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Briarwood Arts Foundation

EIN 92-2139488 · Jackson, MS

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood82 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 12% of its spending went to programs.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

TO EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATION OF MISSISSIPPI ARTISTS AND FOSTER POSITIVE COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS BY REPURPOSING A VACANT BUILDING INTO AN ACCESSIBLE ARTS AND EDUCATION HUB WITH THE GOAL OF REVITALIZING THE BRIARWOOD HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD.

Income
$307,103
Spending
$142,571
Spent on programs
12%
Reserves
18.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 96%
Employees
0
Volunteers
80

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

Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 18.8 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 54% of income.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    12% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 8 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.

  • 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, 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. $9,062 spent. Briarwood Arts Center: Here are some of its program accomplishments and offerings: Diverse Programming: The center offers a wide range of programs many of which are free including: Music: DJ workshops music production workshops songwriting workshops vocal coaching Beat $ale Saturday an expo for music producers and YAHT You Aint Heard This Club for discovering new underground music. Dance: Fiesta Friday Salsa Bachata classes Live to Dance! w Royal Ze open freestyle dance Diaspora Afro Caribbean Dance Party Grooves Moves & Vibes Session Krump class and line dancing. Crafts: Old-fashioned hand-quilting crochet circle candle-making sewing workshops jewelry-making T-shirt printing wood burning mini cake decorating rug workshops and perfume making. Visual Art: Mural painting paint & sip events digital painting graphic design comic book drawing Jackson Photography Club sneaker paint parties and vision board parties. Performance Art: Spoken word poetry You Got Jokes Comedy Hour, vocal strength workshops and Artist Triage professional development. Education & Life Skills: GoodEDvice ACT Prep Club after-school tutoring and a focus on passing down history legacy and family traditions through the arts. Community Engagement: Hosting events for 601 JXN Day a city-wide celebration including the Briarwood Unity 2K and a community clean-up. They also host service programs like the Siegel Select Block Party to collect donations for hotel residents. Creating Accessible Spaces: The center provides various dedicated spaces for artistic and community activities such as: Craft Kitchen: Equipped for crafting skills Cricut machine use and sewing projects. Ubuntu Room: Used for dance movement through music and self-defense. Koles House II: A music lab studio. The Branding Lab: Features a green screen and backdrops for photography. Artist Lounge: A space for relaxation listening to music and emotional release. Community Revitalization and Empowerment: Stephen Browns vision for the Briarwood Arts Center extends beyond art to inspire community revitalization. He aims for the center to be an incubator for other organizations interested in repurposing properties in residential neighborhoods empowering residents to take ownership of blighted properties. The center emphasizes building relationships rather than being transactional fostering camaraderie and dignity within the Briarwood neighborhood. Broad Reach: Since its opening the Briarwood Arts Center has attracted guests from across the metro area and even from towns like Kosciusko and Grenada demonstrating significant community support. It serves a wide age range from 6 to 94 years old fostering intergenerational connections through art. 17,000 total visitors at 1,550 programs from 100+ unique zip codes.
  2. $7,755 spent. Riverside Collective is co-creating a multipurpose community space for South Jackson. Our mission: to develop local gathering employment and education opportunities through community engagement and democratic decision-making.
  3. GOOD EDVICE IS DEDICATED TO THE EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY BY OFFERING CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS SUCH AS ACT PREP CLUB AND AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING. THE ORGANIZATION FOCUSES ON PASSING DOWN HISTORY LEGACY AND FAMILY TRADITIONS THROUGH THE FOSTERING OF CAMARADERIE AND DIGNITY WITHIN THE BRIARWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD.

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 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 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 March 2023.

    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.