Southern Smoke Foundation

Analysis

Southern Smoke Foundation is a registered charity in United States, based in Houston, TX. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in March 2021, 5 years ago. Its declared purposes cover arts, culture and humanities, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (donations from the general public) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, Southern Smoke Foundation reported income of $2.5m and spending of $2.7m, spending 105% of what it took in. Across the 4 years on record, from December 2020 to December 2023, income fell from $12.8m to $2.5m (-80%), an average of -42% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2021, when income dropped by 78%. Over the whole period it spent 76% of the income it received.

Among 45,478 United States charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, Southern Smoke Foundation sits at the 93rd percentile: it is larger than about 93% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 88th percentile, and in the 91st percentile within TX. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Sun Valley Performing Arts Center Inc ($2.5m), Sawdust Festival Corporation ($2.5m) and Hamptons Community Outreach Inc ($2.5m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 82% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $160k (6.0% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $894k. At year end it held assets of $5.6m against liabilities of $67k, net assets of $5.5m. It reported 12 employees.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.