Form 990 for tax year 2023

Totals

Total revenue

$1,838,303

Total expenses

$2,122,165

Contributions and grants received

$1,716,448

Grants paid

$974,876

Program service revenue

$25,523

Investment income

$96,332

Other revenue

$0

Total assets, end of year

$3,853,657

Total liabilities, end of year

$30,978

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$3,822,679

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$1,612,439

Management and general expenses

$321,776

Fundraising expenses

$187,950

Program service expenses (Part III)

$1,612,439

Program services were 76.0% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2023

• EDUCATION & TRAINING "GET READY" GRANTS - CERF+ SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED ITS EIGHTH YEAR OF THE "GET READY" GRANT PROGRAM, EMPOWERING CRAFT ARTISTS TO SAFEGUARD THEIR STUDIOS, PROTECT THEIR PRACTICES, AND PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES. IN APRIL 2024, THE GET READY GRANT AMOUNT WAS INCREASED FROM 500 TO 1,000, ENABLING ARTISTS TO ENHANCE THEIR ABILITY TO PROTECT THEIR PRACTICE. IN FISCAL YEAR 2024, CERF+ DISTRIBUTED A RECORD AMOUNT IN GET READY GRANTS THIS YEAR, TOTALING 118,376 TO 155 ARTISTS ACROSS 29 STATES AND 1 U.S. TERRITORY. PUERTO RICO ACCOUNTED FOR THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF ARTISTS, MAKING UP 35% OF THE TOTAL. STUDIO SAFEGUARDS WAS THE MOST POPULAR PROJECT CATEGORY, ACCOUNTING FOR NEARLY 64% OF ALL PROJECTS. CERF+ HAS HOSTED 29 TRAINING SESSIONS, CONFERENCES, AND KEYNOTES, ENGAGING 2,351 PARTICIPANTS-NEARLY FOUR TIMES THE NUMBER REACHED IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. TOPICS INCLUDED EMERGENCY PLANNING AND BUSINESS INSURANCE, BRIDGING ART, FUNCTIONALITY, AND ACCESSIBILITY, ARTS ORGANIZATIONAL PREPAREDNESS, CLIMATE CHANGE AND ARTISTIC PRACTICE, AND ACCESSING EMERGENCY RELIEF FUNDING. ADDITIONALLY, CERF+ PARTICIPATED AS AN EXHIBITOR AT PROMINENT CONFERENCES, SUCH AS THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON EDUCATION FOR THE CERAMIC ARTS (NCECA) AND THE ASSOCIATION OF TRIBAL ARCHIVES, LIBRARIES, AND MUSEUMS (ATALM).CERF+ ARTIST'S READINESS PROJECT - (CARP). IN 2024, CERF+ SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED THE CERF+ ARTIST'S READINESS PROJECT, ENHANCING THE ROLE OF ARTIST RESPONDERS BY SPECIALIZING THEIR SERVICES, STRENGTHENING CONNECTIONS WITH LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT NETWORKS, AND PROVIDING RESOURCES AND GRANTS FOR ARTISTS TO TAKE PREPAREDNESS MEASURES TO SAFEGUARD THEIR PRACTICE. TWO PILOT SITES, ARTIST TRUST IN SEATTLE, WA, AND ARTS COUNCIL OF GREATER BATON ROUGE IN BATON ROUGE, LA, IMPLEMENTED CARP. CERF+ PARTNERED WITH THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION THROUGH THE CENTER FOR FOLKLIFE AND CULTURAL HERITAGE, AFRICAN AMERICAN CRAFT INITIATIVE (CFCH AACI), AND SMITHSONIAN AFFILIATIONS ON A PROJECT TO EXPAND THE VISIBILITY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CRAFT ARTISTS AND MAKERS THROUGH COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION, PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, AND COMMUNITY BUILDING. IN ADDITION, CERF+ IS WORKING WITH THE NATIONAL PERFORMANCE NETWORK ON A PROJECT TO EXPAND THE MODEL OF PREPAREDNESS TRAINING AND RESOURCES TO BETTER SERVE BLACK ARTISTS. CARP GET READY: IN FY24, THE MELLON FOUNDATION CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE EXPANSION AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE GET READY PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES FUNDING TO HELP ARTISTS TAKE PROACTIVE STEPS TO SAFEGUARD THEIR PRACTICES. THE ARTS COUNCIL OF GREATER BATON ROUGE, ARTIST TRUST, AND THE NATIONAL PERFORMANCE NETWORK ADMINISTERED GET READY GRANTS IN THEIR REGIONS, IMPROVING ACCESS TO PREPAREDNESS RESOURCES, AND FOSTERING CONNECTIONS AMONG ARTISTS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR RESILIENCE. EMERGING ARTIST READINESS PROGRAM: WITH SUPPORT FROM THE WINDGATE FOUNDATION, CERF+ SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE SECOND COHORT OF THE EMERGING ARTIST READINESS PROGRAM, LED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF TRIBAL ARCHIVES, LIBRARIES, AND MUSEUMS. TWENTY NATIVE CRAFT ARTISTS PARTICIPATED IN A SIX-MONTH TECHNICAL TRAINING PROGRAM THAT INCLUDED PERSONALIZED MENTORSHIP. EACH PARTICIPANT RECEIVED 10,000 TO IMPLEMENT A BUSINESS PLAN DESIGNED TO GROW AND PROTECT THEIR PRACTICE. THE ASSOCIATION OF TRIBAL ARCHIVES, LIBRARIES, AND MUSEUMS WILL ALSO LEAD THE THIRD AND FINAL CYCLE OF THE PROGRAM, SUPPORTING 21 CRAFT ARTISTS.

  Expenses $823,938 · Grants $490,081 · Revenue $25,523

• EMERGENCY RESPONSE - CERF+ PROVIDES CRITICAL EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO CRAFT ARTISTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED A RECENT, PRACTICE-THREATENING EMERGENCY SUCH AS CLIMATE- RELATED DISASTERS, ILLNESS, INJURIES, STUDIO OR HOME FIRES, AND THEFT. ONCE APPLICATIONS ARE COMPLETED, GRANT DETERMINATIONS ARE MADE WITHIN TWO WEEKS. THIS YEAR, 141 ARTISTS AFFECTED BY PRACTICE -THREATENING EMERGENCIES RECEIVED DIRECT EMERGENCY RELIEF GRANTS. THESE ARTISTS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 421,734 9 IN EMERGENCY AID (403,000 IN GRANTS) AND 18,734 OF GIFTS-IN- KIND (DONATIONS OF EQUIPMENT, MATERIALS, BOOTH WAIVER FEES, ETC.), FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF 421,734. THE LARGEST CATEGORY OF EMERGENCIES FOR ARTISTS WAS CLIMATE-RELATED DISASTERS, REPRESENTING 31% OF TOTAL GRANTS. MAJOR RESPONSES INCLUDED THE HAWAII WILDFIRES, CALIFORNIA FLOODS, AND HURRICANE BERYL. THE SECOND-LARGEST CATEGORY WAS ILLNESS, ACCOUNTING FOR 26% OF ALL GRANTS, FOLLOWED BY ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES, WHICH MADE UP 23% OF THE GRANTS. CERF+ ADMINISTERED THE ETSY PROGRAM TO SUPPORT MAKERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED A FEDERALLY DECLARED DISASTER WITHIN THE PAST YEAR. IN FY24, ETSY AND CERF+ AWARDED 60 GRANTS TOTALING 124,000.

  Expenses $584,755 · Grants $474,280

• OUTREACH, MARKETING & ADVOCACY: CERF+ MAINTAINS AN ACTIVE LIST OF OVER 31,648 INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND ARTS BUSINESSES THAT RECEIVE EMAIL ALERTS BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER A DISASTER. CERF+ ALSO SENDS E-NEWSLETTERS ON A REGULAR BASIS TO ENSURE THAT ARTISTS RECEIVE UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION, INCLUDING GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, AND FEDERAL AND STATE ASSISTANCE PACKAGES. OUR INCREASED SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT RESULTED IN 12,700+ INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS (+3,858), 8,200+ FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS (+400), AND 561 LINKEDIN FOLLOWERS. CERF+ CONTINUES TO PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE AS A STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL COALITION FOR ARTS' PREPAREDNESS AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE (NCAPER). OVER THE PAST YEAR, NCAPER HAS SHIFTED FOCUS BACK TO RESPONSE SUPPORTING GROUPS DURING DISASTER EVENTS LIKE THE MAUI WILDFIRE, NORTHEAST FLOODING AND SIMILAR. WE SERVE ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE VERMONT ARTS & CULTURE DISASTER AND RESILIENCE NETWORK, AN INITIATIVE LED BY ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS FROM ACROSS THE STATE COMMITTED TO DEEPENING EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESILIENCE WITHIN THE ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR. CERF+ PARTICIPATES IN MANY NATIONWIDE COHORTS OF ARTS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE LIVING TRADITIONS NETWORK, A NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF ORGANIZATIONS AND CULTURE BEARERS FOCUSED ON SHARING AND DEVELOPING RESOURCES TO SUPPORT FOLK & TRADITIONAL ARTISTS. AND THE HERITAGE EMERGENCY NATIONAL TASK FORCE (HENTF), SPONSORED BY THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION AND FEMA, CONTINUES TO INCREASE RECOGNITION FOR OUR SPECIALIZED EXPERTISE IN ARTISTS DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RECOVERY. WE ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THE NATIONAL VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS ACTIVE IN DISASTER, APPALACHIAN FUNDERS NETWORK, WORLD CRAFT COUNCIL, THE CULTURAL ADVOCACY GROUP AND OTHER NATIONAL NETWORK/COHORTS. THESE RELATIONSHIPS ARE VITAL TO INFORM AND BE INFORMED AROUND LEADING TRENDS AND EVOLVING PRACTICES RELATED TO SUPPORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS. CERF+ WEBSITE AND ONLINE CONTENT: WE LAUNCHED OUR NEW WEBSITE AND CONTINUE TO UPDATE IT WITH NEW CONTENT ON A REGULAR BASIS. AFTER EACH MAJOR DISASTER IN AN AREA THAT AFFECTED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CRAFT ARTISTS, CERF+ CREATED A WEBSITE BANNER THAT LINKS TO AN UPDATED DISASTER RELIEF PAGE WITH DISASTER RESPONSE & RECOVERY RESOURCES. OUR WEBSITE HAS BEEN THE GO-TO DESTINATION FOR ARTISTS SEEKING EMERGENCY RESOURCES. CERF+ COMPLETED A COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE OF BOTH CONTENT AND GRAPHICS FOR ALL STUDIO PROTECTOR MATERIALS AND DEVELOPED A DETAILED GUIDE TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FOR ARTISTS. CERF+ GREATLY EXPANDED ITS OTHER RESOURCES PAGE TO INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT GRANTS AND TRAININGS THAT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OFFER TO ARTISTS AS WELL. WE ALSO MAINTAIN A "DISASTER RESOURCE HUB," WHICH PROVIDES ALERTS, INFORMATION, AND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC DISASTER EVENTS. OTHER ADDITIONS TO THE SITE INCLUDE NEW CRAFT ARTIST INTERVIEWS AND STORIES AS WELL AS NEW CONTENT RELATED TO OUR GET READY GRANT PROGRAM CREATED BY RECIPIENTS OF THOSE GRANTS. WE ALSO UPDATED THE EMERGENCY RELIEF INFORMATION PAGES TO INCLUDE SPANISH TRANSLATION. OUR WEBSITE IS NOW INCLUDED ON MANY STATE, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL ARTS AGENCIES- AND ORGANIZATIONS' WEBSITES AND BLOGS WITH DISASTER-SPECIFIC INFORMATION. FINALLY, WE CONTINUED WRITING BLOG ARTICLES, WHICH FEATURE CRAFT ARTISTS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER TOPICS RELEVANT TO OUR AUDIENCE.

  Expenses $203,746 · Grants $10,515

As filed on the 2023 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

• NATIONAL PERFORMANCE NETWORK

  $95,750

  EDUCATION & TRAINING

• ARTS COUNCIL OF GREATER BATON ROUGE

  $32,500

  EDUCATION & TRAINING

• ARTIST TRUST

  $32,500

  EDUCATION & TRAINING

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2023

Filed

3 April 2025

IRS schema version

2023v6.0

Source object

202511139349300816

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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