Circus Harmony
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CIRCUS HARMONY USES THE TEACHING AND PERFORMING OF CIRCUS ARTS TO BUILD CHARACTER AND COMMUNITY.
- Income
- $631,350
- Spending
- $617,741
- Spent on programs
- 65%
- Reserves
- 13 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 62%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $93,917, non voting director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 13.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1565% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 22 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
5 of 250 of 11 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 May 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)
- $261,339 spent. CORE PROGRAMSTHE CIRCUS HARMONY SHOWCASE AND TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM IS A UNIQUE ARTS EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. THIS ONGOING PROJECT INCLUDES THE FINDING, TRAINING, AND DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH CIRCUS PERFORMERS FROM DIFFERENT SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS. CHILDREN WORK WITH PROFESSIONAL CIRCUS EDUCATORS, CHOREOGRAPHERS AND MUSICIANS TO CREATE ACTS FOR PUBLIC PERFORMANCES AND TO ALSO LEARN HOW TO TEACH THE SKILLS THEY PRACTICE. CIRCUS ARTS PERFORMED AND TAUGHT INCLUDE AERIAL, ACROBATIC, JUGGLING, COMEDY AND BALANCING ACTS. IN THE COURSE OF A YEAR, STUDENTS PRESENT OVER 300 SHOWS. IN THEIR PERFORMANCES, OUR YOUNG ARTISTS DISPLAY HOW THEY HAVE OVERCOME FEAR, PREJUDICE AND GRAVITY WHILE PRESENTING ENTERTAINING, QUALITY CIRCUS SHOWS. AS THEY TEACH, THEY EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF PASSING IT ON.
- $86,387 spent. PEACE THROUGH PYRAMIDS USES CIRCUS ARTS TO BUILD BRIDGES BETWEEN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES BY BUILDING HUMAN PYRAMIDS WITH CHILDREN. THE INITIATIVE AIMS TO FOSTER TEAMWORK, TOLERANCE, AND SOCIAL INCLUSION. THIS PROGRAM HAS CONNECTED STUDENTS FROM VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS, INCLUDING LOCAL ST. LOUIS NEIGHBORHOODS, A JEWISH/ARAB YOUTH CIRCUS INISRAEL, AND SOCIAL CIRCUSES IN PUERTO RICO AND GERMANY.
- $54,038 spent. DEFY GRAVITY 101 BRINGS CIRCUS CLASSES TO LOCAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE ST LOUIS ARE. THROUGH TEACHING CIRCUS ARTS, WE EMPOWER INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN TO CHALLENGE THEMSELVES THROUGH APPROPRATE RISK TAKING; INCREASE FITNESS THROUGH IMPROVEMENTS IN FINE MOTOR AND VISUAL TRACKING SKILLS; AND CULTIVATE LIFE SKILLS LIKE PATIENCE, PERSISTENCE, FOCUS AND SELF-CONFIDENCE WHILE LEARNING TO PRESENT THEMSELVES IN PUBLIC. STUDENTS WILL FOSTER SUCCESSFUL BEHAVIOR INCLUDING SELF-COTROL, SELF-ESTEEM, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, POSITIVE THINKING, COOPERATION AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS. THEY WILL MASTER FEAR AND EXPAND THEIR LIFE SKILLS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending May 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 2001.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.