National Black Arts Festival Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

For the year ended December 31, 2024, the National Black Arts Festival, Inc. operated the following programs: i)NEXTGEN Youth Programming: Neighborhood schools face limited resources for high-quality arts education, and as a result, students in underserved school districts lack access to the benefits that the arts provide social and emotional learning, leadership development, and creative thinking. To overcome this challenge, NBAF offers free in-school arts programs, of which NEXTGEN Artist is one. The NEXTGEN Artist Program curates educational workshops in the following Atlanta area schools: Luther J. Price Middle SchoolSylvan Hill Middle SchoolDrew Charter Junior/Senior AcademyMaynard H. Jackson High SchoolCarver STEAM Academy High School(ii)Move/Dance: Move/Dance! nurtures the talent and aspirations of middle school dance students while supporting the teachers, parents, and guardians who stand beside them. Designed to bring high-quality dance-based arts education into Atlantas middle schools, the program merges creativity with community wellness.Through movement, students build confidence, discipline and joy while also addressing critical health issues such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity that disproportionately affect NBAFs communities. More than a dance class, Move/Dance! is an arts intervention that promotes healthier lifestyles through the power of rhythm and movement. (iii)Move/Dance! & Spelman College Department of Dance and Choreography: NBAFs Art of Teaching Dance introduces Spelman College students to the profession of dance education. In partnership with NBAFs Atlanta Public Schools partners, this extension of the Move/Dance program provides Spelman College students exposure to dance pedagogy and mentorship from dance education professionals, better preparing them for careers in dance.(iv)NBAF Summer Dance Intensive: NBAF offered a week during the summer of transformative dance classes from ages 12 to 16 in Ballet, Jazz, Modern, and Contemporary, culminating in a spectacular performance on Saturday. The program is free for youth dancers.(v)Artist Project Fund (APF): Artists need funding to sustain themselves and their careers to meet the moment, and to help reshape arts infrastructure and systems that have been equitable or sustainable. NBAF desires to ensure that there are solutions in place as we help ensure equity in resources for the Black community and create a brighter future through the power of Black Art. The Artist Project Fund (APF) is a $2,000 award and artistic development program for Metro Atlanta artists seeking funds to complete on ongoing project. It supports 20 professional artists over a 6-month period in the completion of an artistic project, fostering a sense of community and creative collaboration, and providing immersive artistic and career development experiences to help each participant grow as creative entrepreneurs. APF was an initiative created in 2020 to serve as a COVID relief fund and has since evolved to nurture talent on a longer trajectory by supporting growth and development of artists with financial and business support services. Through a series of workshops, panels, field trips and arts engagement, artists are given tools and resources to be successful in the marketplace and ensure that their projects thrive.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 96.7%; rating input score 97
• Program expense ratio: 75%; rating input score 75
• Fundraising efficiency: $7.22 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 94.1%; rating input score 94; 25th 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th 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: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Fail
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -28.9%; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.37; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.05; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 11.9%; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -0.5% per year; rating input score 0; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -7.9% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 9% per year; rating input score 100; 55th percentile among comparable filings