Skip to content
Nonprofiteer
← All organizations

THE INDUSTRIAL COMMONS

EIN 47-2080338 MORGANTON, NC

Largest nonprofits in North Carolina

Revenue 2024
$8,682,953
Expenses 2024
$4,017,046

Program services were 77.1% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
J20
Classification
1200
Street
PO BOX 71

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Other organizations at this address

2 other organizations in the IRS Business Master File list the same street address. matched by us

We match the street line and ZIP code as the IRS gives them, ignoring case and outer spaces and nothing else, so "AVE" and "AVENUE" count as different streets and this list can miss some. A shared address can mean related organizations or a shared office, but it can also be a registered agent, a mail drop or a service provider holding mail for unrelated clients. It is not, by itself, evidence that two organizations are connected.

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

THE MISSION OF THE INDUSTRIAL COMMONS IS TO REBUILD A DIVERSE WORKING CLASS BASED ON LOCALLY-ROOTED WEALTH.

Activities or mission (Part I)

TO CREATE LONG-TERM ECONOMIC AND SOCIETAL BENEFITS IN RURAL WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND NEIGHBORING REGIONS BY LESSENING THE BURDENS OF GOVERNMENT AND DEVELOPING PUBLIC ASSETS THAT ENHANCE THE RETENTION AND CREATION OF SMALL TO MID-SIZE MANUFACTURING FIRMS AND MEANINGFUL, GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT; BY PROVIDING ECONOMIC, BUSINESS AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION SERVICES TO WORKERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS; AND BY SUSTAINABLY ENHANCING THE ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF ALL MEMBERS OF A COMMUNITY.

  • THE INDUSTRIAL COMMONS FOUNDS AND GROWS INTERCONNECTED ENTERPRISES THAT SOLVE INDUSTRIAL PROBLEMS FOR BUSINESSES AND WORKERS, AND MANUFACTURES HOPE FOR THE PEOPLE OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.THE INDUSTRIAL COMMONS FULFILLS THEIR MISSION BY ENHANCING THE RETENTION AND CREATION OF SMALL TO MID-SIZE MANUFACTURING FIRMS AND MEANINGFUL, GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT; BY PROVIDING ECONOMIC, BUSINESS AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION SERVICES TO WORKERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS; AND BY SUSTAINABLY ENHANCING THE ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF ALL MEMBERS OF A COMMUNITY.

    Expenses $3,099,107 · Grants $880,466 · Revenue $396,291

As filed on the 2024 return.

Officers and directors · 2024

As listed in Part VII of the 2024 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • Molly Hemstreet

    CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $124,125
    From this org
    $124,125
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

  • Deborah Sigmon

    CHAIRPERSON

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Kimberly Hunter

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Sharley Mendoza Perez

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Erica Damman

    SECRETARY/TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Renea Canipe

    DIRECTOR (THRU AUGUST)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Lisa Miller

    DIRECTOR/SECRETARY (THRU JUNE)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Marcelina Miguel

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Sara Chester

    CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $113,427
    From this org
    $107,925
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $5,502
    Hours/week
    40

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. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

  • 2024
    Revenue
    $8,682,953
    Expenses
    $4,017,046
    Contributions
    $7,817,883
    Grants paid
    $880,466
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $11,657,616
    Expenses
    $2,236,647
    Contributions
    $10,971,882
    Grants paid
    $5,280
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $2,647,034
    Expenses
    $2,390,165
    Contributions
    $2,181,163
    Grants paid
    $282,725

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

  • 2021 · 990

    Revenue
    $4,558,553
    Expenses
    $1,745,427
    Assets (EOY)
    $6,060,975

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $3,472,669
    Expenses
    $1,358,345
    Assets (EOY)
    $3,601,215

  • 2019 · 990

    Revenue
    $803,796
    Expenses
    $1,016,112
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,107,828

  • 2018 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,344,220
    Expenses
    $187,103
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,301,351

  • 2017 · 990-EZ

    Revenue
    $102,143
    Expenses
    $67,318
    Assets (EOY)
    $59,342

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all.

Form 990-N e-Postcard, tax year 2016

Tax period
1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016
Principal officer
Sara Chester
Mailing address
PO Box 71Morganton NC 28680
Website
www.theindustrialcommons.org

As filed, from the IRS e-Postcard file of 2 November 2026. The IRS publishes only each organization's most recent postcard, so earlier years are not shown. A 990-N carries no financial detail. The postcard also gives the principal officer's address, which is not shown here.

Grants made

  • NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY

    $337,761

    2024 GRANT SUBAWARDEE

  • MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS CENTER

    $327,495

    2024 GRANT SUBAWARDEE

  • GASTON COLLEGE

    $89,224

    2024 GRANT SUBAWARDEE

  • MATERIAL RETURN

    $64,143

    2024 GENERAL SUPPORT

  • WESTERN PIEDMONT COMMUNITY COLLEGE

    $27,445

    2024 GRANT SUBAWARDEE

  • THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

    $20,000

    2024 SCHOLARSHIP - HOMETOWN WALKABOUT TOURS

  • C2LIFE FOUNDATION

    $0

    2022 GENERAL PURPOSE/TO SUPPORT MISSION

Where these grants went next →

Grants received

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Taxable family

From Schedule R Parts I, III and IV: entities that legally are the filer, and taxable partnerships, corporations and trusts it is related to. These record ownership and control, not shared board members or money.

Disregarded entities on its 2024 return

  • CAROLINA TEXTILE DISTRICT LLC

    VALUES-ALIGNED TEXTILE MANUFACTURER · NC · income $110,205 · assets $416,970

  • CAPITAL FOR THE COMMONS LLC

    LOAN FUND FOR STARTUP BUSINESS · NC · income $4,499 · assets $393,263

Related corporations and trusts on its 2024 return

  • THE INDUSTRIAL COMMONS CORPS

    C · HOLDING COMPANY · DE · 100% owned · share of income $441,907 · share of assets $402,702 · controlled entity

Other IRS files

Auto-Revocation List

Not listed. The IRS publishes this list for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked for failing to file for three consecutive years.

Publication 78

Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility PC.

These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.

What this page reflects

The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 1 November 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2024, the newest we have parsed for this organization.