Union Project

What it reported doing in 2024

Ceramics studioup's ceramics studio aims to provide access to anyone who wants to learn to make ceramics. The studio offers a variety of entry points to grow artistic skills through year-round programming including studio membership for emerging and professional artists and open studios (drop-in time with light instruction provided for all skills levels). Up runs two studios (a main studio and a throwing lab) as well as a state-of-the-art outdoor kiln shelter. The facility includes seven kilns (a gas reduction kiln, a soda kiln, a raku kiln, and four electric kilns), 20 ceramic wheels, a clay and glaze mixing facility and a variety of studio equipment. Up offers services to studio members who seek to make art their career including ceramic businesses, designers, sculptors, and/or teaching artists. Artist services include studio access and storage space, training on how to mix glazes and fire kilns, exhibition and sales opportunities, as well as training and paid opportunities for teaching. Up staff work with each individual member to set artistic goals and a plan of action to reach those goals. Up also supports and hosts visiting artists who have an established practice and a proven track record of high-quality artwork, to make new work and share techniques with our studio members and ceramics community at large.additionally, up hosts a collaborative studio for artists of color, which offers opportunities to work together in a safe space, with sliding scale studio membership fees and event entry fees to ensure those who come from low-income households can participate.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 92.1%; rating input score 92
• Program expense ratio: 72.1%; rating input score 72
• Fundraising efficiency: $6.97 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd 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; 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: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -27%; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.95; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.12; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 11%; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 4.8% per year; rating input score 100; 41st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 3.8% per year; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 7.6% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings