Funding Studio

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
931576968
IRS 990-EZ coverage
2025–2025
Forms available
Form 990-EZ 2025, Form 990-N 2024
Location
Tempe, AZ, USA
Rating
69
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Fund Raising and/or Fund Distribution

Reported finances

Revenue
$68,512
Expenses
$30,154
Assets
$69,569
Liabilities
$30,154

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

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Melissa Erickson (Executive Director)

People named in this filing

  • Melissa Erickson (Executive Director)
  • Christopher Erickson (Chairman of the Board of Directors)
  • Renee King (Vice Chairwoman of the Board of Dir)

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

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

Overview

Mission

The Funding Studio is a charitable organization with a mission to support regional artists and innovators fostering community growth.

What it reported doing in 2025

Our social innovation program is dedicated to tackling pressing challenges within the creative sector. By providing comprehensive assistance centered on storytelling and communication we aim to uplift creative professionals. With customized programs and tools we aim to boost the welfare of artists enabling them to excel in their fields.We understand the importance of nurturing a supportive environment that encourages innovation and collaboration. Our ultimate goal is to contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive creative ecosystem that benefits both individuals and society as a whole.

Operating model

Revenue model
Other-operating. 100% of the money available for current operations came from other operating revenue.
Distribution model
Cannot be determined from the filing. The filing does not provide enough consistent spending detail to tell whether the nonprofit works directly or through others.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of total spending goes to programs and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and some filed totals do not add up.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 66
  • Transparency & Controls: 82
  • Sustainability: 71
  • Growth: NotEnoughData

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 44.7%; rating input score 45
  • Program expense ratio: 100%; rating input score 100

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Limited

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 56%; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.31; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.43; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: Limited
  • Revenue growth: Limited
  • Asset growth: Limited

Details

  • Where the money goes: 44.7% of revenue deployed · 100% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: Filed governance answers
  • Accomplishments: 3 filed program accomplishments · $31K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 9 people listed
  • Consistency: 7 of 8 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 2 filed schedules
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • 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.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 45/100.
  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Part III program expenses within total did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 8/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 56/100.