THE WHARTON INSTITUTE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

THE WHARTON INSTITUTE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS INC

EIN 22-2609457 · Education (B)

What they do

WHARTON ARTS is COMPRISED of 4 CORE PROGRAMS INCLUDING PATERSON MUSIC PROJECT, THE PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL, NEW JERSEY YOUTH CHORUS and NEW JERSEY YOUTH SYMPHONY. IT OFFERS STUDENTS of ALL AGES and EXPERIENCE LEVELS LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT RANGE FROM INSTRUMENTAL and VOCAL INSTRUCTION, LARGE ENSEMBLES, MUSICAL THEATER, and MORE. IN ADDITION to THE PROGRAMS DESCRIBED IN PART III, 4A-C, WHARTON ARTS CONTAINS A FOURTH PROGRAM IN THE PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL. THIS PROGRAM FEATURES ONE-ON-ONE PRIVATE INSTRUMENTAL and VOCAL TRAINING, GROUP CLASSES and MUSICAL THEATER INSTRUCTION FROM WELL-REGARDED MUSIC PROFESSIONALS. SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE to STUDENTS for WHOM TUITION CREATES A BARRIER. WHARTON ARTS MISSION is to OFFER ACCESSIBLE, HIGH-QUALITY PERFORMING ARTS EDUCATION THAT SPARKS PERSONAL GROWTH and BUILDS INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES. ITS VISION is to TRANSFORM PERFORMING ARTS EDUCATION IN AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY ACCESSIBLE to ALL.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $74.70 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders17 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

83.22%of revenue went to mission work74.7% of expenses · Program services

7.50%of revenue went to fundraising6.7% of expenses

$111.42spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

20.70%of revenue went to management and office costs18.6% of expenses

$0.62in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

32.1%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $475,358 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $135,940 for GINA CARUSO (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$4,162,657

Mission workProgram services$3,464,09383.22% of revenue74.7% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$861,71220.70% of revenue18.6% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$312,2107.50% of revenue6.7% of expenses

Total expenses$4,638,015111.42% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 74.7% mission · 18.6% management · 6.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 111.42% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 77.8% mission · 17.6% management · 4.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 78.68% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 78.5% mission · 17.0% management · 4.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 124.51% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 75.6% mission · 18.5% management · 5.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 90.20% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 76.4% mission · 16.6% management · 7.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 90.80% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 76.5% mission · 17.5% management · 6.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 95.05% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 75.1% mission · 20.4% management · 4.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 122.03% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 77.1% mission · 18.1% management · 4.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 85.03% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$4,162,657

Expenses$4,638,015

Annual shortfall $475,358 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$3,464,093 · 74.7% of expenses

Management and office costs$861,712 · 18.6% of expenses

Fundraising$312,210 · 6.7% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$4,162,657

Expenses$4,638,015

Assets$2,873,715

Income$4,240,340

Contributions$1,336,167

Mission work (program services)$3,464,093

Fundraising$312,210

Management and general$861,712

Stocks and bonds$11,963

Accounting fees$36,021

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

GINA CARUSOEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $135,940Base $125,000 · Other $10,940

HELEN CHA-PYOARTISTIC DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $125,616Base $125,250 · Other $366

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (17)

GINA CARUSOEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

HELEN CHA-PYOARTISTIC DIRECTOR

INGE SPUNGENTRUSTEE EFF. 11/24

ROBERT HAMBURGERPRESIDENT

MICHELE DOWLING JOHNSONTRUSTEE

LEVI KELMANTRUSTEE

LARA STOLMANTRUSTEE

JULIA SENVICE PRESIDENT

JOSEPH SERZANTRUSTEE

JOHN C LEVINETRUSTEE THRU 1/25

INGRID DILLONTREASURER

BOB KELLYTRUSTEE EFF. 11/24

HELEN AHNTRUSTEE

ERIKA FANELLETRUSTEE

DR JACQUELINE PHILLIPSVICE PRESIDENT

DR CHARISSA WONG HORTONSECRETARY

COURTNEY PANTIRERTRUSTEE

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1986
Location: 60 LOCUST AVE, BERKELEY HTS, NJ 07922-1602
County: Union
In care of: ERIKA FANELLE
Primary officer: ERIKA FANELLE, CURRENT TRUSTEE, INTERIM EXEC DIR.

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailinfo@whartonarts.org Phone(908) 790-0700

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: PKF OCONNOR DAVIES ADVISORY LLC
NTEE classification: Education (B)
IRS tax category: Education