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Friends of the Underline Inc

EIN 46-4028150 · Miami, FL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceStrong93 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SECTION 2: PROVIDE A STATEMENT OF PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS. YOU CAN STATE THE NUMBER OF CLIENTS SERVED, PUBLICATIONS ISSUED, ETC. DISCUSS THE ACHIEVEMENTS THAT ARE NOT MEASURABLE. DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF YOUR PROGRAMS YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SUMMARIZE THE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY. THROUGH THE UNDERLINE PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND CIVIC COLLABORATION MANY RESIDENTS, COMMUNITIES, AND VISITORS HAVE BENEFITTED. THIS INCLUDES OUR SIGNATURE COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS EVENTS, REACHING CULTURALLY RICH AND HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS. THE UNDERLINE PRODUCED FOUR (4) CO-CREATED COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS ACTIVATIONS, DRAWING OVER 1,000 ATTENDEES. EACH INITIATIVE REINFORCED OUR COMMITMENT TO CO-CREATION, CIVIC PRIDE, AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE. THE UNDERLINES PROGRAMMING HAS SUPPORTED 300 SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENGAGED 151 PARTNERS INCLUDING OTHER NONPROFITS, SCHOOLS, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS, AND NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS. IN TOTAL THE UNDERLINE WAS ALIVE THIS YEAR WITH 233 EVENTS AND MORE THAN 42,000 ATTENDEES

Income
$3.0 million
Spending
$2.6 million
Spent on programs
69%
Reserves
11.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 74%
Employees
32
Volunteers
625
Highest pay
$180,000, president an

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 13% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    69% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    28 of 28 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

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 September 30, 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. $1.8 million spent. AS WE COMPLETED OUR SECOND YEAR OF PROGRAMMING PHASE 1, PREPARED FOR THE OPENING OF PHASE 2 AND FACILITATED PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF PHASE 3, FRIENDS OF THE UNDERLINE EXPERIENCED AN INCREDIBLE YEAR OF GROWTH. IN SEPTEMBER 2023, TOGETHER WITH MIAMI DADE COUNTY, FRIENDS HOSTED THE PHASE 3, THE FINAL 7- MILE PHASE OF THE UNDERLINE, GROUND BREAKING FEATURING REPRESENTATIVES FROM LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES, THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE THEME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WAS ONE OF CONNECTIONS. WHETHER IT WAS THE DOZENS OF NONPROFITS WHO HOSTED EVENTS ON THE UNDERLINE OR THE SMALL BUSINESSES WHO ELEVATED THEIR PROFILE BY SELLING GOODS IN OUR PARK, OR THE PARTICIPANTS OF OUR FREE PROGRAMS, WE WERE CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY. PLEASE FIND OUR HIGHLIGHTS BELOW: - INITIATED SEVEN NEW FREE AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND LAUNCHED A NEW FARMER'S MARKET, WHICH IS SUPPORTING MORE THAN 20 LOCAL BUSINESSES. - ESTABLISHED A BROAD NETWORK OF OVER 170 PARTNERS INCLUDING NON PROFITS, SCHOOLS, INSTITUTIONS AND BUSINESSES. - HOSTED MORE THAN 200 FREE PROGRAMS THAT ENAGED MIAMI'S DIVERSE DIASPORA, INCLUDING NEIGHBORHOODS SUCH AS LITTLE HAVANA, OVERTOWN, LITTLE BAHAMAS, THE ROADS, VIZCAYA AND MORE. - GREW OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AMBASSADORS GROUP MADE UP OF LIASIONS FROM ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS ALONG THE UNDERLINE. - ENGAGED MORE THAN 400 VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN 4000 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE TO THE UNDERLINE. -INSTALLED NEW ENGAGING PUBLIC ARTWORKS INCLUDING TYPOE'S SCULPTURE GARDEN AND HANK WILLIS THOMAS' DUALITY. - DEBUTED THE ATALA SOCIETY, A SPONSOR MEMBERSHIP GROUP COMPRISED OF DONORS GIVING FROM 1,200 TO 10,000 ANNUALLY. - SECURED MORE THAN 10 GRANTS FROM NEW FUNDING SOURCES, INCLUDING A 2 MILLION GRANT FOR URBAN FORESTRY FROM THE USDA. - HIRED OUR FIRST INTERNSHIP FELLOW, WHO DRAFTED OUR ORGANIZATION'S FIRST COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS COMMITTEE FRAMEWORK, WHICH WILL DRIVE FUTURE PROGRAMMING, MARKETING AND DATA COLLECTING OBJECTIVES. ALL OF THE UNDERLINE'S HARD WORK HAS BEEN FEATURED IN LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS, INCLUDING: THE ARCHITECT'S NEWSPAPER, CULTURED MAGAZINE, OCEAN DRIVE, BUSINESS INSIDER, MIAMI TODAY AND IMPACT EDITION. AS WE COMPLETED OUR SECOND YEAR OF PROGRAMMING PHASE 1, PREPARED FOR THE OPENING OF PHASE 2 AND FACILITATED PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF PHASE 3, FRIENDS OF THE UNDERLINE EXPERIENCED AN INCREDIBLE YEAR OF GROWTH. IN SEPTEMBER 2023, TOGETHER WITH MIAMI DADE COUNTY, FRIENDS HOSTED THE PHASE 3, THE FINAL 7- MILE PHASE OF THE UNDERLINE, GROUND BREAKING FEATURING REPRESENTATIVES FROM LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES, THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE THEME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WAS ONE OF CONNECTIONS. WHETHER IT WAS THE DOZENS OF NONPROFITS WHO HOSTED EVENTS ON THE UNDERLINE OR THE SMALL BUSINESSES WHO ELEVATED THEIR PROFILE BY SELLING GOODS IN OUR PARK, OR THE PARTICIPANTS OF OUR FREE PROGRAMS, WE WERE CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY. PLEASE FIND OUR HIGHLIGHTS BELOW: - INITIATED SEVEN NEW FREE AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND LAUNCHED A NEW FARMER'S MARKET, WHICH IS SUPPORTING MORE THAN 20 LOCAL BUSINESSES. - ESTABLISHED A BROAD NETWORK OF OVER 170 PARTNERS INCLUDING NON PROFITS, SCHOOLS, INSTITUTIONS AND BUSINESSES. - HOSTED MORE THAN 200 FREE PROGRAMS THAT ENAGED MIAMI'S DIVERSE DIASPORA, INCLUDING NEIGHBORHOODS SUCH AS LITTLE HAVANA, OVERTOWN, LITTLE BAHAMAS, THE ROADS, VIZCAYA AND MORE. - GREW OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AMBASSADORS GROUP MADE UP OF LIASIONS FROM ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS ALONG THE UNDERLINE. - ENGAGED MORE THAN 400 VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN 4000 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE TO THE UNDERLINE. -INSTALLED NEW ENGAGING PUBLIC ARTWORKS INCLUDING TYPOE'S SCULPTURE GARDEN AND HANK WILLIS THOMAS' DUALITY. - DEBUTED THE ATALA SOCIETY, A SPONSOR MEMBERSHIP GROUP COMPRISED OF DONORS GIVING FROM 1,200 TO 10,000 ANNUALLY. - SECURED MORE THAN 10 GRANTS FROM NEW FUNDING SOURCES, INCLUDING A 2 MILLION GRANT FOR URBAN FORESTRY FROM THE USDA. - HIRED OUR FIRST INTERNSHIP FELLOW, WHO DRAFTED OUR ORGANIZATION'S FIRST COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS COMMITTEE FRAMEWORK, WHICH WILL DRIVE FUTURE PROGRAMMING, MARKETING AND DATA COLLECTING OBJECTIVES. ALL OF THE UNDERLINE'S HARD WORK HAS BEEN FEATURED IN LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS, INCLUDING: THE ARCHITECT'S NEWSPAPER, CULTURED MAGAZINE, OCEAN DRIVE, BUSINESS INSIDER, MIAMI TODAY AND IMPACT EDITION.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 September 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 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.