THE BALTIMORE CHILDRENS MUSEUM INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

THE BALTIMORE CHILDRENS MUSEUM INC

EIN 52-1806933 · Arts, Culture & Humanities (A520)

What they do

PORT DISCOVERY CHILDRENS MUSEUMS MISSION is to CONNECT PURPOSEFUL PLAY and LEARNING WITHIN ITS WALLS and BEYOND.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $78.70 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 leaders36 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

50.44%of revenue went to mission work78.7% of expenses · Program services

4.54%of revenue went to fundraising7.1% of expenses

$64.05spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

9.07%of revenue went to management and office costs14.2% of expenses

$4.22in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

67.3%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.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $187,000 for CARTER POLAKOFF (PRESIDENT & CEO). 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$9,690,458

Mission workProgram services$4,887,53950.44% of revenue78.7% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$879,4009.07% of revenue14.2% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$440,1324.54% of revenue7.1% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$3,483,38735.95% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$6,207,07164.05% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

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: 78.7% mission · 14.2% management · 7.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 64.05% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 73.4% mission · 18.2% management · 8.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 93.13% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 74.5% mission · 19.0% management · 6.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 81.50% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 69.7% mission · 23.5% management · 6.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 106.88% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 68.6% mission · 20.4% management · 11.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 86.01% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 71.9% mission · 18.7% management · 9.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 127.89% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 66.9% mission · 21.7% management · 11.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 51.83% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 77.3% mission · 10.5% management · 12.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 59.86% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$9,690,458

Expenses$6,207,071

Annual surplus $3,483,387 Revenue was higher than expenses 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)$4,887,539 · 78.7% of expenses

Management and office costs$879,400 · 14.2% of expenses

Fundraising$440,132 · 7.1% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$9,690,458

Expenses$6,207,071

Assets$26,205,768

Income$9,816,150

Contributions$6,518,862

Mission work (program services)$4,887,539

Fundraising$440,132

Management and general$879,400

Executive compensation (total)$548,202

Stocks and bonds$1,141,557

Accounting fees$30,150

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

CARTER POLAKOFFPRESIDENT & CEO · 40 hrs/week $187,000Base $158,255 · Other $28,745

RACHEL DEMMAVP OF EDUCATION AND LEARNI · 40 hrs/week $132,133Base $124,373 · Other $7,760

SONJA CENDAKVP DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING · 40 hrs/week $120,799Base $95,232 · Other $25,567

KELLI COFFMANSENIOR VP OF MUSEUM OPERATIONS · 40 hrs/week $116,489Base $107,929 · Other $8,560

BONNIE NOLANFORMER CFO · 40 hrs/week $71,560Base $59,696 · Other $11,864

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 (36)

CARTER POLAKOFFPRESIDENT & CEO

RACHEL DEMMAVP OF EDUCATION AND LEARNI

SONJA CENDAKVP DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING

KELLI COFFMANSENIOR VP OF MUSEUM OPERATIONS

BONNIE NOLANFORMER CFO

KAYLEIGH KEILTYDIRECTOR

JOE SWEENEYDIRECTOR

MARK POLLAKSECRETARY

MARY ZOLETDIRECTOR

MELANIE PERREAULTDIRECTOR

MONICA BRANDESVICE CHAIR

PATRICIA HOGEDIRECTOR

RANDY GUTTMANDIRECTOR

SHANTELL ROBERTSDIRECTOR

STEPHEN CANARASDIRECTOR

STEVEN A SINGHDIRECTOR

TERI GUARNACCIADIRECTOR

TODD GUSTINDIRECTOR

WILLIAM PALMERDIRECTOR

CLAUDIA JOLINDIRECTOR

ALEXIS THOMPSONDIRECTOR

ANGELA CELESTINDIRECTOR

ANNIE BROWNDIRECTOR

ANTHONY V IMBRAGUGLIODIRECTOR

ASHLEY HATTERDIRECTOR

BRET SCREIBERDIRECTOR

BRICE PHILLIPSDIRECTOR

CHAD LANEDIRECTOR

JULIE MILITELLODIRECTOR

DANA HENSONVICE CHAIR

DENNIS F RASMUSSENCHAIRMAN

DOMINIQUE KELLYDIRECTOR

ERNESTINE CHAMBERSDIRECTOR

HOLLY CARNEVALEDIRECTOR

JEFFREY GRAHAMDIRECTOR

ALEXANDER YAFFEDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1993
Location: 35 MARKET PLACE, BALTIMORE, MD 21202
County: Baltimore (city)
In care of: CARTER POLAKOFF
Primary officer: CARTER POLAKOFF, PRESIDENT & CEO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(410) 727-8120

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: GROSS MENDELSOHN & ASSOCIATES PA
NTEE classification: Arts, Culture & Humanities (A520)
IRS tax category: Museums