Community Arts & Empowerment
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE HELP IDENTIFY THE VALUES OF A NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE VISUAL AESTHETICS OF ITS MEMBERS. WE SEEK OUT LOCAL ARTISTS TO ASSIST IN THE DESIGN OF LOCAL COMMUNITY-BASED PUBLIC ART WORK AND WE FACILITATE COMMUNITY BUILDS FOR THE FABRICATION OF PERMANENT PUBLIC ART.OUR PROCESS EMPOWERS COMMUNITIES BY ENCOURAGING MEMBERS TO SPEND TIME WITH EACH OTHER DEFINING THEIR SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL IDENTITIES. RETURNING INDIVIDUALS TEACH AND LEARN NEW SKILLS TOGETHER FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL, TRANSFORMING A PHYSICAL SPACE INTO A MAGICAL PLACE.
- Income
- $236,571
- Spending
- $334,491
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 10.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 54%
- Employees
- 15
- Volunteers
- 363
- Highest pay
- $48,400, ceo
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
Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 41% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 30% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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
Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a 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
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
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 (1)
- $295,435 spent. Community Arts & Empowerment is formed to make art for, by and with the public, to build community identity, pride and connections through public art projects, and foster creativity and empower communities through the arts.In 2024 we completed 6 public art projects:?A seat wall and three sidewalk medallions for the Bienestar housing project in Capitola? Two sidewalk medallions for Memorial Park in Watsonville ?A donor wall and pillars for an arch for the Capitola Wharf in Capitola? Angel wings for the Gerry Loyola Foundation at the Watsonville Community Golf Course? The Farm Worker Project, which consisted of 200 small mosaics. Gifts for people who support Farm worker nonprofits in Watsonville? The completion of Watsonville Brillante, the 12,500 ft Mosaic, which covers the Civic Parking Garage in downtown Watsonville. do you?We also conducted a monthly tour of the public art mosaics in Watsonville, and 146 individuals participated in our tours.?We hosted 4 school groups for workshops, and approximately 118 students participatedWe had 363 volunteers donated 2736 volunteer hours in 2024.We had 10 paid youth interns in 2024.
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 September 2019.
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.