Marian and Edward Macdowell Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
131592242
IRS 990 coverage
2018–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Peterborough, NH, USA
Phone
6039243886
Rating
81
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$8,435,124
Expenses
$7,206,321
Assets
$51,008,748
Liabilities
$2,638,389

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

Leadership & pay

62 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • CHIWONISO KAITANO (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR /ASST SECRETARY)
  • CHRISTINE FISCHER (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • CHIWONISO KAITANO (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR /ASST SECRETARY): $283,745 total reported compensation
  • DAVID MACY (RESIDENT DIRECTOR/ASST SECRETARY): $236,717 total reported compensation
  • JERICHO PARMS (CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER): $164,190 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Macdowell's mission is to nurture the arts by offering talented individuals an inspiring residential environment in which to produce enduring works of the imagination. Macdowell welcomes artists engaging in the broadest spectrum of artistic practice and those (see sch. O)investigating an unlimited array of creative inquiries and concerns. Macdowell applies the same egalitarian standards for all those who serve the organization in a staff, volunteer, or representative capacity. Macdowell grants fellowships to as many as 300 artists per year, offering room, board, and exclusive use of a studio for stays up to six weeks. Amidst the company of a diverse community of peers, macdowell fellows' productivity benefits from these weeks freed from distraction together with the opportunity to exchange creative ideas and connections in a convivial setting.

What it reported doing in 2024

Application is open to all artists not currently matriculated as students. The sole criterion for acceptance is the artistic excellence apparent in a work sample submitted in the application and evaluated by peer panel review. Macdowell defines artistic excellence in a pluralistic and inclusive way, encouraging applications from the widest possible range of perspectives, career stages, and demographics. While in residence, artists receive room, board, and exclusive use of a studio for up to six weeks. All artists are eligible for reimbursement of travel costs associated with getting to and from macdowell. Financial assistance and stipends of up to $2,500 are awarded based on financial need. In 2024 a total of 80 artists received financial aid stipends totaling $233,279. (see sch o).education and community benefit programs, publication, presentations and other activities have allowed macdowell to increase understanding and appreciation of the arts for an inclusive public audience.founded in 1907, macdowell was awarded the national medal of arts in 1997 for "nurturing & inspiring many of the century's finest artists".

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 66% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 94% 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

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of total spending goes to programs and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 70
  • Transparency & Controls: 83
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 69
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 90%; rating input score 90
  • Program expense ratio: 56.4%; rating input score 56
  • Fundraising efficiency: $3.37 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • 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: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • 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: 14.6%; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 7.08; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.05; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 15.2%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5% per year; rating input score 100; 39th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 8% per year; rating input score 100; 60th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 1.1% per year; rating input score 100; 16th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 90% of revenue deployed · 56.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 52 of 52 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $4.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $284K · 62 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $269K reported
  • Consistency: 38 of 38 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 9 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 5 filing years from 2018 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 13 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

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

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 56/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 10/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 18/100.