The Cortez Center Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
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 mission of the Cortez Cultural Center is to provide programs that enrich the lives of our community and its visitors by increasing cultural awareness, promoting the arts, and educating about the area's history, diversity and natural environment.
- Income
- $130,766
- Spending
- $135,273
- Spent on programs
- 57%
- Reserves
- 12.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 53%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 13
- Highest pay
- $31,912, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 81 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1557% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 65 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 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.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 (3)
- $50,050 spent. Gallery Exhibits and Opening ReceptionsFor the past several years (before, during and since the Pandemic) the Centers gallery exhibits featuring local artists were few and far between. Since July 2023, this has become our major focus with five different exhibits and opening receptions in 2025.We featured a new exhibit almost every month throughout 2025, with various themes, one-person, group exhibits, and installations.Last year, about 75 artists participated in the gallery exhibits. Many of the exhibits are curated with community member artists joining the committees. Often, they are planned around a theme (such as Avian Art during our annual Birding Festival in May, and Recycled Art made from food wrappers during our Everybody Eats event in October). In all exhibits we strive to keep the exhibits in harmony with the context of our community. A large part of our community are ranchers and farmers and our exhibit in April will celebrate them and rural life.Native American artists are always welcome and featured in the Center Gallery as well as in our Gift Shop (which is more like a museum store).All of the opening receptions are free and open to the public and we do not charge the artists submission fees for exhibit applications. If works are for sale in an exhibit, and they sell, the artists pay a modest commission to the Center.The gallery exhibits enhance our relationships with local artists and crafters, involve them in the Centers programming and planning, and provide
- $13,592 spent. The Annual Ute Mountain Mesa Verde Birding Festival provides a popular venue for visiting southwestern Colorado during the second weekend in May. Nestled between alpine and mesa forests and scenic desert canyons, the Four Corners intriguingly diverse landscapes, and mild climate, have drawn people to the region for generations. Ancestral Pueblo farmers dwelled in places now known as Mesa Verde, Hovenweep, and Canyon of the Ancients. Todays meadows, pastures, cultivated fields, historic orchards, stock ponds and reservoirs establish habitat for a wide-spectrum of migratory and resident birds. Some species, such as Lucys Warbler, are found no place else in Colorado
- $13,562 spent. Native American DancesOur Native American Dance program is our signature program, which showcases local indigenous dancers, drummers, and singers who share their traditional stories and songs with the community in the Centers outdoor plaza and dancing circle. For over 27 years, we have presented this nightly program throughout the Summer, June - August, where the traditional dances and songs have been passed down through four generations of performers. Audience members are encouraged to participate with the performers in the Circle Dance and engage directly with the dancers after each performance.The Native American Dances are an hour-long performance that happen five nights per week for an 8-12 week period.Over 2,000 audience members of all ages attended 60 performances in 2025.38 Ute and Din singers, dancers, drummers, and storytellers from four generations ranging from 3 to 78 years old, performed with one another and their audiences.The Native American Dance program is free to the audience, but the performers are paid an honorarium for each and every performance through grant funding.Visitors to the area make it a point to attend our Native American Dances and, as the tourism Director for Montezuma County once said, Visitors to our area usually come for Mesa Verde National Park and/or Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. Then they go to the Native American Dances at the Cultural Center. Then they come inside the Center and get to meet our Cultural Specialist, get information and answers to their questions, and view our exhibits.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 September 1988.
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.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: The Carter Center Inc (Atlanta, GA), EIN 58-1454716. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.