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Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp
Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp reported $10.0 million in revenue and $10.5 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $92.60 went to program services, $5.95 to management and general costs and $1.45 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 83.1% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $111,517 (CEO & INTERI). 1 person received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 331% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $10MFor context, the median across 874 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.92 programs, $13.89 management, $6.19 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $10MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 92.6% | 78.3% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 6.0% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.4% | 6.1% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.12 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 13.1% | 57.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 83.1% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $111,517 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.06% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 1 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 8.9 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 9 of 12 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseBlfac operates as a summer Arts Camp for youth from grades 5 to 12. Students come from all over michigan, the midwest and beyond to study music, art, dance, theatre, choir and creative writing. We also host a summer arts festival that features our faculty and guest artists. These performances are free and open to the public
Blfac also operates a classical and jazz music station. It serves as the voice of the arts in west michigan and as an emergency management system for much of west michigan
Blfac operates an international program. Students from band, orchestra, jazz and choir perform in communities across europe as part of a goodwill exchange program
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO & INTERI Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $111,517 | $0 | $0 | $111,517 |
| TREASURER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $77,803 | $0 | $0 | $77,803 |
| MEMBER Director/trustee, officer, 16.00 hrs/week | $26,343 | $0 | $0 | $26,343 |
1 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $203K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b12 · 9 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5696
- Volunteers Part I, line 625
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| PNC BANK Debt svc pmts | $203,465 |
| TOM'S CUSTOM PAINTING Painting | $151,805 |
| TRIDONN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY Construction | $119,987 |
| RAYNAL VOYAGES Bus transport | $103,721 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 4 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
7 private foundations reported grants to Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp totaling $28,703 on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp spent in FY2025, $92.60 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Bergen Performing Arts CenterEnglewood, NJ · revenue $9.7M · programs 84.1% · FY2025
- Air Zoo Legacy FoundationPortage, MI · revenue $10M · programs 88.1% · 2024
- Big ThoughtDallas, TX · revenue $9.6M · programs 83.7% · FY2025
- McNay Art MuseumSan Antonio, TX · revenue $10M · programs 82.3% · FY2025
- The Magic HouseSt Louis, MO · revenue $9.6M · programs 79.2% · 2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Michigan
Questions people ask
How much of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp reported that 92.6% of its $10.5 million in expenses went to program services, 6.0% to management and general and 1.4% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $111,517, for the role of CEO & INTERI (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp get its money?
Of $10.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 13.1% came from contributions and grants and 83.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 38-1811838 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, object 202612299349302421 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202502189349301960 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202442269349300309 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202312239349301506 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202242279349302649 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202142029349300019 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 38-1811838: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.