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Bay Area Creative Bac

EIN 83-2011288 · Hayward, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceGood70 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Bay area creative supports positive change through creative and expressive arts that uphold cultures, provide therapeutic benefits, and to enhance communication skills primarily in underrepresented communities. We are driven by our resolute mission to actively disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, champion marginalized cultures, and carve out a sanctuary for unbridled self-expression.

Income
$1.2 million
Spending
$1.2 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
1.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 80%
Employees
2
Highest pay
$74,544, deputy director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.9 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 5% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 21% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 32 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a 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

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 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 June 30, 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. $885,565 spent. Bay area creatives journey from July 1 2024 to June 30, 2025 was a beacon of artistic growth and community enrichment through our main program SPARC. SPARC provided over 6,883 students across 130 sites the opportunity for growth through creative and artistic expression. This is both through SPARC workshops and community events held in schools throughout the bay area. 56% of those served through SPARC programming come from low income homes. 43% are English language learners with 79% identifying as BIPOC, LatinC or AAPI students. This program delivered more than 4,251 hours of workshops provided by 41 working artist to 5 bay area counties.
  2. $79,601 spent. Rich Oak became a program of bay area creative this year and continued to produce the Berkeley slam, the longest running poetry slam on the west coast. Rich oak brings together local known and new poets (including poets in the sparc program) with well-known poets from around the world for a weekly slam in the bay area. Audience and performers form a diverse reflection of the bay area community including bipoc, aapi, Latinx, lgbtq+, and all other types of identifying performers to a single stage. Serving an audience of combined total of more than 2,790 people in 78 shows between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025. 55 featured performers headlined and over 378 poets and artists performed at rich oak events.
  3. $29,850 spent. Revisions is the bay area creatives therapeutic arts program that works with organizations and providers to create lasting difference in participants lives through creative therapy such as writing and empathy education. Working with organizations such as the social changers bac provided 115 participants access to therapeutic arts in 95 workshops focused on accessing trauma and healing in creative methods such as writing.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 2025.

    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 September 2019.

    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.