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Youth Art Team

EIN 83-3399046 · Waterloo, IA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceGood76 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Encourage youth to develop their creative potential, empowering both personal and social change through lifelong intentional relationships and art.

Income
$317,549
Spending
$213,627
Spent on programs
67%
Reserves
19.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 95%
Employees
8
Volunteers
225
Highest pay
$92,974, 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 19.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 33% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 17% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    67% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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

Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 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

    6 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 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)
  1. $51,233 spent. Public Arts Programming - Youth Art Team is an actual team of artists who complete exceptional works of art through a process that values student voices in decision-making. Artists ranged in age from 5-18 and attended 20 different schools. More than half faced challenges related to poverty: all projects bridged gaps in opportunities and relationships; activities and transportation were provided at no cost. Youth Art Team provided a framework for each project, walked artists through processes to determine the direction of their work, and included them in planning for its implementation. The Waterloo United basketball uniform design project was the largest public art project in 2025. Youth Art Team coordinated partnerships among 12 different local organizations and businesses to bring this project to life.
  2. $48,215 spent. Creative Youth Development - Youth Art Team helped artists navigate adolescence and transition into adulthood. Staff and volunteers worked behind the scenes to address unmet critical needs, providing food, rides, school support, and mentorship. Staff, volunteers, and families saw heightened self-confi dence, improved mental health, and increased participation in extracurricular activities. Artists made project recommendations to staff and informed decisions by serving terms as youth board members with Youth Art Team's Board of Directors. High expectations were set beyond art: artists committed to graduate high school and received support from staff and volunteers in order to do so. Youth Art Team's 2025 senior artists extended the organization's graduation rate to 100% for another year.
  3. $44,561 spent. Creative Job Training - Youth Art Team employed young artists who received job skills training and additional leadership roles during programming such as summer camps. Youth Art Team offered 29 job shadow experiences, customized to individual artist interests, that unveiled a variety of paths through schooling, whether trade school, associates or bachelors, or straight into work. Young artists received real-world artist experience by selling artwork. Youth Art Team's creative job training programs supported artists who (1) continued along their individual pathways toward high school graduation, (2) identified future employment goals, (3) gained professional experiences, (4) identified future employment goals, and (5) opened new doors for themselves beyond adolescence into adulthood.

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

  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 November 6, 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 December 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 July 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 November 4, 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.