Decatur Book Festival Inc
Decatur Book Festival Inc. experiences sharp revenue decline and asset contraction in recent years.
EIN: 208669575 · Decatur, GA · NTEE: B90 · Updated: 2026-03-28
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $501K |
| Total Expenses | $18K |
| Program Spending | 80% |
| Net Assets | $143K |
| Transparency Score | 70/100 |
Is Decatur Book Festival Inc Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
Decatur Book Festival Inc directs 80% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About Decatur Book Festival Inc
Decatur Book Festival Inc (EIN: 208669575) is a nonprofit organization based in Decatur, GA, classified under NTEE code B90. The organization reported total revenue of $501K and total assets of $317K according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Decatur Book Festival Inc's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
Organization Overview
Decatur Book Festival Inc is a small nonprofit that has been operating for 19 years, with 13 years of IRS 990 filings on record (2011–2023). Revenue has grown at a compound annual rate of -33.8%.
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
| Total Revenue | $4K |
| Total Expenses | $18K |
| Surplus / Deficit | $-14,427 |
| Total Assets | $138K |
| Net Assets | $143K |
| Operating Margin | -376.1% |
| Months of Reserves | 91.0 months |
Financial Health Grade: C
In 2023, Decatur Book Festival Inc reported a deficit of $14K with expenses exceeding revenue, holds 91.0 months of operating reserves (strong position).
Financial Trends
Over 13 years of filings (2011–2023), Decatur Book Festival Inc's revenue has declined at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -33.8%.
| Year | Revenue Change | Expense Change | Asset Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | -96.7% | -82.6% | -11.4% |
| 2022 | -34.8% | -14.2% | -47.8% |
| 2021 | -30.4% | -40.9% | +11.7% |
| 2020 | -46.8% | -55.4% | +470.8% |
| 2019 | -40.6% | -39.4% | -28.8% |
IRS Tax-Exempt Classification
| IRS Classification Codes | 2000 |
| IRS Ruling Date | 2007 |
Classification data from ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Additional BMF data may be available after enrichment.
AI Transparency Report
Mission Effectiveness Score
NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Decatur Book Festival Inc with a Mission Score of 70 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: 15%
- programs: 80%
- fundraising: 5%
According to IRS 990 filings, Decatur Book Festival Inc allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 15%, programs: 80%, fundraising: 5%. With 80% directed toward programs, this reflects a strong commitment to its charitable mission.
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
- The organization reported a deficit of $14K, with expenses exceeding revenue.
Executive Compensation Analysis
Executive compensation is consistently reported as 0% across all available filings, indicating that the organization's leadership is either entirely volunteer-based or compensated through non-officer roles, which is highly efficient for a nonprofit of its size.
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 Decatur Book Festival Inc's IRS 990 filings:
- Dramatic decline in revenue from $803,450 in 2018 to $3,836 in 2023, indicating potential instability.
- Unusual negative liabilities reported in 2023 and 2022 filings (e.g., $-4,191 in 2023).
- Expenses ($18,263) significantly exceeded revenue ($3,836) in 2023, leading to a net loss.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for Decatur Book Festival Inc:
- Consistent 0% officer compensation, indicating efficient use of funds for leadership.
- Historically managed large-scale events with revenues exceeding $750,000 annually (2015-2018).
Frequently Asked Questions about Decatur Book Festival Inc
Is Decatur Book Festival Inc a legitimate charity?
Decatur Book Festival Inc (EIN: 208669575) is a registered tax-exempt nonprofit based in Georgia. Our AI analysis gives it a Mission Score of 70/100. It has 13 years of IRS 990 filings on record. Total revenue: $501K. 3 red flags identified. 2 strengths noted. Financial health grade: B.
How does Decatur Book Festival Inc spend its money?
Decatur Book Festival Inc directs 80% of its spending to programs and services. Fundraising costs 5%. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark.
Are donations to Decatur Book Festival Inc tax-deductible?
Decatur Book Festival Inc is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 208669575). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
What percentage of Decatur Book Festival Inc's spending goes to programs?
Decatur Book Festival Inc directs 80% to programs, 5% to fundraising. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark for efficient nonprofits.
How does Decatur Book Festival Inc compare to similar nonprofits?
With a transparency score of 70/100 (Good), Decatur Book Festival Inc is above average for NTEE category B90 nonprofits. The score reflects financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance quality based on IRS 990 data.
Where is Decatur Book Festival Inc located?
Decatur Book Festival Inc is headquartered in Decatur, Georgia and files with the IRS under EIN 208669575. It is classified under NTEE code B90.
How many years of IRS 990 filings does Decatur Book Festival Inc have?
Decatur Book Festival Inc has 13 years of IRS 990 filings on record at NonprofitSpending. This extensive filing history provides a strong basis for evaluating long-term financial trends. The most recent filing shows $501K in total revenue.
Why did Decatur Book Festival Inc.'s revenue drop from $803,450 in 2018 to $3,836 in 2023?
The significant decline in revenue suggests a major change in operations, funding, or the scale of the festival itself. This could be due to external factors like the pandemic, or internal strategic decisions.
What do the negative liabilities reported in 2023 and 2022 mean?
Negative liabilities ($-4,191 in 2023 and $-798 in 2022) are unusual in financial reporting and typically indicate an error or a specific accounting treatment that requires clarification to understand the organization's true financial position.
Is the organization still actively holding events given the low revenue in 2023?
With only $3,836 in revenue and $18,263 in expenses in 2023, it suggests a significantly reduced operational scale, possibly indicating a hiatus, a very small event, or a period of restructuring rather than a full-scale festival.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for Decatur Book Festival Inc showing financial trends over 13 years of public records:
Over 13 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Decatur Book Festival Inc's revenue has declined by 99.3%, moving from $544K to $4K. Total assets increased by 419.3% over the same period, from $27K to $138K. Total functional expenses fell by 96.5%, from $521K to $18K. In its most recent filing year (2023), Decatur Book Festival Inc reported a deficit of $14K, with expenses exceeding revenue.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $4K | $18K | $138K | $-4,191 | — | — |
| 2022 | $115K | $105K | $156K | $-798 | — | — |
| 2021 | $177K | $122K | $300K | $150K | — | View 990 |
| 2020 | $254K | $207K | $268K | $174K | — | View 990 |
| 2019 | $478K | $463K | $47K | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2018 | $803K | $765K | $66K | $33K | — | View 990 |
| 2017 | $794K | $800K | $41K | $47K | — | — |
| 2016 | $758K | $770K | $29K | $29K | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $779K | $781K | $12K | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $653K | $698K | $36K | $21K | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $657K | $631K | $58K | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $600K | $593K | $32K | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2011 | $544K | $521K | $27K | $2K | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2023: Revenue of $4K, expenses of $18K, and assets of $138K (revenue -96.7% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $115K, expenses of $105K, and assets of $156K (revenue -34.8% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $177K, expenses of $122K, and assets of $300K (revenue -30.4% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $254K, expenses of $207K, and assets of $268K (revenue -46.8% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $478K, expenses of $463K, and assets of $47K (revenue -40.6% year-over-year).
- 2018: Revenue of $803K, expenses of $765K, and assets of $66K (revenue +1.2% year-over-year).
- 2017: Revenue of $794K, expenses of $800K, and assets of $41K (revenue +4.7% year-over-year).
- 2016: Revenue of $758K, expenses of $770K, and assets of $29K (revenue -2.7% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $779K, expenses of $781K, and assets of $12K (revenue +19.3% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $653K, expenses of $698K, and assets of $36K (revenue -0.6% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $657K, expenses of $631K, and assets of $58K (revenue +9.5% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $600K, expenses of $593K, and assets of $32K (revenue +10.4% year-over-year).
- 2011: Revenue of $544K, expenses of $521K, and assets of $27K.
View Individual Filing Years
Explore detailed financial data from each IRS 990 filing year for Decatur Book Festival Inc:
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for Decatur Book Festival Inc 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.