Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE SUFFOLK CENTER FOR CULTURAL ARTS IS TO "CULTIVATE, PROMOTE, AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE CREATIVE ARTS FOR ALL RESIDENTS AND VISITORS THROUGH PROGRAMS, EDUCATION, AND OUTREACH.". WE VALUE THE NEED FOR ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND BELIEVE EXPOSURE TO DIVERSE ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS IS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF ANY MODERN THRIVING CITY. WE ALSO VALUE LIFE-LONG LEARNING AND BELIEVE THAT ALL PEOPLE, THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFESPAN, DESERVE ACCESS TO THE CREATIVE, EDUCATIONAL, AND DEVELOPMENTAL OPPORTUNITIES WE CONDUCT THROUGH THE ARTS. FINALLY, WE VALUE COLLABORATION, INCLUSION, AND SUSTAINABILITY, ALL OF WHICH ARE INTERDEPENDENT AND ESSENTIAL TO THE GROWTH OF THE SUFFOLK CENTER, AS WELL AS TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE SUFFOLK COMMUNITY.
- Income
- $1.7 million
- Spending
- $2.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 4.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 32%
- Employees
- 33
- Volunteers
- 18
- Highest pay
- $102,942, executive di
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: 70 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 25% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 28% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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: 80 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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 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 (1)
- $1.7 million spent. THE 2024-2025 SEASON WAS A SUCCESS FOR THE SUFFOLK CENTER FOR CULTURAL ARTS. ALTHOUGH WE ARE VERY PROUD OF ALL THE EVENTS WE CONDUCTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, INCLUDING THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES, CONCERTS, ART EXHIBITIONS, AND MORE, WE ARE MOST PROUD OF THE IMPACT THAT OUR HUNDREDS OF YOUTH CONTACT HOURS HAD ON OUR COMMUNITY. THE SUFFOLK CENTER ENGAGED THOUSANDS OF YOUTH IN OUR CREATIVE SUMMER CAMPS, EDUCATIONAL MATINEES, AND OUR AWARD WINNING "ARTIST IN SCHOOLS" OUTREACH PROGRAM, ALL OF WHICH PROVIDED MEANINGFUL EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES THROUGH THE ARTS. WE ARE ALSO PROUD OF HOW MUCH WE USED THE ARTS TO SUPPORT THOSE IN NEED. OUR INAUGURAL MAGICAL CHRISTMAS TREE TOUR PROVIDED A WONDERLAND OF TREES DECORATED BY LOCAL BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND CITY DEPARTMENTS THE PUBLIC THEN VOTED FOR THEIR FAVORITE TREES BY PLACING NON-PERISHABLE FOOD DONATIONS UNDER THE TREE OF THEIR CHOICE WE RAISED NEARLY TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED FOOD ITEMS FOR THE FORKIDS FOOD PANTRY. THE CENTER ALSO HOSTED AN EMPTY BOWLS EVENT IN WHICH NEARLY 300 BOWLS WERE DONATED BY LOCAL POTTERS, RAISING NEARLY EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR OUR LOCAL FOOD BANK. THE SUFFOLK CENTER FOR CULTURAL ARTS AND THE CITY OF SUFFOLK HAVE PARTNERED TO GROW THE SUFFOLK CENTER INTO ONE OF THE CITY'S PRIMARY ATTRACTIONS, AS WELL AS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ASSETS TO THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT. WE HAVE TRANSFORMED AN ABANDONED HIGH SCHOOL INTO A VIBRANT COMPREHENSIVE CULTURAL AND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, BRINGING THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA, AND SERVING AS AN ASSET THROUGH WHICH THE ARTS ARE USED TO CHANGE LIVES, UPLIFT COMMUNITIES, AND CREATE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF SUFFOLK AND BEYOND. THE 2024-2025 SEASON WAS A SUCCESS FOR THE SUFFOLK CENTER FOR CULTURAL ARTS. ALTHOUGH WE ARE VERY PROUD OF ALL THE EVENTS WE CONDUCTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, INCLUDING THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES, CONCERTS, ART EXHIBITIONS, AND MORE, WE ARE MOST PROUD OF THE IMPACT THAT OUR HUNDREDS OF YOUTH CONTACT HOURS HAD ON OUR COMMUNITY. THE SUFFOLK CENTER ENGAGED THOUSANDS OF YOUTH IN OUR CREATIVE SUMMER CAMPS, EDUCATIONAL MATINEES, AND OUR AWARD WINNING "ARTIST IN SCHOOLS" OUTREACH PROGRAM, ALL OF WHICH PROVIDED MEANINGFUL EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES THROUGH THE ARTS. WE ARE ALSO PROUD OF HOW MUCH WE USED THE ARTS TO SUPPORT THOSE IN NEED. OUR INAUGURAL MAGICAL CHRISTMAS TREE TOUR PROVIDED A WONDERLAND OF TREES DECORATED BY LOCAL BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND CITY DEPARTMENTS THE PUBLIC THEN VOTED FOR THEIR FAVORITE TREES BY PLACING NON-PERISHABLE FOOD DONATIONS UNDER THE TREE OF THEIR CHOICE WE RAISED NEARLY TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED FOOD ITEMS FOR THE FORKIDS FOOD PANTRY. THE CENTER ALSO HOSTED AN EMPTY BOWLS EVENT IN WHICH NEARLY 300 BOWLS WERE DONATED BY LOCAL POTTERS, RAISING NEARLY EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR OUR LOCAL FOOD BANK. THE SUFFOLK CENTER FOR CULTURAL ARTS AND THE CITY OF SUFFOLK HAVE PARTNERED TO GROW THE SUFFOLK CENTER INTO ONE OF THE CITY'S PRIMARY ATTRACTIONS, AS WELL AS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ASSETS TO THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT. WE HAVE TRANSFORMED AN ABANDONED HIGH SCHOOL INTO A VIBRANT COMPREHENSIVE CULTURAL AND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, BRINGING THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA, AND SERVING AS AN ASSET THROUGH WHICH THE ARTS ARE USED TO CHANGE LIVES, UPLIFT COMMUNITIES, AND CREATE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF SUFFOLK AND BEYOND.
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 February 2002.
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.
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