Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Summit, NJ | www.artcenternj.org

GuideStar Charity Check

EIN: 22-6046896

Contributions tax deductible
as of November 2023

IRS BMF 509(a)(1)
as of November 13, 2023

View summary

Charity Check report

Mission

The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey nurtures the capacity for personal expression, expands the creative experience, and fosters stronger communities by empowering people to see, make, and learn about art. Through exhibition, Studio School, and community programs, the Art Center engenders connection, curiosity, and creative risk-taking among its constituents.

Ruling year info

1962

Executive Director

Ms. Melanie Cohn

Main address

68 Elm Street

Summit, NJ 07901 USA

Show more contact info

Formerly known as

NEW JERSEY CENTER FOR THE VISUAL ARTS A NEW JERSEY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

EIN

22-6046896

Subject area info

Arts and culture

Arts education

Visual arts

Museums

Population served info

Children and youth

Adults

People with disabilities

NTEE code info

Visual Arts Organizations (A40)

Museum & Museum Activities (A50)

Arts, Cultural Organizations - Multipurpose (A20)

IRS subsection

501(c)(3) Public Charity

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Tax forms

Show Forms 990

Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

The Art Center's vision is to create an inclusive and welcoming community where lives are transformed and enriched through the shared experience of art.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Studio School

Art Classes for ages 4 to senior citizen in painting and drawing, ceramics, photography, digital media, printmaking, jewelry, and fiber.

Population(s) Served

Adults

Museum Exhibition Program

Museum Exhibition program featuring an average of nine exhibitions a year of contemporary art from mid-career and emerging artists.

Population(s) Served

Adults

Education and Outreach Programs

Education and Outreach programs serve elementary, middle school and high schools and social service organizations by offering high quality curriculum-based arts education, studio arts education, and art therapy. The program also offers teacher training and professional development opportunities for school teachers.

Population(s) Served

Children and youth

People with disabilities

Where we work

External reviews

Videos

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of students enrolled

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Studio School

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

Reflect the number of students registered in Studio School. COVID restrictions did impact our numbers in 2020 and 2021. The years measure fiscal year, which for 2021 was July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021.

Number of participants attending course/session/workshop

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Education and Outreach Programs

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

Number of people attending Community Programs including Teacher Symposium and online/virtual programming. This number was impacted by COVID.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Reports and documents

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

What is the organization aiming to accomplish?

The Art Center’s goal is to provide art education programs through exhibition, studio school and community programs. The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey nurtures the capacity for personal expression, expands the creative experience and fosters stronger communities by empowering people to see, make and learn about art. Diversity and inclusivity are at the heart of our vision.

What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?

The Art Center does this through three programs: Studio School, Museum, and Community Outreach & Education.

Studio School: Serves over 4,500 students--pre-school age to older adults--through classes and workshops in drawing, painting, ceramics, photography, digital media, printmaking, sculpture, jewelry design and more

Museum: The museum exhibition program presents artistically and culturally diverse contemporary art exhibitions to over 8,600 visitors annually

Community Outreach & Education:, Serves over 1,000 individuals annually, through educational visual arts experiences available to under-served and economically disadvantaged. These audiences include at-risk youth, the elderly, people with disabilities, children from dual-working parent households, and individuals from low-income households. We serve Union & Essex counties & surrounding areas.

What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?

For 85 years, the Art Center has been dedicated to seeing, making, and learning about contemporary art. We place art at the center of our work and this principle drives our museum practices, studio classes, and public programs. Museum exhibitions include works by artistically and culturally diverse contemporary artists. Through our Studio School we offer 400+ classes and workshops serving 4,500+ children, teens, and adults, as well as a fully-enrolled summer art camp for children and for teens. Our faculty is comprised of well-established artists and educators, many of whom are also faculty members at nearby colleges and universities in NJ and NY. Students are drawn from 13 of NJ’s 21 counties, with a concentration living in Union, Morris, and Essex counties. Community outreach and education programs serve audiences that include at-risk youth, the elderly, people with disabilities, immigrant populations, English-language learners, and individuals from low-income households. Open to the public seven days a week, the Art Center is comprised of a 23,000 square foot, ADA-compliant facility in Summit, NJ, with five galleries, 10 studios (including those dedicated to photography, drawing and painting, jewelry making, sculpture, ceramics, and printmaking), and an outdoor sculpture garden. We are one of only nine museums in NJ to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.

What have they accomplished so far and what's next?

One program that illustrates the Art Center's progress in its goals is with Elizabeth Public Schools, a longstanding partner of VACNJ serving under-resourced students. Elizabeth Public Schools is a Title One District that is 72% Hispanic and 18% Black. Approximately 75% of students qualify for free lunch. Our Arts Alive program with EPS’s Jefferson Arts Academy supports 100 students annually. VACNJ has additional community partners that it regularly works beside; one such program is Empowering Kids Organization (EKO), supporting under-resourced middle-school-age students and English language learners in our neighborhood of Summit, NJ. Approximately 25 bilingual EKO students visit the museum weekly for sessions in the fall and, under the instruction of a bilingual teaching artist, engage in process-oriented activities of viewing and making art that celebrate the experience of discovery rather than the product. Another partner is ECLC Pride, a local nonprofit organization supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Each week, 15 individuals from ECLC visit VACNJ for a museum tour, art instruction, and making individual work.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

We shared information about our current feedback practices.

How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time

Financials

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Fiscal year: Jul 01 - Jun 30

Financial documents

Yes, financials were audited by an independent accountant.

Revenue vs. expenses: breakdown

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

NET GAIN/LOSS: in

Note: When component data are not available, the graph displays the total Revenue and/or Expense values.

Liquidity in 2022

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

2.84

Average of 2.21 over 10 years

Months of cash in 2022

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

13.2

Average of 3.7 over 10 years

Fringe rate in 2022

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

15%

Average of 13% over 10 years

Funding sources

Source: IRS Form 990

Assets & liabilities

Source: IRS Form 990

Financial data

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

Digitizing IRS form 990 data

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Revenue & expenses

Fiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30

SOURCE: IRS Form 990 info

Fiscal year ending: Download Data

Revenue
Contributions	$236,328
Government Grants	$123,928
Program Services	$1,261,351
Investments	$193,000
Special Events	$197,336
Sales	$4,019
Other	$13,340
Total Revenue	$2,029,302

Expenses
Program Services	$1,504,376
Administration	$513,657
Fundraising	$243,621
Total Expenses	$2,261,654
Net Gain/Loss	($232,352)

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$0
Advertising & Promotion	$0
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$0
Interest Expenses	$61,322
Investment Management Fees	$0
Legal Fees	$0
Pension Plan Contributions	$0
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$325,510
Government Grants	$119,442
Program Services	$1,149,814
Investments	$23,285
Special Events	$201,446
Sales	$949
Other	$7,520
Total Revenue	$1,827,966

Expenses
Program Services	$1,314,297
Administration	$468,343
Fundraising	$170,821
Total Expenses	$1,953,461
Net Gain/Loss	($125,495)

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$0
Advertising & Promotion	$0
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$0
Interest Expenses	$51,495
Investment Management Fees	$0
Legal Fees	$0
Pension Plan Contributions	$0
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$333,860
Government Grants	$149,278
Program Services	$1,316,037
Investments	$136,527
Special Events	$221,334
Sales	$1,658
Other	$6,223
Total Revenue	$2,164,917

Expenses
Program Services	$1,555,879
Administration	$491,015
Fundraising	$179,079
Total Expenses	$2,225,973
Net Gain/Loss	($61,056)

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$0
Advertising & Promotion	$95,944
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$0
Interest Expenses	$54,122
Investment Management Fees	$0
Legal Fees	$2,548
Pension Plan Contributions	$0
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$961,768
Government Grants	$94,429
Program Services	$1,375,243
Investments	$63,973
Special Events	$168,578
Sales	$2,014
Other	$9,107
Total Revenue	$2,675,112

Expenses
Program Services	$1,653,501
Administration	$473,321
Fundraising	$135,576
Total Expenses	$2,262,398
Net Gain/Loss	$412,714

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$0
Advertising & Promotion	$610
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$0
Interest Expenses	$51,873
Investment Management Fees	$0
Legal Fees	$0
Pension Plan Contributions	$0
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$245,542
Government Grants	$94,429
Program Services	$1,482,526
Investments	$289,279
Special Events	$201,385
Sales	$2,721
Other	$1,685
Total Revenue	$2,317,567

Expenses
Program Services	$1,666,015
Administration	$503,282
Fundraising	$146,025
Total Expenses	$2,315,322
Net Gain/Loss	$2,245

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$0
Advertising & Promotion	$0
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$0
Interest Expenses	$47,188
Investment Management Fees	$0
Legal Fees	$0
Pension Plan Contributions	$0
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$282,810
Government Grants	$130,342
Program Services	$1,577,469
Investments	$337,634
Special Events	$128,284
Sales	$3,733
Other	$240
Total Revenue	$2,460,512

Expenses
Program Services	$1,696,559
Administration	$572,392
Fundraising	$135,908
Total Expenses	$2,404,859
Net Gain/Loss	$55,653

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$0
Advertising & Promotion	$0
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$0
Interest Expenses	$37,446
Investment Management Fees	$0
Legal Fees	$0
Pension Plan Contributions	$0
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$332,331
Government Grants	$101,342
Program Services	$1,584,764
Investments	$278,607
Special Events	$103,195
Sales	($580)
Other	$995
Total Revenue	$2,400,654

Expenses
Program Services	$1,833,472
Administration	$338,743
Fundraising	$318,181
Total Expenses	$2,490,396
Net Gain/Loss	($89,742)

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$0
Advertising & Promotion	$14,164
Information Technology Expenses	$27,506
Insurance Expenses	$37,439
Interest Expenses	$35,987
Investment Management Fees	$0
Legal Fees	$0
Pension Plan Contributions	$20,168
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$657,827
Government Grants	$125,842
Program Services	$1,560,623
Investments	$137,491
Special Events	$0
Sales	$0
Other	$12,850
Total Revenue	$2,494,633

Expenses
Program Services	$1,747,943
Administration	$565,239
Fundraising	$299,256
Total Expenses	$2,612,438
Net Gain/Loss	($117,805)

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$73,264
Advertising & Promotion	$26,231
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$36,008
Interest Expenses	$34,173
Investment Management Fees	$0
Legal Fees	$0
Pension Plan Contributions	$12,688
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$492,814
Government Grants	$135,342
Program Services	$1,562,405
Investments	$115,506
Special Events	$0
Sales	$0
Other	$9,579
Total Revenue	$2,315,646

Expenses
Program Services	$1,749,965
Administration	$513,973
Fundraising	$256,206
Total Expenses	$2,520,144
Net Gain/Loss	($204,498)

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$84,240
Advertising & Promotion	$29,203
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$33,598
Interest Expenses	$32,591
Investment Management Fees	$0
Legal Fees	$2,786
Pension Plan Contributions	$110,373
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$725,394
Government Grants	$104,143
Program Services	$1,373,284
Investments	$308,739
Special Events	$0
Sales	$0
Other	$435
Total Revenue	$2,511,995

Expenses
Program Services	$1,664,793
Administration	$515,238
Fundraising	$243,988
Total Expenses	$2,424,019
Net Gain/Loss	$87,976

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$58,437
Advertising & Promotion	$29,362
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$43,989
Interest Expenses	$29,871
Investment Management Fees	$25,805
Legal Fees	$821
Pension Plan Contributions	$93,783
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$644,923
Government Grants	$123,342
Program Services	$1,471,142
Investments	$138,328
Special Events	$0
Sales	$0
Other	$3,201
Total Revenue	$2,380,936

Expenses
Program Services	$1,591,284
Administration	$586,033
Fundraising	$238,413
Total Expenses	$2,415,730
Net Gain/Loss	($34,794)

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$17,650
Advertising & Promotion	$32,365
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$37,947
Interest Expenses	$31,438
Investment Management Fees	$20,760
Legal Fees	$2,144
Pension Plan Contributions	$16,412
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$950,116
Government Grants	$149,342
Program Services	$1,206,067
Investments	$135,943
Special Events	$0
Sales	$0
Other	$2,756
Total Revenue	$2,444,224

Expenses
Program Services	$1,515,796
Administration	$610,598
Fundraising	$198,741
Total Expenses	$2,325,135
Net Gain/Loss	$119,089

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$18,521
Advertising & Promotion	$36,430
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$35,952
Interest Expenses	$29,639
Investment Management Fees	$21,026
Legal Fees	$0
Pension Plan Contributions	$34,014
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$1,490,052
Government Grants	$277,172
Program Services	$1,245,055
Investments	$222,318
Special Events	$0
Sales	$0
Other	$2,754
Total Revenue	$3,237,351

Expenses
Program Services	$1,719,126
Administration	$526,574
Fundraising	$192,748
Total Expenses	$2,438,448
Net Gain/Loss	$798,903

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$0
Advertising & Promotion	$42,953
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$42,996
Interest Expenses	$33,324
Investment Management Fees	$22,955
Legal Fees	$0
Pension Plan Contributions	$24,004
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$741,115
Government Grants	$971,806
Program Services	$1,642,143
Investments	$174,794
Special Events	$0
Sales	$0
Other	$12,216
Total Revenue	$3,542,074

Expenses
Program Services	$1,867,619
Administration	$595,366
Fundraising	$233,241
Total Expenses	$2,696,226
Net Gain/Loss	$845,848

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$0
Advertising & Promotion	$24,043
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$44,462
Interest Expenses	$50,081
Investment Management Fees	$26,716
Legal Fees	$0
Pension Plan Contributions	$20,849
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Balance sheet

Fiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30

SOURCE: IRS Form 990 info

The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.

Fiscal year ending: Download Data

Assets	Aug 01, 2008	Jul 31, 2009	Change
Contributions	$236,328
Cash & Equivalents	$319,741	$304,887	($14,854)
Accounts Receivable	$0	$0	$0
Pledges & Grants Receivable	$365,343	$273,298	($92,045)
Receivable, Other	$0	$0	$0
Inventories for Sale or Use	$545	$1,187	$642
Investment, Securities	$1,398,813	$1,625,766	$226,953
Investment, Other	$0	$0	$0
Fixed Assets (LBE - Depreciation)	$6,129,068	$5,645,528	($483,540)
Other	$35,475	$25,860	($9,615)
Total Assets	$8,248,985	$7,876,526	($372,459)

Liabilities	Aug 01, 2008	Jul 31, 2009	Change
Accounts Payable	$90,684	$118,554	$27,870
Grants Payable	$0	$0	$0
Deferred Revenue	$192,328	$237,384	$45,056
Loans and Notes	$1,252,916	$1,123,529	($129,387)
Tax-Exempt Bond Liabilities	$0	$0	$0
Other	$3,635	$0	($3,635)
Total Liabilities	$1,539,563	$1,479,467	($60,096)

Fund balance	Aug 01, 2008	Jul 31, 2009	Change
Temporarily Restricted Net Assets	$675,694	$1,113,987	$438,293
Permanently Restricted Net Assets	$1,503,863	$1,183,098	-$320,765
Total Restricted Net Assets	$2,179,557	$2,297,085	$117,528
Unrestricted Net Assets	$4,529,865	$4,099,974	($429,891)
Net Assets	$6,709,422	$6,397,059	($312,363)

Assets	Aug 01, 2009	Jun 30, 2010	Change
Contributions	$325,510
Cash & Equivalents	$304,887	$354,833	$49,946
Accounts Receivable	$0	$0	$0
Pledges & Grants Receivable	$273,298	$251,073	($22,225)
Receivable, Other	$0	$0	$0
Inventories for Sale or Use	$1,187	$979	($208)
Investment, Securities	$1,625,766	$1,708,473	$82,707
Investment, Other	$0	$0	$0
Fixed Assets (LBE - Depreciation)	$5,645,528	$5,526,951	($118,577)
Other	$25,860	$26,732	$872
Total Assets	$7,876,526	$7,869,041	($7,485)

Liabilities	Aug 01, 2009	Jun 30, 2010	Change
Accounts Payable	$118,554	$102,299	($16,255)
Grants Payable	$0	$0	$0
Deferred Revenue	$237,384	$326,134	$88,750
Loans and Notes	$1,123,529	$1,080,898	($42,631)
Tax-Exempt Bond Liabilities	$0	$0	$0
Other	$0	$0	$0
Total Liabilities	$1,479,467	$1,509,331	$29,864

Fund balance	Aug 01, 2009	Jun 30, 2010	Change
Temporarily Restricted Net Assets	$1,113,987	$1,039,340	-$74,647
Permanently Restricted Net Assets	$1,183,098	$1,217,922	$34,824
Total Restricted Net Assets	$2,297,085	$2,257,262	($39,823)
Unrestricted Net Assets	$4,099,974	$4,102,448	$2,474
Net Assets	$6,397,059	$6,359,710	($37,349)

Assets	Jul 01, 2010	Jun 30, 2011	Change
Contributions	$333,860
Cash & Equivalents	$354,833	$480,796	$125,963
Accounts Receivable	$0	$0	$0
Pledges & Grants Receivable	$251,073	$200,052	($51,021)
Receivable, Other	$0	$0	$0
Inventories for Sale or Use	$979	$1,279	$300
Investment, Securities	$1,708,473	$1,905,214	$196,741
Investment, Other	$0	$0	$0
Fixed Assets (LBE - Depreciation)	$5,526,951	$5,371,830	($155,121)
Other	$26,732	$24,670	($2,062)
Total Assets	$7,869,041	$7,983,841	$114,800

Liabilities	Jul 01, 2010	Jun 30, 2011	Change
Accounts Payable	$102,299	$86,420	($15,879)
Grants Payable	$0	$0	$0
Deferred Revenue	$326,134	$335,034	$8,900
Loans and Notes	$1,080,898	$1,034,002	($46,896)
Tax-Exempt Bond Liabilities	$0	$0	$0
Other	$0	$0	$0
Total Liabilities	$1,509,331	$1,455,456	($53,875)

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Financial trends analysis Glossary & formula definitions

Fiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30

SOURCE: IRS Form 990 info

This snapshot of Visual Arts Center of New Jersey’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.

Created in partnership with

Fiscal year: Jul 01 - Jun 30 View full report Download data

Business model indicators

Profitability	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation	$56,847	$190,350	$38,922	$373,122	$1,182,159
As % of expenses	2.5%	8.6%	1.8%	16.7%	47.2%
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation	-$130,445	$891	-$155,448	$173,975	$989,181
As % of expenses	-5.4%	0.0%	-6.7%	7.1%	36.7%

Revenue composition
Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted)	$2,511,995	$2,380,936	$2,444,224	$3,237,351	$3,542,074
Total revenue, % change over prior year	8.5%	-5.2%	2.7%	32.4%	9.4%
Program services revenue	54.7%	61.8%	49.3%	38.5%	46.4%
Membership dues	2.1%	1.9%	1.5%	1.4%	1.7%
Investment income	3.6%	3.6%	4.3%	3.3%	2.6%
Government grants	4.1%	5.2%	6.1%	8.6%	27.4%
All other grants and contributions	26.8%	25.1%	37.4%	44.7%	19.2%
Other revenue	8.7%	2.3%	1.4%	3.7%	2.6%

Expense composition
Total expenses before depreciation	$2,236,727	$2,226,271	$2,130,765	$2,239,301	$2,503,248
Total expenses, % change over prior year	-3.9%	-0.5%	-4.3%	5.1%	11.8%
Personnel	67.6%	69.8%	70.0%	70.8%	67.6%
Professional fees	5.4%	5.8%	6.2%	5.7%	6.8%
Occupancy	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Interest	1.3%	1.4%	1.4%	1.5%	2.0%
Pass-through	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
All other expenses	25.6%	23.1%	22.4%	22.0%	23.6%

Full cost components (estimated)	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Total expenses (after depreciation)	$2,424,019	$2,415,730	$2,325,135	$2,438,448	$2,696,226
One month of savings	$186,394	$185,523	$177,564	$186,608	$208,604
Debt principal payment	$43,554	$109,450	$0	$0	$658,305
Fixed asset additions	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
Total full costs (estimated)	$2,653,967	$2,710,703	$2,502,699	$2,625,056	$3,563,135

Capital structure indicators

Liquidity	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Months of cash	0.8	1.2	3.1	10.4	13.2
Months of cash and investments	17.6	18.2	21.8	32.6	30.2
Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets	-2.4	-1.8	-1.7	3.5	8.6

Balance sheet composition	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Cash	$154,891	$222,464	$554,738	$1,941,523	$2,748,160
Investments	$3,130,937	$3,158,339	$3,312,276	$4,147,274	$3,548,821
Receivables	$239,196	$116,947	$172,320	$599,510	$330,268
Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE)	$6,788,758	$6,821,682	$6,923,695	$6,954,094	$6,972,353
Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE)	37.4%	40.0%	42.2%	44.9%	47.6%
Liabilities (as a % of assets)	16.7%	14.9%	19.7%	24.3%	19.2%
Unrestricted net assets	$3,125,692	$3,133,203	$2,977,755	$3,151,730	$4,140,911
Temporarily restricted net assets	$880,590	$202,377	N/A	N/A	N/A
Permanently restricted net assets	$2,487,041	$3,158,339	N/A	N/A	N/A
Total restricted net assets	$3,367,631	$3,360,716	$3,493,162	$4,848,198	$4,306,193
Total net assets	$6,493,323	$6,493,919	$6,470,917	$7,999,928	$8,447,104

Key data checks

Key data checks	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Material data errors	No	No	No	No	No

Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

Documents

Letter of Determination is not available for this organization

Form 1023/1024 is not available for this organization

Executive Director

Ms. Melanie Cohn

LinkedIn profile

Ms. Cohn reports to the Board of Trustees and is responsible for the organizational leadership, vision, and overall operations of the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey. During her tenure, she established the Visual Art Center's art therapy program for veterans in partnership with NJ Veterans Affairs, and the Visual Art Center's visual arts learning program for English language learners in partnership with the Elizabeth NJ School District. She led the organization in receiving several National Endowment of the Arts and Institute of Museum and Library Services grants. Previously, she led Staten Island Arts as Executive Director, deepening its programs in education and folk art. She also spent seven years at the New Museum of Contemporary Art. She has served on the Advisory Committee for the Urban Art Program for the NYC DOT, and on art panels for the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NJ State Council on the Arts, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Number of employees

Source: IRS Form 990

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Officers, directors, trustees, and key employees

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

Compensation

Other

Show data for fiscal year

Compensation data

Download up to 5 most recent years of officer and director compensation data for this organization

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Highest paid employees

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

Compensation

Other

Show data for fiscal year

Compensation data

Download up to 5 most recent years of highest paid employee data for this organization

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Board of directors
as of 08/23/2023

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Board of directors data

Download the most recent year of board of directors data for this organization

Board chair

Anne Grissinger

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 7/19/2022

Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity

White/Caucasian/European

Gender identity

Female, Not transgender (cisgender)

Sexual orientation

Gay, lesbian, bisexual, or other sexual orientations in the LGBTQIA+ community

Disability status

Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data

Equity strategies

Last updated: 08/23/2023

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data

We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.

Policies and processes

We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Mission

Is this your nonprofit?

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

Our programs

Studio School

Museum Exhibition Program

Education and Outreach Programs

Where we work

Our results

Evaluation documents

Number of students enrolled

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Number of participants attending course/session/workshop

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Goals & Strategy

Reports and documents

Charting impact

What is the organization aiming to accomplish?

What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?

What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?

What have they accomplished so far and what's next?

How we listen

Financials

Financial documents

Revenue vs. expenses: breakdown

Liquidity in 2022 info

2.84

Months of cash in 2022 info

13.2

Fringe rate in 2022 info

15%

Funding sources info

Assets & liabilities info

Financial data

Digitizing IRS form 990 data

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Business model indicators

Capital structure indicators

Key data checks

Operations

Documents

Executive Director

Ms. Melanie Cohn

Number of employees

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Compensation data

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Compensation data

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Board of directors data

Anne Grissinger

Board leadership practices

Board orientation and education

CEO oversight

Ethics and transparency

Board composition

Board performance

Organizational demographics

Leadership

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

Sexual orientation

Disability

Equity strategies

Liquidity in 2022

Months of cash in 2022

Fringe rate in 2022

Funding sources

Assets & liabilities