Destination Crenshaw

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
823003629
IRS 990 coverage
2018–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Phone
2134526565
Rating
59
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Cultural, Ethnic Awareness

Reported finances

Revenue
$18,216,538
Expenses
$4,250,250
Assets
$100,116,768
Liabilities
$48,044,754

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

Leadership & pay

6 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JASON FOSTER (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • JASON FOSTER (PRESIDENT): $224,199 total reported compensation
  • HEATHER ELENA HESLUP (DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC ART PROGRAM): $127,820 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Through the development of destination crenshaw project, destination crenshaw is building black global cultural and economic platforms that allow black artists and businesses to thrive and drive investment that supports the black community.these platforms include public art and cultural assets, collaborations with local black businesses, communications strategies that celebrate black art, and more. Acknowledging the challenges that surround infrastructure investments, we are committed to supporting and preserving existing businesses and residents within our power.

What it reported doing in 2024

This community-inspired project will use the iconic crenshaw boulevard as a canvas and anchor for public art and streetscape design. Destination crenshaw will be built for, by, and in honor of the community, and will celebrate the historical and contemporary contributions of black los angeles --the largest black community west of the Mississippi river. Since 2017, the organization has initiated a capital campaign to raise funds needed to execute community outreach, a digital marketing campaign, and the capital projects needed to create the 1.3-mile-long outdoor art and culture experience celebrating black los angeles. The project will commission more than 100 works by black artists who have strong ties to los angeles, creating a pipeline of work and jobs for emerging, seasoned and internationally renowned artists.

Operating model

Revenue model
Grant-funded. 74% of the money available for current operations came from government grants.
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

MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and few specific pay-setting methods are documented in the filing; unanswered boxes are not proof of absence.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 40
  • Transparency & Controls: 65
  • Accountability: 84
  • Sustainability: 81
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 16.4%; rating input score 16
  • Program expense ratio: 70.5%; rating input score 70
  • Fundraising efficiency: $41.68 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 73; 73rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • 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; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • 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: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 76.7%; rating input score 98; 98th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 23.56; rating input score 97; 97th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.48; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 8.3%; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -0.3% per year; rating input score 0; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 29.6% per year; rating input score 100; 96th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 46.6% per year; rating input score 100; 98th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 16.4% of revenue deployed · 70.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 4 of 4 board members independent · 5 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $3M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $224K · 6 people listed · 0 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $190K reported
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2018 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 6 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • 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 — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 16/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Pay-setting controls scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 28/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 30/100.