Pop-Up Project
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO BUILD A VIBRANT, DIVERSE AND SUSTAINABLE PERFORMING ARTS ECONOMY THAT IS AUTHENTIC TO OUR AREA AND ENGAGED WITH OUR COMMUNITY, WHILE PROVIDING FAIR WAGE OPPORTUNITIES TO LOCAL ARTISTS.
- Income
- $423,990
- Spending
- $320,055
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 10 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 70%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $51,077, 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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 25% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 32% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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: 56 out of 100. Higher than 24% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no 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
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, 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)
- $86,231 spent. IMMERSIVE/PUBLIC EVENTS WE WERE ABLE TO PRODUCE THREE LARGE EVENTS IN 2025. THE FIRST WAS PRIMAVERA, WHICH GAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO 25 ARTISTS AND HAD 400 IN ATTENDANCE. FROM WITHIN WAS OUR NEXT EVENT, WHICH PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR 15 ARTISTS WITH 130 IN ATTENDANCE. FINALLY, RAZZLE DAZZLE PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR 140 LOCAL ARTISTS WITH AN ATTENDANCE OF MORE THAN 400.
- $77,576 spent. THE POP-UP PROJECT STREET TEAM - COMMISSIONS THIS PROGRAM IS WELL-ESTABLISHED. IT ALLOWS US TO PUT DANCE INTO THE SERVICE OF EVENT PRODUCERS, PARTY PLANNERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS, ETC. IT TAKES DANCE TO THE PEOPLE, LIMITING GEOGRAPHIC BARRIERS TO ACCESS, WHILE KEEPING POP-UP VISIBLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDING REGULAR, PAID OPPORTUNITIES TO ARTISTS. IN 2025, WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE PERFORMING OPPORTUNITIES TO AS MANY AS 35 ARTISTS, INCLUDING TEACHING ARTISTS, STUDIO ARTISTS AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS GUEST ARTISTS.
- $73,441 spent. YOUTH/ADULT OUTREACH PROGRAMS OUR YOUTH AND ADULT OUTREACH PROGRAMS SAW ROUGHLY 14,400 - 15,600 STUDENT ENGAGEMENTS, AND 15,600 ADULT ENGAGEMENTS. THESE PROGRAMS OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN TO TAKE CLASSES IN A VARIETY OF STYLES, INCLUDING MODERN, BALLET, JAZZ AND HIP-HOP. IT INCLUDES FIELD TRIPS TO MILESTONE CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, AND A TWO WEEK SUMMER INTENSIVE. OUR CURRICULUM MEETS STATE EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS IN TN, AS WELL AS THOSE USED IN PROFESSIONAL STUDIOS. OUR PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE FEW IN THE AREA THAT PROVIDES A DANCE EDUCATION TO LOW INCOME CHILDREN AND IS, THEREFORE, CRUCIAL TO CREATING MORE EQUITY IN ARTS ACCESS AND EDUCATION IN OUR AREA.
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 February 2019.
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.