Creative City Project Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
471158982
IRS 990 coverage
2017–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2016, Form 990-N 2014
Location
Orlando, FL, USA
Phone
4073949340
Rating
92
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Standard
Sector
Arts, Cultural Organizations - Multipurpose

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$2,430,009
Expenses
$2,901,126
Assets
$781,584
Liabilities
$1,014,880

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

10 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • MELYSSA MARSHALL (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER): $96,000 total reported compensation
  • CHRIS KEOUGH (DIRECTOR, SECRETARY): $62,630 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Creative city project, inc.'s mission is to cultivate a thriving arts community in central Florida, nuture a deeper sense of ownership of and care among its residents, and shape global perception of central Florida as one known for innovation and creativity.

What it reported doing in 2025

Creative city project produced and presented a full season of arts and cultural programming designed to provide accessible opportunities for the public to experience and engage with the arts. During 2025, the organization presented anthology, a literary performance w jazz band; dto live, a public art activation experience in downtown orlando; dazzling nights, a holiday lighting and art experience; and the return of immerse fest, a large-scale arts and cultural festival featuring immersive performances, visual arts, music, and interactive experiences. In addition, creative city project produced "this week in art," a weekly community arts segment highlighting opportunities for residents and visitors to participate in artistic and cultural activities throughout the orlando area.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 74% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
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.

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 total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 94
  • Transparency & Controls: 100
  • Accountability: 94
  • Sustainability: 11
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 91.1%; rating input score 91
  • Fundraising efficiency: $34.34 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd 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: 88.9%; rating input score 89; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -19.4%; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.27; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 1.3; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 5.5%; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 20.3% per year; rating input score 100; 84th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 19.8% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 24.3% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 91.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 8 of 9 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2.6M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $96K · 10 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 3 contractors listed · $1.4M reported
  • Consistency: 27 of 27 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 9 filing years from 2017 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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.

  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 5/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 8/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 1/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 53/100.