Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE CHICAGO AVENUE FIRE ARTS CENTER INSPIRES HANDS, HEARTS, AND MINDS BY ART FORMS PRODUCED BY HEAT, SPARK, OR FLAME.
- Income
- $671,315
- Spending
- $712,251
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- -10.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 64%
- Employees
- 6
- Volunteers
- 40
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 39 out of 100. Higher than 10% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 59% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a 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.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 December 31, 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 (3)
- $282,305 spent. ARTS EDUCATION: IN 2024, CAFAC PROVIDED NEARLY 200 CLASSES IN A VARIETY OF FIRE ARTS FORMS, INCLUDING BLACKSMITHING, GLASS, JEWELRY, METAL CASTING, NEON, WELDING, AND MORE. THESE PROGRAMS GENERATED MORE THAN 1,150 ENROLLMENTS BY ADULTS AND YOUTH OF VARYING BACKGROUNDS AND ABILITIES. CAFAC MAINTAINS A SCHOLARSHIP FUND TO REMOVE FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION FROM WHICH WE AWARDED $15,000 IN 2024. WE EXTEND THE REACH OF OUR EDUCATION PROGRAMMING THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. LAST YEAR THOSE PARTNERSHIPS PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH VETERANS, YOUNG PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AND COLLEGE STUDENTS.
- $149,795 spent. PUBLIC ART: CAFAC HAS ESTABLISHED A REPUTATION AS A CONDUIT BETWEEN EMERGING PUBLIC ARTISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS SEEKING LARGE-SCALE WORK, BY PROVIDING DESIGN EXPERTISE, FABRICATION FACILITIES, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, AND TRAINING FOR ARTISTS SEEKING TO BUILD THEIR PUBLIC ART PORTFOLIOS. IN 2024, THREE PROJECTS WERE IN OUR PUBLIC ART PRODUCTION PIPELINE (SEE WWW.CAFAC.ORG/PUBLIC-ART-PORTFOLIO).
- $144,033 spent. ARTIST SUPPORT: THIS THREAD IS WOVEN THROUGH ALL OF OUR WORK AS WE SUPPORT ARTISTS IN DEVELOPING THEIR CAREERS, LEARNING NEW SKILLS, AND BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION. IN 2024, THREE ARTISTS PARTICIPATED IN OUR RESIDENCY PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDED FOUR MONTHS OF FOCUSED, SUPPORTED TIME IN THE CAFAC STUDIOS AND GALLERY. WE ALSO SERVE DOZENS OF ARTISTS WITH OUR SPARC (STUDIO PASS AT REDUCED COST) PROGRAM TO ACCESS THE TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT THEY NEED. WE PROVIDE A REFERRAL RESOURCE FOR ARTISTS THROUGH OUR CRAFTSPERSON COMMISSION CONNECTION PROGRAM, CONNECTING A ROSTER OF LOCAL CRAFTSPEOPLE, ARTISTS, AND FABRICATORS TO INDIVIDUALS NEEDING REPAIR, FABRICATION, OR CUSTOM WORK. CAFAC ALSO HAS A GALLERY THAT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOLO AND GROUP EXHIBITS AS WELL AS COMMISSION SALES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 2008.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.