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Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts and Entertainment District Inc

EIN 84-4432820 · Baltimore, MD

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO PROMOTE THE ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT ACTIVITIES OF BLACK ARTS DISTRICT TO THE GREATER PUBLIC, AND TO PROMOTE THE AVAILABILITY OF THE DISTRICTS TAX BENEFITS TO ARTISTS, ARTS OR ENTERTAINMENT VENUES, AND PROPERTY OWNERS.

Income
$1.7 million
Spending
$1.2 million
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 80%
Employees
7
Volunteers
150
Highest pay
$96,691, executive di

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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 31% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 60% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a 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

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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, 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)
  1. $874,708 spent. THE PROJECT RESTART IS A MULTI-PRONG INITIATIVE TO RESTIMULATE THE CREATIVE ECONOMY IN WEST BALTIMORE BY SPONSORING LOCAL CURATORS WHO CREATE ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCES, CURATING MARQUEE EVENTS AND PROVIDING TRAINING, FELLOWSHIP, INTERNSHIPS, AND DEVELOPMENT AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR BLACK CREATIVES. THIS INITIATIVE SEEKS TO REDUCE THE NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC, SPEED UP RECOVERY EFFORTS FOR THE ARTS AND CULTURAL COMMUNITY, AND LEVERAGE RESOURCES AS A CATALYST FOR THE LONG-TERM RESILIENCE, VIBRANCY, AND SUSTAINABILITY OF BLACK CREATIVES. PROJECT RESTORE DEWMORE BALTIMORE INITIATIVES: DEWMORE BALTIMORE YOUTH POETRY LEAGUE ENGAGES YOUTH IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS AND VARIOUS CITY INSTITUTIONS USING THE POWER OF POETRY. POETS PARTICIPATE IN WEEKLY DYNAMIC WRITING AND PERFORMANCE WORKSHOPS FROM ACCLAIMED ARTISTS THAT WILL EXPOSE POETS TO COMPLEX CONCEPTS, ADVANCED VOCABULARY, AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS. THE PROGRAM CREATES A SAFE SPACE FOR POETS TO EXPLORE WHO THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY ARE FROM ON A LOCAL AND NATIONAL PLATFORM. USING SLAM AS A VEHICLE TO SELF DISCOVERY, POETS EXERCISE THE ART OF "TRUTH-TELLING." WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE SCHOOL'S FACULTY COACH, A TEACHING ARTIST AND A COMMUNITY OF WRITERS, EVERY MOMENT OF DEVELOPMENT - FROM THE PAGE TO STAGE - IS GUARANTEED TO BE A TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCE ON AVERAGE EACH YEAR WE WORK WITH 10 SCHOOLS BUT OUR GOAL IS TO BUILD CAPACITY AND WORK WITH MORE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS. YOUTH POETRY FESTIVAL - EVERY SPRING, DEWMORE BALTIMORE HOSTS THE DEWMORE BALTIMORE YOUTH POETRY FESTIVAL. THIS IS MARYLAND'S LARGEST SPOKEN WORD FESTIVAL. HERE, STUDENTS ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET LIKE-MINDED YOUTH OF THEIR AGE GROUP WHO THEY WOULD HAVE NORMALLY NEVER ENCOUNTERED. THEY ATTEND WORKSHOPS BY SOME OF THE REGION'S MOST RECOGNIZED ARTISTS AND ORGANIZERS. THE YOUNG PEOPLE LEARN TOGETHER, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND HAVE A GREAT TIME, THEN ENGAGE IN SOME HEALTHY COMPETITION. THIS TYPE OF CROSS COMMUNITY BUILDING WILL HELP TO DECREASE VIOLENCE AND BOLSTER A SINCERE LOVE FOR OUR CITY. BALTIMORE YOUTH POET LAUREATE PROGRAM - THE YOUTH POET LAUREATE PROGRAM APPOINTS A YOUTH FROM THE AGE OF 13-19 EVERY YEAR TO REPRESENT BALTIMORE ON A LOCAL AND NATIONAL PLATFORM AND TWO ADDITIONAL YOUTH THAT CO-SERVE AS AMBASSADORS. EVERY SPRING, CITY HALL HOSTS UP TO 12 CREATIVE, HONEST AND POWERFUL YOUTH VOICES TO COMPETE FOR THE TITLE OF BALTIMORE'S APPOINTED YOUTH POET LAUREATE. THE YOUTH POET LAUREATE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR BEING A YOUTH AMBASSADOR OF BALTIMORE'S ART AND CULTURE COMMUNITY AS THEY SPEAK, SHARE, AND BUILD LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY. THE YPL WILL RECEIVE A CASH PRIZE, A NATIONAL BOOK DEAL, AN OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT BALTIMORE INTERNATIONALLY, AND WILL PERFORM ON A LOCAL ENOCH PRATT LIBRARY TOUR THAT WILL BRING THIS POWERFUL EXPERIENCE TO THE COMMUNITY. MAYA-BARAKA WRITERS INSTITUTE- THE MAYA ANGELOU WRITERS INSTITUTE (MBWI) IS A WRITING PROGRAM THAT HIRES STUDENT WRITERS TO PARTICIPATE IN A SERIES OF POETRY WORKSHOPS AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING LOCAL PERFORMANCES AND VISITS TO HISTORICAL ART SITES. MAWI FOCUSES ON PROVIDING CONTEXT TO ART AS ACTIVISM THAT IS ACCESSIBLE AND RELEVANT FOR MILLENNIALS BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO PRESENTATIONS BY LOCAL NON-PROFIT AND FOR-PROFIT LEADERS, WRITERS, ARTISTS AND ACTIVISTS, FILMS/VIDEOS, INFORMATIVE READING MATERIAL AND CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOPS. THE PROJECT RESTART IS A MULTI-PRONG INITIATIVE TO RESTIMULATE THE CREATIVE ECONOMY IN WEST BALTIMORE BY SPONSORING LOCAL CURATORS WHO CREATE ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCES, CURATING MARQUEE EVENTS AND PROVIDING TRAINING, FELLOWSHIP, INTERNSHIPS, AND DEVELOPMENT AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR BLACK CREATIVES. THIS INITIATIVE SEEKS TO REDUCE THE NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC, SPEED UP RECOVERY EFFORTS FOR THE ARTS AND CULTURAL COMMUNITY, AND LEVERAGE RESOURCES AS A CATALYST FOR THE LONG-TERM RESILIENCE, VIBRANCY, AND SUSTAINABILITY OF BLACK CREATIVES. PROJECT RESTORE DEWMORE BALTIMORE INITIATIVES: DEWMORE BALTIMORE YOUTH POETRY LEAGUE ENGAGES YOUTH IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS AND VARIOUS CITY INSTITUTIONS USING THE POWER OF POETRY. POETS PARTICIPATE IN WEEKLY DYNAMIC WRITING AND PERFORMANCE WORKSHOPS FROM ACCLAIMED ARTISTS THAT WILL EXPOSE POETS TO COMPLEX CONCEPTS, ADVANCED VOCABULARY, AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS. THE PROGRAM CREATES A SAFE SPACE FOR POETS TO EXPLORE WHO THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY ARE FROM ON A LOCAL AND NATIONAL PLATFORM. USING SLAM AS A VEHICLE TO SELF DISCOVERY, POETS EXERCISE THE ART OF "TRUTH-TELLING." WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE SCHOOL'S FACULTY COACH, A TEACHING ARTIST AND A COMMUNITY OF WRITERS, EVERY MOMENT OF DEVELOPMENT - FROM THE PAGE TO STAGE - IS GUARANTEED TO BE A TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCE ON AVERAGE EACH YEAR WE WORK WITH 10 SCHOOLS BUT OUR GOAL IS TO BUILD CAPACITY AND WORK WITH MORE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS. YOUTH POETRY FESTIVAL - EVERY SPRING, DEWMORE BALTIMORE HOSTS THE DEWMORE BALTIMORE YOUTH POETRY FESTIVAL. THIS IS MARYLAND'S LARGEST SPOKEN WORD FESTIVAL. HERE, STUDENTS ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET LIKE-MINDED YOUTH OF THEIR AGE GROUP WHO THEY WOULD HAVE NORMALLY NEVER ENCOUNTERED. THEY ATTEND WORKSHOPS BY SOME OF THE REGION'S MOST RECOGNIZED ARTISTS AND ORGANIZERS. THE YOUNG PEOPLE LEARN TOGETHER, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND HAVE A GREAT TIME, THEN ENGAGE IN SOME HEALTHY COMPETITION. THIS TYPE OF CROSS COMMUNITY BUILDING WILL HELP TO DECREASE VIOLENCE AND BOLSTER A SINCERE LOVE FOR OUR CITY. BALTIMORE YOUTH POET LAUREATE PROGRAM - THE YOUTH POET LAUREATE PROGRAM APPOINTS A YOUTH FROM THE AGE OF 13-19 EVERY YEAR TO REPRESENT BALTIMORE ON A LOCAL AND NATIONAL PLATFORM AND TWO ADDITIONAL YOUTH THAT CO-SERVE AS AMBASSADORS. EVERY SPRING, CITY HALL HOSTS UP TO 12 CREATIVE, HONEST AND POWERFUL YOUTH VOICES TO COMPETE FOR THE TITLE OF BALTIMORE'S APPOINTED YOUTH POET LAUREATE. THE YOUTH POET LAUREATE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR BEING A YOUTH AMBASSADOR OF BALTIMORE'S AR

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

  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 2024.

    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 October 2020.

    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.