In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Only 43% 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
NONE
- Income
- $409,965
- Spending
- $488,506
- Spent on programs
- 43%
- Reserves
- -1.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 36%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 0
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: 20 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 57% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 19% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1543% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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: 83 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
18 of 253 of 3 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
6 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 (3)
- $211,237 spent. THIS YEAR, WE HAVE DEEPENED OUR ROOTS IN SPACES WHERE WE'VE COLLABORATED FOR YEARS, WHILE PLANTING THE SEEDS OF FIRST-TIME PARTNERSHIPS: STRENGTHENING OUR CONNECTIONS TO OLD FRIENDS, AND BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES ALONGSIDE NEW ONES! OUR STORYTIME HAS FOUND A HOME NOT ONLY AT HOBT BUT AT CENTRAL LIBRARY IN ST. PAUL, WHERE WE'VE PRESENTED A STORYTIME PROGRAM ALMOST EVERY MONTH DURING THE PAST FISCAL YEAR. STORYTIME TRAVELED TO THE MIDTOWN GLOBAL MARKET SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE YEAR, AND IT HAS BEEN PRESENTED EVERYWHERE FROM PRESCHOOLS TO LIBRARIES, DAYCARES TO BACKYARDS, PARKS TO COMMUNITY-WIDE CELEBRATIONS, SUCH AS OPEN STREETS. WE WERE DELIGHTED TO PARTICIPATE IN 21 EVENTS; OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING SERVED OVER 7,700 AUDIENCE MEMBERS AND WE HAD STORYTIME AUDIENCES OF OVER 4,500.
- OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, WE WERE GRATEFUL TO CELEBRATE WINTER AND SUMMER SOLSTICES. TWO ARTIST COHORTS HAVE WORKED FOR A YEAR TO BUILD TWO STEM PUPPET SHOWS GEARED TOWARDS ELEMENTARY GRADES, AND THEY WILL BE READY TO PERFORM IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR! "WHERE THE RIVER RUNS CREATED BY SPENCER AREVALO, DANIELLE HENDRICKS AND LU CALVO-SEARLE BEGAN TOURING THIS FISCAL YEAR AND "TREES ARE COOL CREATED BY JULIE BOADA, ESTHER OURAY AND IMIX YBARRA IS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR!
- OUR ARTIST TRAINING WORKSHOPS BROUGHT BACK SEVERAL VETERAN ARTISTS, WHO PRESENTED ON SUCH TOPICS AS MOLDING FROM CLAY, PUPPET MECHANISMS, AND OBJECT MOVEMENT TO A COHORT OF EMERGING AND MID-CAREER ARTISTS, AS WELL AS LOCAL TEACHERS AND PRACTITIONERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN BUILDING THEIR PUPPETRY SKILLS. OUR EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH TO SCHOOLS IN MINNESOTA CONTINUED WITH 13 ARTIST RESIDENCIES AND 1,191 STUDENTS SERVED BY THOSE ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE.
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 August 1975.
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.