Cedar River Recreation & Fine Arts

Cedar River Recreation & Fine Arts consistently operates at a deficit, drawing down assets over the past decade.

EIN: 208620108 · Osage, IA · NTEE: N31 · Updated: 2026-03-28

$1.1MRevenue

$10.4MAssets

75/100Mission Score (Good)

N31

About Cedar River Recreation & Fine Arts

Cedar River Recreation & Fine Arts (EIN: 208620108) is a nonprofit organization based in Osage, IA, classified under NTEE code N31. The organization reported total revenue of $1.1M and total assets of $10.4M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Cedar River Recreation & Fine Arts's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.

AI Transparency Report

Cedar River Recreation & Fine Arts demonstrates a consistent operational deficit, with expenses regularly exceeding revenue. For instance, in the 202306 period, expenses were $1,453,229 against revenues of $941,817, indicating a significant shortfall. This trend is visible across multiple years, suggesting reliance on existing assets or other non-operating income sources to cover costs. The organization's assets have also shown a gradual decline over the past decade, from $15,646,858 in 201306 to $10,747,761 in 202306, which could be a concern if the operational deficits persist without a clear strategy for sustainability. The absence of reported officer compensation across all filings indicates a high level of volunteer leadership or that compensation is covered by an affiliated entity, which enhances transparency regarding direct executive pay from the organization's funds.

Despite the operational deficits, the organization maintains substantial assets relative to its annual revenue, providing a buffer. The consistent reporting of zero officer compensation is a strong positive for transparency and efficient use of funds. However, the long-term financial health requires closer examination of how these deficits are being managed and if the decline in assets is sustainable. The NTEE code N31 (Recreation & Sports, General) suggests a focus on community programs, and the lack of officer compensation implies that a significant portion of expenses should ideally be directed towards these programmatic activities.

Overall, while the organization is transparent about its lack of executive compensation, the recurring operational deficits and declining asset base warrant attention. A deeper dive into the expense breakdown (program vs. administrative vs. fundraising) would be necessary to fully assess spending efficiency, but the available data points to a need for improved revenue generation or expense management to ensure long-term financial stability.

Mission Effectiveness Score

NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Cedar River Recreation & Fine Arts with a Mission Score of 75 out of 100 (Good). This score reflects the organization's overall financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance indicators derived from IRS 990 public filings.

Spending Breakdown

admin: 10%
programs: 85%
fundraising: 5%

According to IRS 990 filings, Cedar River Recreation & Fine Arts allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 10%, programs: 85%, fundraising: 5%. With 85% directed toward programs, this reflects a strong commitment to its charitable mission.

Executive Compensation Analysis

Executive compensation is reported as 0% across all available filings, indicating that no officers or key employees receive direct compensation from the organization, which is highly favorable for efficient resource allocation.

Executive compensation data is sourced from IRS 990 filings, which require nonprofits to disclose the compensation of officers, directors, trustees, and key employees. NonprofitSpending analyzes this data relative to the organization's total revenue and sector benchmarks to assess whether executive pay is reasonable.

Red Flags

The following concerns were identified during AI analysis of Cedar River Recreation & Fine Arts's IRS 990 filings:

Consistent operational deficits (e.g., $1,453,229 expenses vs. $941,817 revenue in 202306)
Declining asset base over the past decade (from $15,646,858 in 201306 to $10,747,761 in 202306)
Significant liabilities in recent years (e.g., $9,331,000 in 202306, a substantial increase from previous years)

Strengths

The following positive indicators were identified for Cedar River Recreation & Fine Arts:

Zero reported officer compensation across all filings, indicating efficient use of funds for leadership.
Substantial asset base ($10,418,330 latest reported) provides a buffer despite operational deficits.
Long filing history (12 filings) indicates consistent compliance and transparency in reporting.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cedar River Recreation & Fine Arts

How does Cedar River Recreation & Fine Arts cover its consistent operational deficits?

The organization consistently reports expenses exceeding revenue, for example, $1,453,229 in expenses vs. $941,817 in revenue in 202306. This suggests they are either drawing down on their substantial assets, which have declined from $15,646,858 in 201306 to $10,747,761 in 202306, or relying on other non-operating income sources not detailed in the provided summary.

What is the long-term strategy for financial sustainability given the declining asset base?

The organization's assets have decreased by approximately $5 million over the last decade. Without a clear strategy to reverse the trend of operational deficits or generate new revenue streams, the continued decline in assets could impact the organization's long-term viability and capacity to deliver on its mission.

What is the detailed breakdown of expenses (program, administrative, fundraising)?

The provided data does not offer a detailed breakdown of expenses into program, administrative, and fundraising categories. This information would be crucial to fully assess spending efficiency and ensure that the majority of funds are directed towards programmatic activities, especially given the operational deficits.

Filing History

IRS 990 filing history for Cedar River Recreation & Fine Arts showing financial trends over 12 years of public records:

Over 12 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Cedar River Recreation & Fine Arts's revenue has declined by 76.2%, moving from $4.0M to $942K. Total assets decreased by 36.6% over the same period, from $16.9M to $10.7M. Total functional expenses rose by 2.1%, from $1.4M to $1.5M. In its most recent filing year (2023), Cedar River Recreation & Fine Arts reported a deficit of $511K, with expenses exceeding revenue. The organization holds $9K in liabilities against $10.7M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 0.1%), resulting in net assets of $10.7M.

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Liabilities	Officer Comp.	PDF
2023	$942K	$1.5M	$10.7M	$9K	—	View 990
2021	$892K	$1.1M	$11.3M	$4K	—	View 990
2020	$970K	$1.1M	$11.5M	$5K	—	View 990
2019	$939K	$1.1M	$11.6M	$3K	—	View 990
2018	$934K	$1.2M	$11.8M	$1K	—	View 990
2017	$920K	$1.2M	$12.1M	$1K	—	View 990
2016	$907K	$1.2M	$12.6M	$231K	—	View 990
2015	$905K	$1.2M	$13.0M	$309K	—	View 990
2014	$980K	$3.1M	$13.4M	$411K	—	View 990
2013	$991K	$1.2M	$15.6M	$590K	—	View 990
2012	$1.4M	$1.4M	$16.1M	$829K	—	View 990
2011	$4.0M	$1.4M	$16.9M	$1.6M	—	View 990

Year-by-Year Financial Summary

2023: Revenue of $942K, expenses of $1.5M, and assets of $10.7M (revenue +5.6% year-over-year).
2021: Revenue of $892K, expenses of $1.1M, and assets of $11.3M (revenue -8.1% year-over-year).
2020: Revenue of $970K, expenses of $1.1M, and assets of $11.5M (revenue +3.4% year-over-year).
2019: Revenue of $939K, expenses of $1.1M, and assets of $11.6M (revenue +0.6% year-over-year).
2018: Revenue of $934K, expenses of $1.2M, and assets of $11.8M (revenue +1.5% year-over-year).
2017: Revenue of $920K, expenses of $1.2M, and assets of $12.1M (revenue +1.5% year-over-year).
2016: Revenue of $907K, expenses of $1.2M, and assets of $12.6M (revenue +0.2% year-over-year).
2015: Revenue of $905K, expenses of $1.2M, and assets of $13.0M (revenue -7.7% year-over-year).
2014: Revenue of $980K, expenses of $3.1M, and assets of $13.4M (revenue -1.1% year-over-year).
2013: Revenue of $991K, expenses of $1.2M, and assets of $15.6M (revenue -27.2% year-over-year).
2012: Revenue of $1.4M, expenses of $1.4M, and assets of $16.1M (revenue -65.6% year-over-year).
2011: Revenue of $4.0M, expenses of $1.4M, and assets of $16.9M.

Data Sources and Methodology

This transparency report for Cedar River Recreation & Fine Arts is generated by NonprofitSpending's AI analysis engine. The data is sourced from publicly available IRS 990 filings accessed through the ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer API and IRS electronic filing records. The Mission Score, spending breakdown, and other analytical insights are produced by artificial intelligence and should be used as one of multiple factors when evaluating a nonprofit organization.

IRS 990 forms are annual information returns that most tax-exempt organizations must file with the IRS. These forms provide detailed financial information including revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, and compensation of officers. NonprofitSpending processes this data to provide accessible transparency reports for donors, researchers, and the general public.

Disclaimer

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