Sequential Artists Workshop
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The Sequential Artists Workshop (SAW)'s mission is to nurture and educate tomorrow's generation of visual storytellers, to support creative investigation, exploration and excellence in cartooning and comic art, and to promote sequential and comic art literacy in today's culture. Through its school(s), SAW's goal is to provide quality education to students dedicated to challenging themselves and learning interdisciplinary visual storytelling. Where its school(s) are located, SAW aims to educate and promote comics literacy in our local community(s). In addition, we aim to provide work spaces, teaching residencies and distribution/publishing resources for practicing sequential artists. Finally, through its national outreach program dedicated to publishing and promoting curious, intelligent, and visionary works we aim to integrate sequential art and artists into the broader cultural landscape.
- Income
- $446,511
- Spending
- $409,362
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- 7.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 92%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 20
- Highest pay
- $122,872, executive director
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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 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: 71 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 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)
- $336,789 spent. Provided online assistance, courses, curriculum exploration in comics, graphic novels, visual storytelling and drawing.
- $25,009 spent. Provide in-person instruction in comics, graphic novels, visual storytelling, writing and drawing, and drawing and art facilities including art space, tools and supplies and printing facilities.
- $1,653 spent. Provide services and consulting to public agencies
- $1,826 spent. Recorded and archived historical documents (audio, video) relating to sequential art and our mission
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
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? Worth knowing.
Status was revoked on May 15, 2013 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on May 15, 2013.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 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 December 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 November 2013.
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 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.