Changing Worlds
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CHANGING WORLDS' MISSION IS TO FOSTER INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES THROUGH ORAL HISTORY, WRITING AND ARTS PROGRAMS THAT IMPROVE STUDENT LEARNING, AFFIRM IDENTITY AND ENHANCE CROSS-CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING.
- Income
- $662,709
- Spending
- $557,552
- Spent on programs
- 56%
- Reserves
- -2.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 73%
- Employees
- 6
- Volunteers
- 15
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 38 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 65% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1556% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 32 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 92% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 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.
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 August 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 (3)
- $131,420 spent. IN-SCHOOL PROGRAM: ARTS, CULTURAL & LITERACY CONNECTIONS PROGRAM (ACL) - CHANGING WORLDS' ACL PROGRAM PARTNERS CLASSROOM TEACHERS WITH TEACHING ARTISTS AND WRITERS TO EXPLORE AND COLLABORATE ON PROJECTS THAT ADDRESS "BIG IDEAS" TO ENHANCE STUDENT LEARNING IN THE ARTS AND KEY DEVELOPMENTAL AND ACADEMIC PRIORITIES BASED ON THEIR CORE CURRICULUM. THE ACL PROGRAM IS AN ARTS INTEGRATED PROGRAM APPROACH THAT FOCUSES ON GRADES 3-12 AND IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE CULTURAL HISTORY, PERSONAL IDENTITY, AND THE CURRENT SOCIETAL TOPICS/ISSUES RELEVANT TO THEIR STUDENTS.ARTS/PERFORMING ARTS AND CULTURAL CONNECTIONS - THIS PROGRAM HELPS TO EXPAND THE BREADTH AND DEPTH OF LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE ARTS FOR STUDENTS BY PRESENTING A HANDS-ON EXPLORATION OF AN ARTISTIC DISCIPLINE THAT IS NOT OFFERED AT THE SCHOOL. THE APPROACH IS TO BUILD THE SKILLS AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE ART FORM FOR ONE OR MORE TEACHERS AND THEIR STUDENTS.GENERAL MUSIC FOR PRE-K - GRADE 2 - WORKING IN A TEACHER'S CLASSROOM FOR UP TO 30 WEEKS, THE YOUNG LEARNERS IN THIS PROGRAM LEARN THE VOCABULARY OF MUSIC AND PRACTICE KEY DEVELOPMENTAL SKILLS OF LISTENING AND HAND/EYE COORDINATION. STUDENTS SING AND CREATIVELY MOVE DURING EVERY SESSION.NEW SONGWRITING/MUSIC PRODUCTION - THIS PROGRAM IS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADES 6-8. TEACHING ARTISTS WILL INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO THE WRITING PROCESS OF CREATING AN ORIGINAL SONG AND THE TECHNOLOGY USED TO PRODUCE THEM. USING PROVIDED LAPTOPS AND DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATIONS, STUDENTS WILL HAVE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH PROFESSIONAL RECORDING EQUIPMENT, LEARN MUSIC AND TECHNOLOGY SKILLS, LEARN HOW TO WORK IN SMALL GROUPS, AND GIVE AND RECEIVE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICAL FEEDBACK. THIS PROGRAM CAN BE PRESENTED IN AN IN-SCHOOL OR OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME.
- $132,699 spent. AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM:ARTS & CULTURAL CONNECTIONS PROGRAM (ACC) - CHANGING WORLDS' ACC PROGRAMS PARTNER WITH GRADE K-12 LEARNERS IN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WITH ARTISTS IN CULTURALLY FOCUSED RESIDENCIES IN VISUAL ARTS, DIGITAL MEDIA, DANCE, THEATER, AND MUSIC. THESE RESIDENCIES ACTIVATE THE STORIES OF OUR PARTICIPANTS' LIVES THROUGH THE EXPLORATION OF IDENTITY, COMMUNITY AND CULTURE WHILE BEING TAUGHT THE ESSENTIAL CORE CONCEPTS OF THE FINE ARTS.
- $49,803 spent. COMMUNITY OUTREACH INITIATIVES:FAMILY NIGHTS - FAMILY NIGHTS ENABLE GROUPS OF ALL AGES TO DISCOVER THE UNEXPECTED CONNECTIONS THROUGH THE CELEBRATION OF FAMILY HISTORY, CULTURE AND HERITAGE. INCORPORATING HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES AND STORYTELLING, EACH FAMILY WILL CREATE A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT THAT IS MEANINGFUL TO THEM. EXAMPLES INCLUDE CREATING A FAMILY TREE, DESIGNING A FAMILY SELF-PORTRAIT, ENGAGING IN A COMMUNITY DANCE WORKSHOP OR PARTICIPATING IN PAINTING A MURAL. PARTICIPANTS IN FAMILY NIGHTS WILL ENGAGE IN HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES AND DISCOVER UNEXPECTED CONNECTIONS AND COMMONALITIES WITH EACH OTHER.TRAVELING ART EXHIBITS - CHANGING WORLDS' TRAVELING EXHIBITS FOLLOW THE JOURNEYS OF CHICAGO IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEE FAMILIES THROUGH THEIR STORIES OF RELOCATION, CHANGE, AND ADAPTATION TO OUR CITY. THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS FOR SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND ORGANIZERS OF EVENTS/WORKSHOPS TO CONSIDER: 1) FAMILY STORIES AND 2) IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE THROUGH THE EYES OF TEENS.THE ART OF DEI LIVING PROGRAM FOR ADULT IN WORKING ENVIRONMENTS. CHANGING WORLDS USES MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ART FORMS TO ENGAGE EMPLOYEES INCLUDING STORYTELLING, POETRY, MUSIC, AND DRAWING. TO ENGAGE IN A MEANINGFUL WAY, PEOPLE MUST ADDRESS UNCOMFORTABLE TOPICS AND ACKNOWLEDGE DIFFICULT ISSUES. THE USE OF ART ALLOWS EMPLOYEES TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE CONVERSATIONS IN A LESS THREATENING MANNER AND LEADS TO CREATIVE WAYS OF COMMUNICATION. THE FOCUS OF THE WORKSHOPS IS TO CREATE A RESPECTFUL, HEALTHY AND HARMONIOUS COMMUNICATION ENVIRONMENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACHIEVING INTENTIONAL PRODUCTIVITY WHILE ALLOWING EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS ALIKE TO FEEL SUPPORTED BY EACH OTHER, AS WELL AS ANY CLIENTS THEY SERVE. THE WORKSHOPS INCLUDE REFLECTIVE DISCUSSION, INCLUDING HOW THE PRESENCE OF DIVERSE CULTURES MAY IMPACT THE NATURE OF OUR INTERACTIONS. PARTICULAR FOCUS ALLOWS DIFFERENCES TO BE A STRENGTH; TO HELP PARTICIPANTS TO SEE OTHER PERSPECTIVES WITHOUT FORCING IT ON SOMEONE ELSE; AND TO SEE HOW SIMILARITIES CAN HELP SEE EACH OTHER'S HUMANITY, LEADING POTENTIALLY TO EMPATHY, AND MORE COMPASSIONATE, UNDERSTANDING RESPONSES TO EACH OTHER.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 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? 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 August 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 June 2000.
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.
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