Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Asheville Puppetry Alliance

EIN 56-2094632 · Asheville, NC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceFair56 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE ASHEVILLE PUPPETRY ALLIANCE, DBA STREET CREATURE PUPPET COLLECTIVE, IS AN INCLUSIVE ORGANIZATION FOSTERINGCONNECTION AND CREATIVITY THROUGH THE PUPPETRY AND PARADE ARTS. WE DO THIS BY LEARNING, TEACHING, SHARING RESOURCES, HOLDING SPACE FOR EDUCATION AND PERFORMANCE, AND COLLABORATING WITH INDIVIDUALS ANDGROUPS IN THE ASHEVILLE AREA.

Income
$427,692
Spending
$57,252
Spent on programs
45%
Reserves
85.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 86%
Employees
0
Volunteers
15
Highest pay
$18,000, executive di

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 85.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 87% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 285028% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    45% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 56 out of 100. Higher than 24% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 July 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 (1)
  1. $25,521 spent. -PARADES - 2-4 PER YEAR, REACHING 2-5K PEOPLE EACH TIME, ALL AGES -APPEARANCES - 18-24 PER YEAR, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER NON- PROFITS/COMMUNITY GROUPS, REACHING 50 TO 300 EACH TIME, ALL AGES -WEEKLY OPEN STUDIO - 48 TO 50 PER YEAR, REACHING 5 TO 15 VOLUNTEERS EACH TIME, PLUS ANOTHER 60 TO 80 DROP-IN VISITORS ANNUALLY, ALL AGES -WORKHOPS - 3 TO 6 PER YEAR, REACHING 25 TO 100 PARTICIPANTS EACH TIME, ALL AGES

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending July 2026.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 2002.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.