSTEM-IMPACTED YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 18-26 AN INROAD TO ART AND CONNECTIONS TO WORKING ARTISTS, WHILE SERVING AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO INCARCERATION AND ITS INTERSECTING SYSTEMS OF OPPRESSION. SESSION ALLOWS ARTISTS TO DIRECTLY ENGAGE AND PARTNER WITH COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE CREATIVE PROCESS. FOR SYSTEMS CHANGE AND NARRATIVE SHIFT. CRITICAL WRITING SUPPORTS A WRITER PRODUCING A NEW CRITICAL TEXT IN DIALOGUE WITH OUR ARTISTS' PROJECTS.PARTNERSHIPS TAKE OUR PROGRAMS OFFSITE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT SHARE OUR COMMITMENT TO ART AS IT INTERSECTS WITH SOCIAL JUSTICE.

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 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 March 2010.

    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.

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