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Wham

EIN 36-4697281 · Surprise, AZ

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood78 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 35% 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

WHAM'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE INNOVATEIVE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY, ARTS-INCLUSIVE PROGRAMMING, EXHIBITS, AND PROJECTS TO THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES WER SERVE. AS AN ORGANZIATION WE ARE INTERESTED IN ENHANCING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ARTISTIC COLLABORATION FOR OUR MEMBER, THE COMMUNITY, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.

Income
$370,205
Spending
$336,057
Spent on programs
35%
Reserves
10.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 33%
Employees
17

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

Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 12% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    35% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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

Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 8 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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)
  1. $14,614 spent. WHAM'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE INNOVATEIVE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY, ARTS-INCLUSIVE PROGRAMMING, EXHIBITS, AND PROJECTS TO THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES WER SERVE. AS AN ORGANZIATION WE ARE INTERESTED IN ENHANCING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ARTISTIC COLLABORATION FOR OUR MEMBER, THE COMMUNITY, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
  2. $104,204 spent. WHAM'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE INNOVATEIVE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY, ARTS-INCLUSIVE PROGRAMMING, EXHIBITS, AND PROJECTS TO THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES WER SERVE. AS AN ORGANZIATION WE ARE INTERESTED IN ENHANCING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ARTISTIC COLLABORATION FOR OUR MEMBER, THE COMMUNITY, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
  3. WHAM'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE INNOVATEIVE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY, ARTS-INCLUSIVE PROGRAMMING, EXHIBITS, AND PROJECTS TO THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES WER SERVE. AS AN ORGANZIATION WE ARE INTERESTED IN ENHANCING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ARTISTIC COLLABORATION FOR OUR MEMBER, THE COMMUNITY, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. SPECIAL NEEDS - MINDFUL CREATIVE ART AND FINDING THE HIDDEN ARTIST WITHIN: CLASSES TAUGHT TO PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER'S, GIVING THEM A WAY TO CONNECT THROUGH ART. RECYCLED ART SHOW AND EXHIBIT: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN A HUGH SUCCESS OVER NINE YEARS DRAWING ON HUNDREDS OF SURPRISE RESIDENTS FOR GREAT LOCAL FESTIVAL, NOW IN. FREE SUMMER ART CLASSES THROUGH JUNE FOR KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL, AND ALSO, YOURTH WITH DISABILITES AND ADULTS. WE TAUGHT OVER 400 CHILDREN ALONG WITH ADAPTIVE YOURN PEOPLE AND ADULT ORGANIZATIONS OVER THREE YEARS WITH PAINTING, MIXED MEDIA AND CLAY PROJECTS. FUNDING COMING FROM INDVIDUALS FROM OUR APPLES FOR ART. ART CLASSES: VETERANS ART - A PATH TO HEALING A FREE PROGRAM GIVING VETS WITH PTSD A YEAR-LONG ART COURSE FROM WHAM'S PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS, DOING 3 CLASSES A MONTH. MANY VETS HAVE ATTENDED FROM THE BEGINNING OF OUR PROGRAM. THEY NOW HELP DO PROJECT FOR WHAM WHEN WE NEED A GROUP TO VOLUNTEER. PUBLIC ART: WHAM HAS DESIGNED AND COMPLETED 4 NEW PROJECTS THIS PAST YEAR. ONE PROJECT WAS TO PAINT A MOVABLE MURAL FOR GOODYEARS VETS CELEBRATION, A SECOND PROJECT PAINTING A LARGE FIBERGLASS HEART OF GOODYEAR AT A PARK, PAINTING A 60 FOOT MURAL FOR CITY OF PEORIA ON 84 AND PEORIA AVE, PAINTED MURAL FOR OTTAWA UNIVERSITY IN MEMOR OF PAST PROFESSOR. WHAM HAS TAUGHT ART CLASSES FOR 2 YEARS NOW AT STREETLIGHT USA A SHELTER FOR SEX-TRAFFICED GIRLS TO GIVE THEM 2 FREE ART CLASSES A MONTH. ART IS SO THERAPEUTIC WHICH WE HAVE WITNESSED OVER 11 YEARS OF DOING CLASSES WITH OUR VETS WITH PTSD. THIS WILL MAKE 5 OUTREACH PROGRAMS THAT WHAM HAS IMPLEMENTED. A LARGE EXHIBITION INSTALLED AT VISTA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER IN SURPRISE COMPILED FROM WHAM MEMBERS. LITERARY ART PROGRAM CONSISTS OF POETRY SLAM ONCE A MONTH, YOUTH POET LAUARTE PROGRAM FOR TEENS AND AUTHORS CIRCLE.
  4. WHAM'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE INNOVATEIVE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY, ARTS-INCLUSIVE PROGRAMMING, EXHIBITS, AND PROJECTS TO THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES WER SERVE. AS AN ORGANZIATION WE ARE INTERESTED IN ENHANCING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ARTISTIC COLLABORATION FOR OUR MEMBER, THE COMMUNITY, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.

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

  1. 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 September 7, 2026.

  2. 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 September 30, 2026.

  3. 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 2012.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. 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 7, 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.