Waterville Creates

Overview

Mission

Arts experiences for all.

What it reported doing in 2024

To enhance the creative and artistic vitality of our community through outstanding arts education and exhibitions and collaborative events and programs. Ticonic gallery + studios includes a versatile exhibition space that presents 4-5 shows per year, a dedicated clay studio that offers a range of classes as well as an open membership program, and a classroom that hosts year-round arts education programs for youth and adults. In 2024, ticonic gallery presented five exhibitions: 45,000 quilt project; youth art month; together: hearing, holding, healing; at play: works by tom jessen; and the holiday bazaar.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
010505433
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Waterville, ME, USA
Phone
2078737000
Rating
81
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Arts, Cultural Organizations - Multipurpose

Official website

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 82
  • Transparency & Controls: 79
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 25
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 90.3%; rating input score 90
  • Program expense ratio: 78%; rating input score 78
  • Fundraising efficiency: $16.65 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 90.9%; rating input score 91; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -12.7%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.05; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.34; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 6.8%; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 18% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 18.5% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 16.7% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 90.3% of revenue deployed · 78% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 11 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $3.9M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $209K · 12 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $300K reported
  • Consistency: 31 of 31 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 13 annual filings from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Leadership & pay

12 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • SHANNON HAINES (PRESIDENT &): $209,461 total reported compensation
  • PATRICIA KING (VICE PRESIDE): $122,168 total reported compensation
  • DEBRA SUSI (DIRECTOR): $6,500 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.