Is Central New York Community Arts Council Inc Legit?

Quick charity verification for Central New York Community Arts Council Inc (EIN: 166068418)

Verdict: Central New York Community Arts Council Inc shows mixed signals

65/100Mission Score

$2.5MRevenue

$2.8MAssets

4Red Flags

3Strengths

Red Flags

Extreme volatility in revenue and assets over the past decade, including negative revenue periods.
Massive expense spike in 2019 ($15,262,685) significantly exceeding revenue ($1,657,333), leading to a substantial asset reduction.
Expenses exceeding revenue in the most recent filing (2023), indicating a net loss for the year.
Consistent 0% officer compensation reported, which is unusual for an organization of this scale and could indicate a lack of transparency in reporting executive pay.

Strengths

Positive revenue growth in 2021 and 2022, recovering from earlier negative periods.
Assets have shown recovery in recent years, reaching $3,131,587 in 2023 from a low of $735,128 in 2019.
No reported officer compensation, which could indicate a highly efficient, volunteer-driven leadership structure if accurate.

Spending Breakdown

How Central New York Community Arts Council Inc allocates its funds across programs, administration, and fundraising.

70%

Program Spending

Below average — room for improvement

20%

Admin Costs

Reasonable — admin costs in check

10%

Fundraising

Within typical range

How to read this: Well-run charities typically spend 75% or more on programs, keep admin under 25%, and fundraising under 15%. A high program ratio means more of every dollar goes directly to the mission.

How to Interpret This Report

What Red Flags Mean

Red flags are potential warning signs identified by AI analysis of IRS 990 filings. They may indicate issues like declining revenue, high executive pay relative to program spending, lack of transparency, or governance concerns. A single red flag does not necessarily mean an organization is untrustworthy, but multiple flags warrant further investigation before donating.

What Mission Score Measures

The Mission Score (0-100) evaluates how effectively a nonprofit fulfills its stated purpose. It combines multiple factors: program spending efficiency (how much goes to programs vs. overhead), financial health and sustainability, governance quality, transparency in reporting, and consistency of operations over time. A score of 70+ indicates strong alignment with the organization’s mission.

Using This Data for Donation Decisions

Use this report as one input in your decision. Look at the overall Mission Score for a quick assessment, review red flags and strengths for specific concerns, check the spending breakdown to see where money goes, and compare executive compensation to the organization’s size. Consider viewing the full transparency report for deeper analysis, and always verify tax-exempt status with the IRS before making large donations.

Frequently Asked Questions about Central New York Community Arts Council Inc

Is Central New York Community Arts Council Inc a legitimate charity?

Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Central New York Community Arts Council Inc (EIN: 166068418) shows mixed signals. Mission Score: 65/100. 4 red flags identified, 3 strengths noted.

Is Central New York Community Arts Council Inc a good charity to donate to?

Central New York Community Arts Council Inc has a Mission Score of 65/100. Revenue: $2.5M. Assets: $2.8M. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.

What is the EIN for Central New York Community Arts Council Inc?

The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Central New York Community Arts Council Inc is 166068418. This is the unique tax ID assigned by the IRS.

What is a Mission Score?

The Mission Score is a 0-100 rating that measures how effectively a nonprofit fulfills its stated mission. It factors in program spending efficiency, financial transparency, governance practices, and outcome reporting. Scores above 70 indicate strong mission alignment, 40-69 suggest mixed performance, and below 40 signals potential concerns.

How does Central New York Community Arts Council Inc spend its money?

Central New York Community Arts Council Inc allocates 70% to programs, 20% to administration, and 10% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.

How can I verify Central New York Community Arts Council Inc's tax-exempt status?

You can verify Central New York Community Arts Council Inc's tax-exempt status using EIN 166068418 on the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search (TEOS) at apps.irs.gov/app/eos. You can also request copies of their Form 990 directly from the organization, as they are required by law to provide them upon request.

AI Transparency Report

The Central New York Community Arts Council Inc. demonstrates a mixed financial picture with significant fluctuations in revenue and assets over the past decade. While the organization has shown positive revenue in most recent years, with $1,339,035 in 2023 and $1,926,806 in 2022, there were notable periods of negative revenue in 2015 and 2014, indicating potential accounting adjustments or significant asset sales/losses. The organization's assets have also varied wildly, from a high of $26,935,895 in 2018 to a low of $735,128 in 2019, suggesting substantial changes in its financial structure or holdings. The consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation across all available filings is a strong indicator of transparency regarding executive pay, suggesting either a volunteer-led executive team or compensation being reported under other expense categories, which would warrant further investigation for complete clarity.

Spending efficiency appears to be a concern in certain periods. For instance, in 2019, the organization reported expenses of $15,262,685 against revenue of $1,657,333, leading to a substantial deficit and a dramatic drop in assets. More recently, in 2023, expenses ($1,433,196) exceeded revenue ($1,339,035), resulting in a net loss for the year. However, in 2022, the organization operated with a surplus, with revenue ($1,926,806) exceeding expenses ($1,423,747). The lack of detailed functional expense breakdowns (program, admin, fundraising) in the provided data makes a precise assessment of spending efficiency challenging, but the overall financial volatility suggests periods of significant operational challenges or strategic shifts.

Overall, the organization's transparency regarding executive compensation is commendable. However, the extreme fluctuations in revenue, expenses, and assets, particularly the negative revenues and the massive expense spike in 2019, raise questions about financial stability and the underlying causes of these dramatic shifts. A deeper dive into the specific nature of these financial events would be necessary to fully understand the organization's long-term financial health and operational consistency.

View Full Transparency Report →

Disclaimer

AI-generated analysis based on IRS public records. Not financial or legal advice. Verify information directly with the organization.