Firstworks
Firstworks' mission is to enrich the cultural, educational, and economic fabric of rhode island by engaging diverse audiences with world-class performing arts and education.
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Visit www.firstworks.orgAbout Firstworks
FirstWorks’ mission is to enrich Rhode Island’s cultural, educational, and economic vitality by engaging diverse audiences with world-class performing arts and education.
Verified certifications
Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.
Mission
Firstworks' mission is to enrich the cultural, educational, and economic fabric of rhode island by engaging diverse audiences with world-class performing arts and education.
Focus areas & reach
· What they work on and whereHow it stacks up against peers
· vs. 8 similar arts & culture in United StatesConcerns
· None foundWhere every $1 goes
· FY2025 · IRS 990 (FY2025)GiveRadar Analysis
Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations
From what GiveRadar has verified so far, Firstworks has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 4 independent sources including the IRS.
- It is one of the better-documented arts & culture charities in the United States GiveRadar currently tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its governance. Most of those have little verified data on record yet. View this cohort
- GiveRadar holds 6 years of financial filings for this organization, the most recent for fiscal year 2025 - a deeper filing history than 90% of the 56,467 arts & culture charities in the United States with filings on record. See the filings
- GiveRadar has cross-referenced this organization across 4 independent sources, led by the IRS - more than 84% of comparable charities. See the sources
- government registration
- financial records (6 filed years)
- disclosed leadership
- a website
- a contact email
- third-party accreditation
- a donation page
- an owner-submitted profile claim
Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.
Common questions
· Auto-generated from filings + methodologyFirstworks is a registered arts & culture nonprofit based in Providence, RI, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1984 and has been operating for 42 years. Its EIN is 222597014. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 90/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $2M in annual revenue. 76 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.
Firstworks's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 222597014. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.
Firstworks has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 90/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 90 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for arts & culture charities in United States is 90/100.
Firstworks is located in Providence, RI, United States. The organization was established in 1984 and has been active for 42 years.
Based on official tax filings, Firstworks has $2M in annual revenue. It allocates 71% of expenses to programs and services. This is in line with the average of 75% for arts & culture charities in United States. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.
Firstworks is classified as an Arts & Culture organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). By size, it is categorized as a medium organization. It has $2M in annual revenue. The organization has 76 disclosed officers and directors.
No red flags have been detected for Firstworks. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.
According to GiveRadar's records, Firstworks holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 71% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 75%). GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.
FirstWorks’ mission is to enrich Rhode Island’s cultural, educational, and economic vitality by engaging diverse audiences with world-class performing arts and education. Firstworks is classified as an arts & culture organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1984.
Among arts & culture charities registered in United States: It allocates 71% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 75%. Its annual revenue of $2M is comparable to the peer average of $1M.
Yes, donations to Firstworks are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Firstworks is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 222597014, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.
Filing history
6 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2025): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.
See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.
Sign up to viewTaxes
Tax-deductibility for donors
Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.
FIRSTWORKS is registered in United States. Donations from the Netherlands to charities outside the EU/EEA are generally not tax-deductible for Dutch donors unless the charity is listed on the Dutch ANBI register with foreign-recognized status.
Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.
Staff & volunteers
From filings and published profiles
Leadership
From FY2025 filing
Officers & trustees (25)
Source: Public filings
25 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.
Latest news
From global news sources
9 articles found
From global news sources. Shown for transparency; news never affects the integrity score.
FirstWorks Summer Beats Concerts: The GroovaLottos at Roger Williams Park Boathouse Lawn - BroadwayWorld
People on the Move: Pletcher Stepping Down as Head of FirstWorks - Go Local Prov
FirstWorks Heats Up the Season with its Annual Summer Beats Concert Series - Rhode Island Monthly
FirstWorks To Host Ukrainian Quartet DakhaBrakha at the Strand Ballroom - Rhode Island Monthly
FirstWorks Live–Music at Roger Williams Park Concert Series Continues with Etienne Charles - Rhode Island Monthly
FirstWorks, First People - The Providence Journal
Jamie Jewett's "Seven Veils" World Premiere Coming to FirstWorks - Go Local Prov
Pilobolus to open FirstWorks season Oct. 26 - The Providence Journal
FirstWorks Takes Over Kennedy Plaza Sept. 29 - Go Local Prov
Activity timeline
Filings and press mentions, merged
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Sign up to write a reviewCause areas in United States
How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.
Most common causes in United States
Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.
Sources and verification
- Registration and legal identity
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
- Financial filings
- IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2025 most recent on file.
- Officers and trustees
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 76 disclosed in the public registry.
- News and media coverage
- GDELT Project + Google News
- Supplementary verification
- Charity Navigator
Data freshness
What we know and don't know
Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.
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Financial data · FY2025 on record
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Named leadership · 76 officers on file
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Executive pay · Disclosed
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Government registration · Registered with an official registry
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Mission statement · Published
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Official website · On record
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Headquarters address · On file
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Direct contact · Email or phone published
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Tax-deductibility · Verified
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Founding date · 1984
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Programs & activitiesNo named programs listed by the charity
Methodology
GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.
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Quick facts about Firstworks
- What is Firstworks?
- Firstworks is a arts & culture publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in Providence, United States. FirstWorks’ mission is to enrich Rhode Island’s cultural, educational, and economic vitality by engaging diverse audiences with world-class performing arts and education.
- When was Firstworks founded?
- Firstworks was founded in 1984.
- Who leads Firstworks?
- Kathleen D Pletcher serves as Executive Artistic Director.
- Where is Firstworks located?
- Headquartered in Providence, RI, United States.
- What is Firstworks's annual budget?
- Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately $1M-$10M. 71% of expenses go to program services.
- Is Firstworks trustworthy?
- Firstworks has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 90 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
- What is Firstworks's registration number?
- IRS EIN: 222597014.
- What is Firstworks's website?
- http://www.firstworks.org