East Side Arts Council

What it reported doing in 2025

When you give people the opportunity to express themselves, it creates a sense of connection and belonging. We believe that when communities know and understand each other, we all benefit. Half of saint paul's population lives on the east side, which boasts a variety of cultures. Coming from different backgrounds can sometimes present challenges, but we believe diversity is our community's greatest strength.east side arts council uses art to bridge cultural gaps and strengthen communities through a wide range of visual and performing arts opportunities that reflect our multicultural populations. Our programs and partnerships allow the diverse population of the east side to share and celebrate culture, offering a sense of belonging and purpose. We exist to address shortcomings on the east side, from a lack of funding for art programs in schools to the isolation some seniors experience in retirement communities.east side arts council uses art to bridge cultural gaps and strengthen communities through a wide range of visual and performing arts opportunities that reflect our multicultural populations. Our programs and partnerships allow the diverse population of the east side to share and celebrate culture, offering a sense of belonging and purpose. We exist to address shortcomings on the east side, from a lack of funding for art programs in schools to the isolation some seniors experience in retirement communities. Our youth programs included artmobile which brought free arts classes to twelve community sites in the summer of 2025. Our teaching artists taught after school classes in visual and performing arts through our partnership with 10 saint paul public schools. During school artist residencies also occurred at 4 inner city schools on the east side. We also provided artists to teach free weekly youth arts classes at 10 sites through our partnership with saint paul parks and recreation for summer blast. We reached 8,438 youth with these programs.creative connections for seniors 62+ is our program that brings free and accessible art to community spaces on the east side for senior citizens. In 2024, this included artist-taught classes in visual arts, poetry and storytelling which took place at arlington hills community center, cambric senior apartments, and labor plaza. Our urban design program partners with artists to bring public art and creative placemaking to the east side which included an art bench addition to our triangle park in railroad island in 2025. Saint paul port authority also partnered with us to create public art for the outside of the new police training center

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 88.3%; rating input score 88
• Program expense ratio: 83.3%; rating input score 83
• Fundraising efficiency: $14.68 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings

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; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 25
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Fail
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -6%; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.3; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 18.3%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -3.1% per year; rating input score 0; 20th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -3% per year; rating input score 0; 12th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 3.6% per year; rating input score 100; 38th percentile among comparable filings