irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2025
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $24KArts Education Outreach: Compass Arts created and delivered multiple theatre, music and art after school programs, which were free to attendees and served roughly 96 students at local schools, all funded by grants provided by related government entities. Compass Arts also maintained an outreach program for a local Head Start organization. Roughly 84 individual classes were provided at the Astor Place Head Start in Beacon, NY. This program included instruction and experiences based in music and visual arts for underserved children and involved Compass Arts teachers providing services offsite at the local institution.
- #2 $1KACommunity Activities: Compass Arts produced several free performances along with semi-weekly free activities at the local farmers' markets and local festival events that integrated artists from the local area with audience participation, craft tables and science-based arts activities.
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Arts Education Outreach
Provides free after-school arts programs in theater, music, photography, ceramics, dance, and improv to students in the Beacon City School District, including at Sargent Elementary, Rombout Middle School, and South Avenue Elementary.
Beacon Rising Choir
Supports a community choir of over 75 members focused on singing for healing and community connection, open to all regardless of experience.
Community Activities Table
Hosts free public art and STEM activities at community events including the Beacon Farmers Market, Spirit of Beacon Day, and Sloop Club Strawberry Festival to engage families and promote creative learning.
Drama Club and Musical Theater
Runs year-long drama clubs at South Avenue Elementary and other schools where students rehearse and perform full musicals such as "Leap Day" and "Space Pirates!" with support from teaching artists and parent volunteers.
Head Start Arts Program
Offers free music and visual arts classes to approximately 65 children ages 2–5 at Astor Head Start, a federally funded early childhood education program for low-income families and children with disabilities.
Teen Hangs and Dungeons & Dragons
Offers informal creative gatherings and tabletop role-playing game sessions for teens, fostering community, storytelling, and social-emotional learning through guided play.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Community Festival & Event Production 2 activities
- Operates Community Activities Table at public eventsHosts a free, recurring Community Activities Table at farmers’ markets, festivals, and community gatherings—including the Beacon Farmers’ Market, Juneteenth Riverfront Festival, Spirit of Beacon, and Back to School Bash—offering facilitated STEM-integrated art activities led by teaching artists for families and youth.
- Produces free community arts events and performancesOrganizes and presents free public arts activities, performances, and events including bi- or tri-annual concerts, Halloween dance parties, spring choir concerts, interactive park performances, and collaborations at regional venues and festivals, serving hundreds of attendees across the Beacon community.
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Arts Education Access Programs 1 activity
- Delivers free after-school arts programs in local schoolsCreates and delivers free theatre, music, and art after-school programs for students in Beacon-area schools, including drama clubs culminating in full-scale musical productions, photography and ceramics clubs, dance and choreography classes, musical theater singing, improv, and Shakespeare performance classes for middle and high school students.
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Inclusive Social & Recreational Events 1 activity
- Hosts teen-focused arts and social programsOffers the Teen Hangs program and related events providing instructional games, arts experiences, and informal social connection opportunities for middle and high school students, with sliding-scale pricing starting at $0 to ensure accessibility; includes special events such as game nights, karaoke, movie nights, and student-run bake-offs.
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Beach and Waterway Cleanup Initiatives 1 activity
- Leads community-building and environmental initiativesOrganizes and leads community engagement efforts such as the annual Riverkeeper cleanup at Long Dock Park, recycling and composting programs at the Sloop Club’s Strawberry Festival, and co-hosted farm events featuring vegetable picking, shared meals, and multi-generational art activities.
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Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
- Offers sliding-scale and free arts classes and workshopsProvides accessible arts-based classes, workshops, and creative experiences for the Beacon and surrounding communities through sliding-scale pricing starting at $0, supported by an assistance fund that allows participants to name their price for on-site programming.
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Early Childhood Music Education 1 activity
- Provides free arts instruction to preschoolers at Head StartProvides weekly music and visual arts classes to approximately 65–80 underserved children aged 2 to 5, including children with disabilities, at Astor Head Start in Beacon, NY, delivered on-site and offsite by Compass Arts teaching artists.
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financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$246K
Contributions & grants$124K50%
Program service revenue$117K48%
Investment income$3K1%
Other revenue$2K
expenses
Total expenses$251K
Program expenses63%
Admin / overhead33%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$142K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$94K
Cash$87K
Investments$0
Liabilities$13K
Net assets$81K
Liquid reserves4.1 mo
4 years on record · 2021–2025 · YoY revenue +0.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gina Samardge | executive director, secretary | 40 | $60K |
board members · 2
- Krista Cone — board chair
- Vicki Vergolina — treasurer
relationships · 32
Who they work with
- Arts Mid-Hudson Funder — Provided funding for the “InterConnected: Arts in the Parks” program.
- Astor Head Start Partner — Collaborates with Compass Arts to deliver weekly music and art classes to preschool children, including those with disabilities, in Beacon, New York.
- Astor Head Start Partner — Hosts ongoing free art and music classes developed in collaboration with teachers and administrators
- Astor Head Start Partner — Partner organization where Compass Arts provides free arts classes.
- Astor Place Head Start Partner — Partner institution where Compass Arts teachers provided offsite music and visual arts instruction to underserved children.
- Be Steadwell Partner — Collaborating artist with whom Beacon Rising Choir has performed.
- Beacon City School District Partner — Collaborates with district principals and administrators to pilot free after-school arts programs
- Beacon City School District Partner — Partner organization where Compass Arts provides free arts classes.
- Beacon Community Kitchen Partner — Beneficiary of fundraising efforts from Beacon Rising Choir's annual concerts prior to Compass Arts' 501(c)(3) status.
- Beacon Prison Rides Partner — Beneficiary of fundraising efforts from Beacon Rising Choir's annual concerts prior to Compass Arts' 501(c)(3) status.
- Beacon Recreation Partner — Co-presented the “InterConnected: Arts in the Parks” program featuring free interactive performances in city parks.
- Bloom Choir Partner — Collaborating choir with which Beacon Rising Choir has performed.
- City of Beacon Government — Provided funding that enabled the organization to implement sliding-scale pricing for teen hang events starting at $0 in 2023.
- Common Ground Farm Partner — Partnered to host arts-based, family-friendly outdoor events including vegetable picking, shared meals, and creative activities.
- Compass Arts Creativity Project Partner — Sustaining partner supporting classes, ensembles, workshops, events, camps, and creative experiences.
- Dutchess Tourism Funder — Provided funding for the “InterConnected: Arts in the Parks” program.
- Fareground Partner — Collaborated on a workshop for teenagers and families to build tiny food pantries.
- Fearless! Partner — Beneficiary of fundraising efforts from Beacon Rising Choir's annual concerts prior to Compass Arts' 501(c)(3) status.
- First Presbyterian Church of Beacon Partner — Hosts Compass Arts programs at its facility
- Flora Good Times Partner — Sponsor of the 2026 Activities Tables program
- For the Many Partner — Beneficiary of fundraising efforts from Beacon Rising Choir's annual concerts prior to Compass Arts' 501(c)(3) status.
- Genesis Inspiration Foundation Funder — Provides funding that supports Compass Arts’ ongoing collaboration with Astor Head Start.
- Jeremy Schonfeld Partner — Collaborating musician with whom Beacon Rising Choir has performed.
- Key of Q Partner — Collaborating ensemble with which Beacon Rising Choir has performed.
- MaMuse Partner — Collaborating musical group with which Beacon Rising Choir has performed.
- Newburgh LGBTQIA+ Center Partner — Beneficiary of fundraising efforts from Beacon Rising Choir's annual concerts prior to Compass Arts' 501(c)(3) status.
- Riverkeeper Partner — Collaborates on the annual clean-up event at Long Dock Park.
- Sloop Club Partner — Partners on recycling and composting efforts at the Strawberry Festival.
- Superintendent Matt Landahl Partner — Provides input and support for implementing Compass Arts programs in local schools
- Tioronda Leaning Center Partner — Sponsor of the 2026 Activities Tables program
+ 2 more
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Creativity as a Foundation for Problem-Solving and Community Resiliencemethodology: creativity-for-problem-solvingBy engaging individuals in creative arts exploration across age levels, the organization fosters independent thinking, problem-solving skills, and critical communication, because creative expression builds cognitive flexibility and interpersonal empathy necessary for resilient communities.
- Equitable Access Through Community-Integrated Deliverymethodology: equitable-access-through-pricingBy delivering free or sliding-scale arts programming in community-based and informal settings like schools, farmers' markets, and early childhood centers, the organization removes structural barriers to participation, because meeting people where they are—geographically, economically, and socially—increases accessibility and long-term family engagement.
- Inclusive, Identity-Affirming Arts Programmingmethodology: identity-affirming_community_spaceBy designing arts education that is neuroinclusive, LGBTQIA+-affirming, and culturally responsive, the organization increases belonging and reduces social anxiety, because safe and affirming environments enable authentic self-expression and deeper engagement across diverse learners.
- Process-Based, Interdisciplinary Arts Pedagogymethodology: process-based_learningBy centering experiential learning through open-ended, inquiry-driven activities that integrate multiple art forms with STEM and social-emotional learning, the organization promotes immersive engagement and school readiness, because process-focused exploration supports socioemotional development and sustained student agency.