Poway Center for the Performing Arts Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To serve the community through the presentation of a Professional Performance Series at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts, to provide a comprehensive Arts in Education program, and to raise funds to support these activities.
- Income
- $821,256
- Spending
- $975,050
- Spent on programs
- 91%
- Reserves
- 19.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 59%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 22
- Highest pay
- $98,600, executive dir.
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
Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 19.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 19% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1591% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 29 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 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 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 (2)
- $669,807 spent. THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES:Curate, underwrite and present a Professional Performance Series at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts. National and international performing artists include touring musicians, dancers, theatre troupes and other artists, providing a culturally and artistically diverse series, oriented towards increasing the cultural and artistic literacy of the surrounding community and schools. Through our subscriptions series and fundraising activities, the organization is able to provide low cost and free tickets to qualified community organizations.
- $219,876 spent. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH:The organizations Arts in Education Initiative is a series of programs designed to offset cutbacks and deficits in the Arts Programs in our schools and assist public-school districts in meeting the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) standards set by the State of California. The organization provides valuable learning opportunities that include in-school workshops, classes with visiting artists, a one-week all expenses paid theatre camp, a series of virtual learning programs, student matinee performances and more. These programs introduce children to the world of theatre, dance and music while providing children, teachers, and parents with a platform to develop artistic and creative abilities, critical thinking, teamwork and social skills. All program components are created in cooperation with teachers and principals to assure alignment with the States VAPA Standards.ArtsEd OnStage is a student matinee program that provides local students the opportunity to experience live theater. Performances are curated based on cultural awareness, language and theatrical arts, and art inspired by science. Study guides, bookmarks and arts-related activity sheets are provided for teachers and students. The matinee program serves an average of 3,400 students from five school districts each year.A Virtual Performance Curriculum (VPC) program was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic to address the need for arts education in a virtual learning environment and is now used by educators to provide arts exposure in their classrooms. Each module is self-contained and asynchronous, consisting of a professional performance video, interactive pre-show content, 360? virtual tour of the Poway Center for the Performing Arts, and Standards-based VAPA extension activities. Poway OnStage offers eight to ten Virtual Performance Curriculum titles in English and Spanish each year, serving an average of 110,000 students, teachers, and families from 20 states and 2 countries. Introduction to Instruments features local high school band students hosting assemblies with all PUSD 4th graders. These entertaining and engaging performances introduce students to instrument families (woodwind, brass, strings, percussion) and encourage participation in the 5th grade music programs. This program serves all 25 PUSD elementary schools - approximately 2,500 4th graders. Missoula Children's Theatre is a comprehensive, one-week, all-expenses paid theatre camp for youth ages 5-18. About 60 students are selected from as many as 180 who audition for the opportunity at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts. The week covers all aspects of theater production from auditions, singing and dancing, rehearsals, theater tech and final performances. The public performance of the production is professionally recorded and used as the performance video in a Poway OnStage virtual program.The Arts in Education Initiative also offers a variety of in-school workshops, assemblies and master classes with local teaching artists and select touring artists. These experiences are intended to provide interactive and hands-on experiences for students to learn about instruments and music of different cultures, the principles of acting and improvisation, the basics of dance, the art of storytelling, and more.
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 November 1993.
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.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation Inc (Dallas, TX), EIN 75-2890923. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.