Caldera
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CALDERA'S MISSION IS TO INSPIRE AND SUPPORT YOUTH FROM UNDERSERVED RURAL AND URBAN COMMUNITIES BY AWAKENING THE POTENTIAL OF THEIR CREATIVE VOICE.
- Income
- $4.6 million
- Spending
- $4.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 65%
- Reserves
- 4.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 85%
- Employees
- 115
- Volunteers
- 32
- Highest pay
- $172,868, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 45% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1565% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 (1)
- $2.9 million spent. DAN WIEDEN AND HIS FAMILY ESTABLISHED CALDERA IN 1996 TO FOCUS ON THE STRENGTHS OF YOUTH AND THEIR COMMUNITIES, LED BY THE BELIEF THAT "WHEN YOUTH ARE GIVEN ACCESS TO THE EXPLOSIVE POWER OF CREATIVITY, THEY CAN CHANGE THEIR WORLD." SINCE THEN, CALDERA HAS ENGAGED OVER 15,000 YOUTH THROUGH AN AWARD-WINNING, SEVEN-YEAR COHORT MODEL THAT INCLUDES A ROBUST SUMMER PROGRAM, IN-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS, RESIDENCIES AND PERFORMANCES. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.IN 2024, CALDERA'S APPRENTICE PROGRAM CAME BACK IN A BIG WAY. THE 2024-25 COHORT CONSISTED OF TEN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: FIVE IN PORTLAND AND FIVE IN CENTRAL OREGON. THESE TEN EMERGING ARTISTS TOOK THE SPARK OF CREATIVITY THAT THEY FOUND AS CALDERA YOUTH AND EXPLORED IT FURTHER. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO CREATE ART FOR OTHERS? HOW MUCH POWER DOES A CREATIVE VOICE HAVE, AND WHAT CAN IT ACCOMPLISH? THESE WERE QUESTIONS THEY SOUGHT TO ANSWER THROUGH THEIR WORK AND THE EXPERIENCES THEY HAD AS APPRENTICES.ALL OF OUR YOUTH WORK INCORPORATES THESE CORE INGREDIENTS: AWE AND WONDER, INTERCULTURAL CONNECTION, SAFETY, SELF-REFLECTION, FAILURE AND RESILIENCE, DEPENDABILITY, AND APPLIED CREATIVITY. ALL EVALUATION ACTIVITIES WERE COMPLETE/SCHEDULED WITH ANALYSIS UNDERWAY. MORE THAN 200 PRE- AND POST-SURVEYS, NINE PARTNER SURVEYS, FIVE YOUTH FOCUS GROUPS, AND 18 ALUMNI INTERVIEWS COMPLETED AS PART OF THE EVALUATION PLAN LAUNCHED LAST YEAR. WHAT WE'VE LEARNED SO FAR? IMPACT INCREASES OVER TIME IN THE YOUTH PROGRAM AND THAT YOUNG PEOPLE BUILD CONFIDENCE, CONNECTION, AND CREATIVITY.WE SERVED 496 YOUNG LEARNERS; 190 OF THEM DURING THE BELOVED SUMMER PROGRAM.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 November 6, 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 June 2025.
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 March 1996.
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 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.