Celebrate Frederick Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
522131513
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Frederick, MD, USA
Phone
3016002841
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Arts, Cultural Organizations - Multipurpose

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$369,408
Expenses
$311,064
Assets
$619,344
Liabilities
$9,403

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

22 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JENNIFER MARTIN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

People named in this filing

  • AMY KOCH (PRES. THROUGH 12/24, PAST PRES. THEREAFTER)
  • CATHERINE GOETZ (VP THROUGH 12/24, PRES. THERAFTER)
  • CLARK SNOW (TREASURER THROUGH 12/24, VP THEREAFTER)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To plan and implement special events and activities to offer the community a shared cultural experience.

What it reported doing in 2024

Garden tour - for the past twenty years, hundreds of garden enthusiasts have descended upon downtown frederick for the chance to explore the elegant, whimsical and inventive gardens nestled behind the gates of private frederick homes each spring. A favorite of residents and vistors alike, the tour has raised thousands of dollars for local garden clubs and multiple beautification projects around frederick. In addition to the stunning landscapes, visitors are also treated to live musicians and plein air artists in many of the gardens, as well as a charming hospitality center where guests are invited to refresh themselves during the tour. The beyond the garden gates tour attracts a primarily female middle to upper class audience 35 and over. Geographically, the tour draws an audience from the local city and county, as well as the region including Washington d.c., northern Virginia, Washington county, montgomery county, carroll county and southern Pennsylvania. Average tour attendance - 1,000

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.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and program spending has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 75
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 82
  • Sustainability: 63
  • Growth: 20

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 79.1%; rating input score 79
  • Program expense ratio: 92.8%; rating input score 93
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 4 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 57
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 15.8%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.99; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -3.1% per year; rating input score 0; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -1.6% per year; rating input score 0; 18th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 0.8% per year; rating input score 100; 28th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 79.1% of revenue deployed · 92.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 21 of 21 board members independent · 4 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 7 filed program accomplishments · $289K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 22 people listed
  • Consistency: 15 of 15 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • 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.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 59/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 42/100.