Black Photographer S Union
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Black Image Center BIC is a collective based non-profit 501c3 founded by a group of young black photographers in Los Angeles. We aim to cultivate imagination through photography and economically empower black storytellers and image makers. BIC lives online and offline. We encourage our young friends to pick up cameras and we get our grown friends jobs. we serve as a hub of resources and as a network of economic empowerment for the black creative community. We are all perpetually changing. water us and watch us bloom.
- Income
- $199,371
- Spending
- $204,456
- Reserves
- 3.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 75%
- Highest pay
- $35,950, executive dir.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.
Source: Form 990EZ 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)
- $142,665 spent. Black Image Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting Black photographers and storytellers across Los Angeles. Founded to create space for the freedom, development, and growth of the Black imagination, our work in 2024 originated at our brick and mortar space and expanded to our programming partners across the city of LAreaching into every corner of the city through accessible, affordable photography programming. From artist residencies and workshops to photo walks, film festivals, and co-working hours, our programs engage over 800 participants annually with an online community of over 15,000. In 2024, we distributed over 300 of free film, preserved family histories for Black families through the Black Family Archive, and supported over 40 workshops and initiatives that prioritized community, access, and legacy-building. With the support of our partners and community, we've grown into a dynamic network of creatives reclaiming storytelling, preserving history, and establishing real pathways into the creative industry.
Source: Form 990EZ 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 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 2024.
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 January 2021.
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.