Center for Arts-Inspired Learning
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CAL CHAMPIONS CREATIVE LEARNING, DRIVES EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION, AND TRANSFORMS LIVES THROUGH COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS INVOLVING TEACHING ARTISTS, STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND COMMUNITIES.
- Income
- $1.5 million
- Spending
- $1.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- 4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 46%
- Employees
- 10
- Volunteers
- 18
- Highest pay
- $87,036, ceo, top management official
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
Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 17% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 22 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 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $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 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)
- $924,253 spent. SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH:EACH YEAR, CAL ENGAGES MORE THAN 100,000 PRE-K TO GRADE 12 YOUTH ACROSS NORTHEAST OHIO THROUGH 3,705 PROGRAMS IN OVER 512 CLASSROOMS. BY INTEGRATING THE ARTS INTO CORE SUBJECTS LIKE MATH, LITERACY, SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL STUDIES. THESE PROGRAMS NOT ONLY ENHANCE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT BUT ALSO DEEPEN STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF THE ARTS. THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH PROFESSIONAL TEACHING ARTISTS SPECIALIZING IN MUSIC, DANCE, THEATER, LITERARY ARTS, VISUAL ARTS, AND MORE, CAL ENSURES THAT TODAY'S YOUNG PEOPLE DEVELOP ESSENTIAL CREATIVE AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, PREPARING THEM FOR SUCCESS IN THE 21ST CENTURY. ADDITIONALLY, CAL PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS, EDUCATORS, AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT LEADERS, EQUIPPING THEM WITH THE SKILLS NEEDED TO TEACH EFFECTIVELY IN SCHOOLS, AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, AND COMMUNITY VENUES. THIS COMMITMENT TO ALL CREATIVE LEARNERS STRENGTHENS THE CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE OF THE REGION.
- $258,380 spent. ARTWORKS: FOUNDED IN 2005, ARTWORKS IS A YEAR-ROUND, ARTS-BASED COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ACROSS NORTHEAST OHIO. SERVING A DIVERSE AND PRIMARILY UNDERSERVED POPULATION, 75-80% OF PARTICIPANTS LIVE IN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND, WITH 80% IDENTIFYING AS AFRICAN AMERICAN, HISPANIC, OR ASIAN. EACH YEAR, UP TO 100 TEENS ENGAGE IN ARTWORKS, DEVELOPING ARTISTIC SKILLS THROUGH AN APPRENTICESHIP MODEL WHILE GAINING CRITICAL LIFE AND CAREER SKILLS, INCLUDING FINANCIAL LITERACY, NETWORKING, AND COLLABORATION. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, MORE THAN 2,000 TEENS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED ARTWORKS, EMERGING AS CREATIVE, CONFIDENT, AND PREPARED INDIVIDUALS READY TO THRIVE IN THEIR NEXT CHAPTER. IN 2023 CAL SUCCESSFULLY ADDED THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FURTHER EVOLVING THE PROGRAM TO ENHANCE IT'S IMPACT.
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 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 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 March 1978.
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.