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Wide Angle Youth Media Inc

EIN 52-2276602 · Baltimore, MD

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood74 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THROUGH MEDIA ARTS EDUCATION, WIDE ANGLE YOUTH MEDIA COLLABORATES WITH AND AMPLIFIES THE VOICES OF BALTIMORE YOUTH TO ENGAGE AUDIENCES ACROSS SOCIAL DIVIDES. OUR PROGRAMS INSPIRE CREATIVITY AND INSTILL CONFIDENCE IN YOUNG PEOPLE, SUPPORTING THEM TO NAVIGATE SCHOOL, CAREER, AND LIFE. SINCE 2000, WIDE ANGLE YOUTH MEDIA HAS WORKED WITH OVER 8,295 YOUTH FROM ACROSS BALTIMORE CITY WHO HAVE PRODUCED THOUSANDS OF MEDIA PROJECTS ABOUT THEIR LIVES AND COMMUNITIES. WIDE ANGLE YOUTH MEDIA IS A 501(C)(3) TAX-EXEMPT ORGANIZATION.

Income
$3.4 million
Spending
$3.3 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
8.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 49%
Employees
41
Volunteers
25
Highest pay
$144,075, executive director

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

Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 8.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 28% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 45% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 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.

  • 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 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 (4)
  1. $906,114 spent. WIDE ANGLE YOUTH MEDIA'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ENGAGE YOUTH THROUGH A SERIES OF OFFERINGS:1. COMMUNITY VOICES PROGRAMS SERVE 250+ YOUTH ANNUALLY, THROUGH SHORT-TERM WORKSHOPS. 2. BALTIMORE SPEAKS OUT SERVES 120 STUDENTS EACH YEAR THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY-BASED SITES, THROUGH TRIMESTER-LONG OFFERINGS AT 4 SITES IN FALL, WINTER, AND SPRING. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR MORE DETAILS.
  2. $609,347 spent. OUR WORKFORCE PATHWAY INCLUDES TWO CORE COMPONENTS:1. HIGH SCHOOL & SUMMER PROGRAMS: HIGH SCHOOL WORKSHOPS ARE SEMESTER-LONG, WITH TRACKS IN DESIGN, VIDEO, PHOTOGRAPHY, ANIMATION, AND SCREENWRITING, TO PROVIDE 55+ HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS EACH TERM WITH 40+ HOURS OF INSTRUCTION. SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES CONTINUE THROUGH MEDIAWORKS, OUR EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AGES 14-21.2. EMPLOY (ENRICHMENT, MENTORING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & LEARNING FOR OLDER YOUTH): PAID MEDIA INTERNSHIPS AND REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIPS FOR EMERGING CREATIVES AGES 18-26, OFFERING HANDS-ON CLIENT EXPERIENCE, MENTORSHIP, AND CAREER-ALIGNED TRAINING.
  3. $1.2 million spent. SOCIAL ENTERPRISE FEE-FOR-SERVICE REVENUE STREAMS INCLUDE CREATIVE SERVICES FOR HIRE IN PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEO, DESIGN, AND COMMUNICATIONS. EMPLOY INTERNS AND APPRENTICES GAIN ON THE JOB TRAINING AND GROW THEIR PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIOS AS THEY MAKE MEDIA FOR CLIENTS. ADDITIONAL FEE-FOR-SERVICE PROGRAMMING INCLUDES FEE-BASED WORKSHOPS THAT BRING HANDS-ON MEDIA ARTS PROGRAMMING DIRECTLY TO PARTNER SITES TO SUPPORT THEIR GOALS. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR MORE DETAILS.
  4. WIDE ANGLE YOUTH MEDIA SERVES 600+ YOUTH ANNUALLY THROUGH A RANGE OF FREE EDUCATIONAL AND WORKFORCE PROGRAMS. WIDE ANGLE'S PROGRAM PATHWAY ENRICHES THE LIVES OF YOUTH, STARTING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES INTO YOUNG ADULTHOOD: COMMUNITY VOICES SERVES 250+ YOUTH ANNUALLY, THROUGH FREE AND FEE-BASED PROGRAMS AT PARTNER SITES. BALTIMORE SPEAKS OUT (BSO) MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAMMING IS AN INTRODUCTORY MEDIA EDUCATION PROGRAM SERVING 120 STUDENTS ANNUALLY. YOUTH PRACTICE TRANSFERABLE SKILLS (CRITICAL THINKING, PUBLIC SPEAKING, TEAM-BUILDING, AND LEADERSHIP) AS THEY STRENGTHEN THEIR MEDIA FOUNDATION. HIGH SCHOOL OFFERINGS ARE SEMESTER-LONG, INTRODUCTORY TO ADVANCED WORKSHOPS IN DESIGN, VIDEO, PHOTOGRAPHY, ANIMATION, AND ACTING. THESE COURSES PROVIDE CREATIVE AFTER-SCHOOL YOUTH ENGAGEMENT TO 55 STUDENTS FOR AT LEAST 40 HOURS PER SEMESTER (20+ CLASSES, 2 HOURS EACH) TO DIRECTLY ENGAGE 110 TOTAL HIGH SCHOOL AGED YOUTH OVER THE ACADEMIC YEAR. STUDENTS HONE THEIR SKILLS IN MEDIA PRODUCTION, COMMUNICATIONS, CREATIVITY, CRITICAL THINKING, PUBLIC SPEAKING, AND LEADERSHIP. STUDENTS GAIN CAREER EXPLORATION OPPORTUNITIES, ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY, AND COLLEGE AND PROFESSIONAL SOFT SKILLS. MEDIAWORKS IS A SUMMER ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES 36 YOUTH AGES 14-24 WITH PAID SUMMER MEDIA ARTS AND COLLEGE AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING OVER FIVE WEEKS (120+ HOURS). YOUTH PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE INTENSIVE ARTS INSTRUCTION IN PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEO, ACTING AND DESIGN WITH A COLLEGE AND WORKFORCE READINESS FOCUS, TO PREPARE YOUTH FOR JOBS IN THE MEDIA ARTS/CREATIVE SECTOR. APPRENTICESHIPS/INTERNSHIPS ARE A YEAR-LONG, INTENSIVE WORK TRAINING PROGRAM FOR 18-26 YEAR-OLDS WHO ARE PAID HOURLY AS THEY GAIN ADVANCED SKILLS IN VIDEO PRODUCTION AND DESIGN (12 - 40 HOURS/WEEK, 12+ YOUTH), RUN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ALLIANCE FOR MEDIA ARTS + CULTURE AND THE ARTS2WORK FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. YOUTH ARE MENTORED BY STAFF TO ENSURE THAT BY PROGRAM COMPLETION THEY HAVE ENTRY-LEVEL TECHNICAL AND SOFT SKILLS, AN ARTISTIC REEL OR PORTFOLIO, CURRENT RESUME AND EXPERIENCES THAT EQUIP THEM FOR CAREERS IN THE MEDIA INDUSTRY.

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

  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 June 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 May 2001.

    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.