Participatory Culture Foundation
Participatory Culture Foundation reports a $428,308 deficit in latest fiscal year, continuing a trend of expenses exceeding revenue.
EIN: 202630593 · Boston, MA · NTEE: U41 · Updated: 2026-03-28
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $1.4M |
| Total Expenses | $1.8M |
| Program Spending | 80% |
| CEO/Top Officer Pay | $1 |
| Net Assets | $168K |
| Transparency Score | 70/100 |
Is Participatory Culture Foundation Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
Participatory Culture Foundation directs 80% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About Participatory Culture Foundation
Participatory Culture Foundation (EIN: 202630593) is a nonprofit organization based in Boston, MA, classified under NTEE code U41. The organization reported total revenue of $1.4M and total assets of $887K according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Participatory Culture Foundation's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
Organization Overview
Participatory Culture Foundation is a mid-size nonprofit that has been operating for 20 years, with 12 years of IRS 990 filings on record (2011–2022). Revenue has grown at a compound annual rate of 1.7%.
Key Financial Metrics (2022)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
| Total Revenue | $1.4M |
| Total Expenses | $1.8M |
| Surplus / Deficit | $-428,308 |
| Total Assets | $887K |
| Total Liabilities | $719K |
| Net Assets | $168K |
| Operating Margin | -30.1% |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio | 81.0% |
| Months of Reserves | 5.8 months |
Financial Health Grade: C
In 2022, Participatory Culture Foundation reported a deficit of $428K with expenses exceeding revenue, holds 5.8 months of operating reserves (adequate), has a debt-to-asset ratio of 81.0% (high leverage).
Financial Trends
Over 12 years of filings (2011–2022), Participatory Culture Foundation's revenue has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.7%.
| Year | Revenue Change | Expense Change | Asset Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -17.0% | +3.7% | -37.4% |
| 2021 | -34.3% | -1.3% | -7.1% |
| 2020 | +29.8% | -1.6% | +87.1% |
| 2019 | -15.7% | -15.7% | -35.3% |
| 2018 | -0.2% | +2.0% | +16.8% |
IRS Tax-Exempt Classification
| IRS Classification Codes | 2000 |
| IRS Ruling Date | 2006 |
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 Participatory Culture Foundation 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: 10%
- programs: 80%
- fundraising: 10%
According to IRS 990 filings, Participatory Culture Foundation allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 10%, programs: 80%, fundraising: 10%. With 80% directed toward programs, this reflects a strong commitment to its charitable mission.
Key Financial Metrics (2022)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
- The organization reported a deficit of $428K, with expenses exceeding revenue.
- Debt-to-asset ratio: 81.0%.
Executive Compensation Analysis
The organization consistently reports 0% officer compensation across all available filings, indicating that no salaries or other compensation were paid to officers, which is highly unusual for an organization with over $1 million in annual revenue and suggests a volunteer-led or externally funded leadership structure.
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 Participatory Culture Foundation's IRS 990 filings:
- Consistent operating deficits in recent years (e.g., $428,308 in 202212 and $72,918 in 202112).
- Significant fluctuations in annual revenue, from $2.6M in 2020 to $1.4M in 2022, indicating potential instability in funding sources.
- Historically high liabilities, often exceeding assets in earlier periods, though this trend has improved in the latest filing.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for Participatory Culture Foundation:
- Consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation across all filings, indicating a commitment to minimizing executive overhead.
- Long history of IRS 990 filings (12 periods), demonstrating transparency and regulatory compliance.
- Improved asset-to-liability ratio in the latest filing, with assets ($887,241) now exceeding liabilities ($718,825).
Frequently Asked Questions about Participatory Culture Foundation
Is Participatory Culture Foundation a legitimate charity?
Participatory Culture Foundation (EIN: 202630593) is a registered tax-exempt nonprofit based in Massachusetts. Our AI analysis gives it a Mission Score of 70/100. It has 12 years of IRS 990 filings on record. Total revenue: $1.4M. 3 red flags identified. 3 strengths noted. Financial health grade: C.
How does Participatory Culture Foundation spend its money?
Participatory Culture Foundation directs 80% of its spending to programs and services. Fundraising costs 10%. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark.
Are donations to Participatory Culture Foundation tax-deductible?
Participatory Culture Foundation is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 202630593). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
How much does the Participatory Culture Foundation CEO make?
Participatory Culture Foundation's highest-compensated officer earns $1 annually. The organization reported $1.4M in total revenue. Executive compensation data is disclosed in IRS 990 filings.
What percentage of Participatory Culture Foundation's spending goes to programs?
Participatory Culture Foundation directs 80% to programs, 10% to fundraising. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark for efficient nonprofits.
How does Participatory Culture Foundation compare to similar nonprofits?
With a transparency score of 70/100 (Good), Participatory Culture Foundation is above average for NTEE category U41 nonprofits. The score reflects financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance quality based on IRS 990 data.
Where is Participatory Culture Foundation located?
Participatory Culture Foundation is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and files with the IRS under EIN 202630593. It is classified under NTEE code U41.
How many years of IRS 990 filings does Participatory Culture Foundation have?
Participatory Culture Foundation has 12 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 $1.4M in total revenue.
Is Participatory Culture Foundation a good charity?
While the organization shows a commitment to transparency through consistent 990 filings and reports 0% officer compensation, recent financial deficits (e.g., $428,308 in 202212) and fluctuating asset levels warrant further investigation into their financial stability and program impact before a definitive assessment can be made.
What caused the significant revenue drop from $2.6M in 2020 to $1.4M in 2022?
The provided data does not specify the reasons for the revenue fluctuations. A deeper dive into the full 990 forms would be needed to understand the sources of revenue and why they decreased significantly after 2020.
How does the organization manage its high liabilities, which often exceeded assets in earlier years?
The liabilities have decreased from a high of $1,631,613 in 201612 to $718,825 in 202212, now being less than assets ($887,241). This indicates an improvement in managing its debt burden, though the nature of these liabilities would require reviewing the full 990s.
What are the specific programs Participatory Culture Foundation funds?
The NTEE code U41 (Media & Communications) suggests a focus on media-related programs, but the provided financial data does not detail specific program activities or their associated costs. This information would be found in the full IRS Form 990.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for Participatory Culture Foundation showing financial trends over 12 years of public records:
Over 12 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2022), Participatory Culture Foundation's revenue has grown by 20.5%, moving from $1.2M to $1.4M. Total assets increased by 101.6% over the same period, from $440K to $887K. Total functional expenses rose by 36.6%, from $1.4M to $1.8M. In its most recent filing year (2022), Participatory Culture Foundation reported a deficit of $428K, with expenses exceeding revenue. The organization holds $719K in liabilities against $887K in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 81.0%), resulting in net assets of $168K.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $1.4M | $1.8M | $887K | $719K | — | View 990 |
| 2021 | $1.7M | $1.8M | $1.4M | $822K | — | View 990 |
| 2020 | $2.6M | $1.8M | $1.5M | $857K | — | — |
| 2019 | $2.0M | $1.8M | $816K | $942K | — | View 990 |
| 2018 | $2.4M | $2.2M | $1.3M | $1.6M | — | View 990 |
| 2017 | $2.4M | $2.1M | $1.1M | $1.6M | — | View 990 |
| 2016 | $2.3M | $2.0M | $886K | $1.6M | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $1.5M | $1.4M | $442K | $1.5M | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $976K | $1.1M | $305K | $1.6M | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $940K | $1.3M | $354K | $1.5M | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $944K | $1.8M | $350K | $1.2M | — | View 990 |
| 2011 | $1.2M | $1.4M | $440K | $445K | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2022: Revenue of $1.4M, expenses of $1.8M, and assets of $887K (revenue -17.0% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $1.7M, expenses of $1.8M, and assets of $1.4M (revenue -34.3% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $2.6M, expenses of $1.8M, and assets of $1.5M (revenue +29.8% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $2.0M, expenses of $1.8M, and assets of $816K (revenue -15.7% year-over-year).
- 2018: Revenue of $2.4M, expenses of $2.2M, and assets of $1.3M (revenue -0.2% year-over-year).
- 2017: Revenue of $2.4M, expenses of $2.1M, and assets of $1.1M (revenue +2.1% year-over-year).
- 2016: Revenue of $2.3M, expenses of $2.0M, and assets of $886K (revenue +51.5% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $1.5M, expenses of $1.4M, and assets of $442K (revenue +57.9% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $976K, expenses of $1.1M, and assets of $305K (revenue +3.8% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $940K, expenses of $1.3M, and assets of $354K (revenue -0.4% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $944K, expenses of $1.8M, and assets of $350K (revenue -19.9% year-over-year).
- 2011: Revenue of $1.2M, expenses of $1.4M, and assets of $440K.
View Individual Filing Years
Explore detailed financial data from each IRS 990 filing year for Participatory Culture Foundation:
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for Participatory Culture Foundation 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.