Karamu House Inc

“Form 990 review - form 990 is supplied to both management and finance committee members for review prior to submission to the irs. The review is for errors in the return.”

“Form 990 provided to governing body - form 990 was circulated to members of the finance committee of the board of directors prior to filing. A copy of form 990 was given to all board members, but not until it had been filed with the internal revenue service. As such, we are required to answer "no" to the question on line 11a of part vi of form 990.”

“Monitoring and enforcement of conflict policy - board members are required to disclose all potential conflicts to the entire board for any board decision that may be a conflict of interest. Also, all board members are required to complete a related party questionnaire as part of the annual audit. If a conflict arise, the person with the potential conflict is not permitted to participate in the discussion or to vote on the transaction. The decision about the transaction is made by persons who are independent of the individual with the conflict.”

“Compensation review and approval - the president and ceo was hired by the board of directors in 2015. His compensation was set in an employment contract and was determined to be at fair market value for the position. The president and ceo has not received a compensation increase since being hired in 2015, and therefore the board believes that his compensation is at or below fair market value for this year.”

“Availability of documents - the organization makes its organizing documents, conflict of interest policy, and financial statements available to the public upon request.”

“In 2017 Karamu House leadership filled three important positions that have contributed to the organization's operational and financial turnaround. An experienced Development Director, Chief Financial Officer and Marketing Director were hired to raise necessary funds, stabilize organizational finances and increase visibility and draw audiences from across Northeast Ohio to Karamu programs. In calendar year 2017, Karamu presented five socially relevant and professional-quality, theatre productions, REPAIRING A NATION, YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU, SIMPLY SIMONE, THE LAKE EFFECT and A HOLIDAY JAZZ REVUE. REPAIRING A NATION and THE LAKE EFFECT were part of Karamu's Social Justice Series. At least two performances of each play included talk back sessions with community leaders on the issues raised in the play. In collaboration with Playhouse Square and Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Karamu House also celebrated the 50-year anniversary of Cleveland Mayor Carl Stokes taking office with the world premiere play BELIEVE IN CLEVELAND on June 10, 2017 at Karamu's historic Jelliffe Theatre. As the arts and culture anchor of Cleveland's Fairfax neighborhood, during fiscal year 2017 Karamu served more than 300 youth in its arts education programs-205 in after school and Saturday classes, and 80 children ages 7-17, participated in the summer arts program. These classes advanced several organizational priorities for Karamu. Classes for children and adults engaged community members of all ages. Sequential instruction made arts education accessible for individuals with varying skill levels and experience, and provided opportunity for advancement within each of the three artistic disciplines of dance, drama and vocal ensemble. These three disciplines correlate to Karamu's professional-quality theatre program, allowing students to study the components of theatre performance. Karamu's arts education program creates a pipeline to lifelong artistic study-students develop their talent, skills, and knowledge of the arts; identify and cultivate their interests; and access increasingly challenging opportunities to support and participate in full-scale, professional-quality productions. In the fall of 2017, Karamu House launched a pilot mastery program in the theatre arts called "Karamu's Youth Repertory Company." The program's goal is to prepare young people for post-secondary study or careers in musical theatre performance. The company was born from a desire of high performing students (and their parents) in Karamu's Summer Arts program to continue instruction in dance, drama and vocal music. Professional artists teach students, accepted into the company through auditions or class participation, to prepare musical performances that can be toured to schools and community venues. Karamu also launched its redesigned summer arts program in 2017. Moving away from summer activities to a program of arts education, students utilized the theme of "porches" to explore the Fairfax community. They interviewed residents about the perspective from their porches, describe their own family's use and memories of porches, and presented a culminating music, dance, vocal, and spoken word performances for the Fairfax community about the stories they gathered. As part of its community programming, in 2017 Karamu House celebrated Kwanzaa with the principle of Ujaama or cooperative economics. The topics of building and generating wealth, budgeting and spending for success, hyper consumerism and debt management were explored through a panel discussion plus a vendor market place and community meal. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was celebrated with a day of service at Karamu House. Community members assisted staff in cleaning and organizing Karamu's vast collection of props and artifacts. Karamu House also reached nearly 2,000 children and adults throughout Greater Cleveland with lively, professional jazz and blues performances. Featuring Cleveland-based, nationally-renowned”

“ACTORS AND STAFF FOR PRODUCTIONS: Program service expenses 343,217. Management and general expenses 0. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 343,217. GRANT WRITING SERVICES: Program service expenses 0. Management and general expenses 0. Fundraising expenses 56,054. Total expenses 56,054.”