Keep Cincinnati Beautiful Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Only 46% of its spending went to programs.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Keep Cincinnati Beautiful is an award-winning not for profit organization educating and encouraging individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments.
- Income
- $2.4 million
- Spending
- $1.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 46%
- Reserves
- -0.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 65%
- Employees
- 14
- Volunteers
- 5,931
- Highest pay
- $117,414, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 35 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 67% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 20% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 18% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1546% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2526 of 26 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
0 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 June 30, 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 (5)
- $115,892 spent. Our Arts Program brings color and vibrancy to Cincinnati neighborhoods, demonstrating commitment to and care for overlooked spaces. We saw a decrease of 26% blight and 18% crime in the areas we served in 2024. We believe that through collaboration art is a catalyst for community transformation. Working in partnership with neighborhoods, non-profits, local companies, and other artists, our team alongside volunteers artistically improve and reimagine neglected spaces. Eyesores in a community like vacant buildings, crumbling retaining walls, abandoned alleys, and vandalized traffic boxes are transformed into community assets through site specific, dynamic works of art. Collectively our work aims to reduce blight, crime, and litter, while increasing economic development and access to public art. Our multifaceted artistic approach to neighborhood improvement and engagement serve as positive interventions to promote equity and improve the quality of life for all residents of Cincinnati.
- $111,621 spent. Over the past 20 years, KCB has provided free educational opportunities to a variety of groups with the goal of cultivating community stewardship and the connection between people, passion, and place. In 2024 we reached 1083 students through 36 departmental events. Our current education initiatives feature a hands-on approach to learning, allowing students to get out of the classroom and learn new skills. We hope these good stewards become future leaders in their communities who work alongside the city and community partners like KCB to envision and actualize a greener Cincinnati. Our Tree the CRC initiative supports the 2023 Green Cincinnati Plan to increase equity of the urban tree canopy focusing on Cincinnati Recreation Centers and playgrounds in areas of the city that are currently under the 40% the Green Cincinnati Plan seeks to maintain. This year nearly 200 students earned community service hours toward their graduation seals participating in the program. In the pilot year of our new Roots to Boots initiative, a paid workforce development program that prepares young adults for careers in horticulture, landscaping, and greenspace management we saw the completion of over 1200 hours of in-field experience actualized. The goal of the program is that by offering hands-on, in-field experience, paired with skill-building and exposure this will lead to real career pathways and employers in the green economy for participants.
- $110,058 spent. Our Greenspace and Environmental Services programs are aimed at helping improve neighborhoods across Cincinnati where ecological issues occur, equitable life is not flourishing, and consequential community infrastructures are in need of support. Through our Spaces to Places projects we aim to provide assistance for Cincinnatians by turning overgrown, vacant spaces into clean, green, healthy, and beautiful places filled with life in the neighborhoods of our wonderful Queen City. The goal of the program is to be able to build equitable and healthy communities by encouraging people to restore underutilized public spaces into socially, culturally, and environmentally responsible spaces that reflect the social character of the neighborhood. Through strategic community partnerships and a strong working relationship with the Cincinnati Police Department, Department of Public Services, and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, we also are working to eradicate illegal dumping through dumpsite monitoring and volunteer cleanup days. Together we cleaned up 247,483 pounds of debris (roughly the size of one blue whale) this past fiscal year. We had 1350+ vehicles participate in our Don't Dump the 'Nati events throughout our 9 event season.
- $533,672 spent. Part of the core mission of our organization is to uplift community-driven beautification efforts. We utilize community engagement in all of our program areas to ensure the goals that we work towards are in line with the wants and needs of the neighborhoods we work in. Working alongside stakeholders, partners, and residents allows us to be intentional in our efforts to equitably improve our city's public spaces. This collaboration allows us to understand the unique challenges and opportunities within each neighborhood, fostering a sense of ownership and pride among residents. The Safe and Clean initiative is intended for projects based on crime prevention through environmental design where improved beautification enhances community ownership and reduces violence. This funding is open for organizations prioritizing youth-led initiatives to promote positive physical changes in neighborhoods. Specific focus points are established for each grant cycle and include priorities like engaging youth leaders, promoting physical changes in environment and shared spaces, implementing crime prevention principles through environmental design, enhancing community ownership, and focusing on high-crime neighborhoods. The program was able to fund 24 projects in the last fiscal year contributing to an 18% decrease in crime for areas served. In addition our community engagement initiatives like Adopt-a-Spot saw to 138 community-led cleanups with 250 Adopt-a-Spot champions covering over 1,000 acres of public land.
- (Expenses $ 533,672 including grants of $ 350,141) Part of the core mission of our organization is to uplift community-driven beautification efforts. We utilize community engagement in all of our program areas to ensure the goals that we work towards are in line with the wants and needs of the neighborhoods we work in. Working alongside stakeholders, partners, and residents allows us to be intentional in our efforts to equitably improve our city's public spaces. This collaboration allows us to understand the unique challenges and opportunities within each neighborhood, fostering a sense of ownership and pride among residents. The Safe and Clean initiative is intended for projects based on crime prevention through environmental design where improved beautification enhances community ownership and reduces violence. This funding is open for organizations prioritizing youth-led initiatives to promote positive physical changes in neighborhoods. Specific focus points are established for each grant cycle and include priorities like engaging youth leaders, promoting physical changes in environment and shared spaces, implementing crime prevention principles through environmental design, enhancing community ownership, and focusing on high-crime neighborhoods. The program was able to fund 24 projects in the last fiscal year contributing to an 18% decrease in crime for areas served. In addition our community engagement initiatives like Adopt-a-Spot saw to 138 community-led cleanups with 250 Adopt-a-Spot champions covering over 1,000 acres of public land.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 July 1979.
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.