Project Row Houses
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Project Row Houses empowers people and enriches communities through engagement, art, and direct action.
- Income
- $2.7 million
- Spending
- $3.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 57%
- Reserves
- 10.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 77%
- Employees
- 23
- Volunteers
- 16
- Highest pay
- $177,259, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 34% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1557% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 36 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 2516 of 16 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.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
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 August 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)
- $1.1 million spent. The Public Art Program, founded in 1994, provides opportunities for participating artists to take risks, explore new ways to work within a community, and offer the community a unique experience of working directly with artists. There are seven installation/exhibition houses out of the original twenty-two shotgun houses. Three times a year, these houses are part of a "Round" of installations in which site-specific art is created in each house. Artists and artist collaborations participated in public art programming, including residencies, fellowships, lectures, artist talks, and installations. Over 25,000 people throughout the United States and the world visit Project Row Houses annually.
- $771,818 spent. Community Enrichment programs include Creative Careers, grocery distributions, small-business incubation, youth education, and community workshops on health. The programs center on providing professional skills training, mentorship, and community-focused workshops.
- $232,631 spent. Neighborhood Development activities include strategic partnerships to support the development and implementation of a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization strategy for the historic Third Ward. PRH collaborates to prevent the displacement of longtime residents and enhance their economic and social well-being. The restored historic Eldorado Building (c.1939) is a neighborhood development initiative. The second-floor ballroom is used for PRH programming, partnership, and rental events, while the ground-floor spaces are used for exhibitions, meetings, PRH archives, artists' studios, and incubation. All Eldorado programs seek to raise the collective awareness and appreciation of the Eldorado Ballroom and the surrounding community.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 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 August 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 January 1994.
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.
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.