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Black Fives Foundation

EIN 46-1925488 · Greenwich, CT

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair63 out of 100GovernanceNot ratedThe short tax form does not cover thisImpact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

THE BLACK FIVES FOUNDATION WORKS TO RESEARCH, PRESERVE, EXHIBIT, AND AND PROMOTE THE PRE-1950 HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN BASKETBALL TO ENGAGE, TEACH, AND INSPIRE YOUTH AND OTHERS WHILE HONORING ITS PIONEERS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS. WE WORK WITH THE PRE-1950 HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN BASKETBALL TEAMS (THE "BLACK FIVES ERA") IN ORDER TO: STIMULATE INTEREST IN HISTORY AND THE HUMANITIES, PROMOTE EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT, ENRICH APPRECIATION OF CULTURE AND THE ARTS, ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY-BASED YOUTH PROGRAMMING, BUILD FITNESS AND HEALTH AWARENESS, ILLUMINATE SPORTS INDUSTRY CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, ADVOCATE FOR THE RECOGNITION OF THE ERA'S PIONEERS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS, AND, ENABLE THESE EFFORTS THROUGH INNOVATIVE USES OF TECHNOLOGY AS WELL AS VIA TRADITIONAL MEANS.

Income
$120,168
Spending
$145,095
Reserves
11.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
investment income, 60%
Highest pay
$53,630, president, e

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 18% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 21% of income.

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (1)
  1. $68,222 spent. 1. EDUCATION & LEADERSHIP AMBASSADOR NIL PROGRAM - NEW IN 2024. - THE PARTNERSHIP WITH UCONN'S KAMOREA "KK" ARNOLD MARKS THE FOUNDATION'S FIRST FORMAL NIL (NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS) COLLABORATION WITH A STUDENT- ATHLETE. - IT INTRODUCED STRUCTURED LEADERSHIP AND EDUCATION COMPONENT TIED TO THE BLACK FIVES ACADEMY, CREATING A NEW DIRECT LINK BETWEEN COLLEGIATE ATHLETES AND HISTORICAL EDUCATION. - NO NIL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM EXISTED IN 2022-2023. 2. NEW YORK RENS HARLEM COURT INSTALLATION (HOWARD BENNETT PLAYGROUND) - NEW IN 2024. - WHILE THE FOUNDATION HAS ORGANIZED EXHIBITIONS AND POP-UPS BEFORE, THIS WAS THE FIRST PERMANENT PUBLIC COURT INSTALLATION AND MURAL DEDICATED TO A BLACK FIVES TEAM. - EXECUTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NYC PARKS, SLAM, AND PUMA NEW PARTNER CONFIGURATION. - THIS IS ALSO THE FIRST BUILT-ENVIRONMENT HERITAGE PROJECT (PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT JUST EXHIBITS). 3. RENAISSANCE CASINO PUBLIC HISTORICAL MARKER INITIATIVE - NEW MILESTONE ACHIEVED IN 2024. PRIOR ADVOCACY EXISTED FOR COMMEMORATING THE RENS HOME COURT, BUT 2024 MARKED THE FIRST FORMAL CIVIC APPROVAL (COMMUNITY BOARD 10 RESOLUTION) AN OFFICIAL PUBLIC-HISTORY STEP NOT PREVIOUSLY REACHED. 4. EXPANDED BROADCAST INTEGRATION AND EDUCATIONAL WEBINAR - THE BASKETBALL AND DANCE: THE BUSINESS OF BLACK FIVES BASKETBALL WEBINAR AND BROADER EDUCATIONAL ROLLOUT REPRESENTED AN EXPANDED (NEW-FORMAT) ELEMENT WITHIN THE ONGOING BIG EAST PARTNERSHIP. - PRIOR YEARS FEATURED GAME-DAY BRANDING AND IN-ARENA PSAS, BUT 2024 ADDED LIVE DIGITAL EDUCATION INTEGRATING HISTORY AND BUSINESS THEMES. THESE SESSIONS WERE STREAMED LIVE AND ARCHIVED, INTRODUCING A MULTIMEDIA EDUCATION COMPONENT. 5. BIG EAST THIRD-YEAR RENEWAL WITH 22 GAMES (LARGEST YET) - WHILE THE BIG EAST PARTNERSHIP BEGAN IN 2022, 2024 REPRESENTED THE LARGEST AND MOST VISIBLE EXECUTION: - 22 TOTAL GAMES (PREVIOUS YEARS HAD 1012). - ADDED UNIFORM LAPEL PINS COMMEMORATING THE NEW YORK RENS CENTENNIAL (19232023) A NEW SYMBOLIC ELEMENT. - INCLUSION OF WOMENS COACHES AND PLAYERS IN CONFERENCE-WIDE MESSAGING WAS MORE FORMALLY STRUCTURED THAN IN 2023. 6. SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN NEWS COVERAGE (+128%) - WHILE NOT A PROGRAM PER SE, THE EARNED-MEDIA SURGE REPRESENTS NEW SCALE AND REACH: - FIRST YEAR WITH OVER 500 MAINSTREAM NEWS MENTIONS. - REFLECTS EXPANSION INTO NATIONAL TELEVISION, DIGITAL NEWS, AND UNIVERSITY MEDIA ECOSYSTEMS THAT WERE NOT AT COMPARABLE LEVELS IN 2023.

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 2024.

    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 August 2014.

    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.