THE CHARACTERS INC
Cite this
Plain text THE CHARACTERS INC. furp.org, nonprofit organization profile, tax years 2017–2021. https://furp.org/org/the-characters-inc-010930757. Retrieved 2026-10-26.
APA furp.org. (n.d.). THE CHARACTERS INC [Nonprofit organization profile; tax years 2017–2021]. Retrieved October 26, 2026, from https://furp.org/org/the-characters-inc-010930757
MLA “THE CHARACTERS INC.” furp.org, tax years 2017–2021, https://furp.org/org/the-characters-inc-010930757. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.
Retrieved 2026-10-26; covers tax years 2017–2021. Data: furp.org, CC BY 4.0.
2021 · Form 990EZ · revenue $46K · expenses $56K · assets $27K
- EIN
- 01-0930757
- Address
- 101 Rainbow Industrial Blvd, Rainbow City, AL 35906
- Website
- www.charactersentertainment.com
- NTEE code
- -
- Exempt type
- -
- Ruling date
- -
- IRS status
- Terminated (its 2023 Form 990-N says so) IRS data ↗
- Principal officer
- Cody Carlton (its 2023 Form 990-N)
- Form 990-N e-postcards
- 1 filed, 2023 (organizations with gross receipts normally $50,000 or less file this instead of a full Form 990) IRS data ↗
- Cross-check
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
Mission
The primary goal of CharACTers is to promote cultural curiosity. We want our performances to make a connection to the mind heart and spirit of our audiences; creating and stimulating a hunger for the experiences only achieved through the arts. As a theatre group in the community CharACTers largely depends on the commitment and dedication of its many volunteers who donate their time and talent on stage and behind the scenes from actors and stage crew to box office attendants and family members.
Each tax year counts once: when a return was amended, only the latest return for that period is used below (superseded returns stay listed, greyed, under Finances).
People paid by the organization
None of the 6 people listed on these returns reported compensation from the organization. They are listed below.
Officers and directors, no compensation reported
6 people listed on the returns with $0 (or no amount) in every compensation column: current people first. Hours are as filed on the latest return each person appears on.
| Name | Latest title | Years | Hrs/wk (latest) | Compensation | Organizations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Carlton | President | 2017-2021 | 25 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Shana Acray | Secretary | 2021 | 20 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Ken Staeck | Vice President | 2017-2021 | 15 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Santana McKinney-Carlton (former) | Secretary Treasuer | 2017-2020 | 20 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Daniel Henson (former) | IT Chairman | 2017-2018 | 10 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Debra Whitaker (former) | Volunteer Coordinator | 2017-2018 | 10 | $0 reported | 1 |
People by year
2021 · 3 people listed · none paid
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Carlton | President | 25 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| Shana Acray | Secretary | 20 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| Ken Staeck | Vice President | 15 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
2020 · 3 people listed · none paid
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Carlton | President | 25 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| Santana McKinney-Carlton | Secretary Treasuer | 20 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| Ken Staeck | Vice President | 15 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
2019 · 3 people listed · none paid
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Carlton | President | 35 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| Ken Staeck | Vice President | 10 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| Santana McKinney Carlton | Secretary/Treasurer | 15 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
2018 · 5 people listed · none paid
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Carlton | President | 35 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| Ken Staeck | Vice President | 10 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| Santana McKinney-Carlton | Secretary Treasurer | 35 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| Daniel Henson | IT Chairman | 10 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| Debra Whitaker | Volunteer Coordinator | 10 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
2017 · 5 people listed · none paid
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Carlton | President | 35 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| Ken Staeck | Vice President | 10 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| Santana McKinney-Carlton | Secretary Treasurer | 35 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| Daniel Henson | IT Chairman | 10 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| Debra Whitaker | Volunteer Coordinator | 10 | $0 | - | $0 | $0 | 1 |
Highest-paid independent contractors
No independent contractors reported.
Federal grants and contracts
Awards from USAspending.gov to a recipient with this organization's name and zip code. Obligations by federal fiscal year (October to September); each award links to its page on usaspending.gov.
| Fiscal year | Grants and other assistance | Contracts | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
Largest awards · 0 shown
| Year | Agency | Kind | Program | Description | Obligated |
|---|
Who gave
Contributor names are not public for this form type.
Public charities filing Form 990 or 990-EZ report large donors on Schedule B, but the IRS withholds their names and addresses from public copies. Private foundations (990-PF) are different: their contributors are public.
Finances
Newest first. Each filing: its name on one row, its figures on the row beneath. Greyed filings are superseded by a later return for the same period and are left out everywhere else on this page.
| Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Net assets | Contributions | Program revenue | Officer pay | Employees | Volunteers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 · Form 990EZ | ||||||||
| $46,000 | $56,500 | $27,208 | $27,208 | $4,000 | $42,000 | - | - | - |
| 2020 · Form 990EZ | ||||||||
| $127,847 | $106,307 | $37,708 | $37,708 | $22,000 | $105,847 | - | - | - |
| 2019 · Form 990EZ | ||||||||
| $169,847 | $175,966 | $16,168 | $16,168 | $35,950 | $133,897 | - | - | - |
| 2018 · Form 990EZ | ||||||||
| $145,056 | $148,944 | $22,297 | $22,297 | $39,650 | $105,406 | - | - | - |
| 2017 · Form 990EZ | ||||||||
| $133,072 | $119,640 | $26,185 | $26,185 | $33,500 | $99,572 | - | - | - |
Funders of this organization
1 grantor reported grants to this organization, $430 in all, tax years 2020 to 2023. Exact: the grantor wrote this organization's EIN. Fuzzy: the grantor wrote only a name (foundations' 990-PF has no EIN field), matched to the same or a near-identical name in the same state; the name as filed is shown. From the latest return for each grantor and year, so amended returns aren't counted twice. CSV
| Grantor | Type | Match | Years given | Grants | Total | Latest year | Latest year's amount | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMAZONSMILE FOUNDATION | Private foundation | Fuzzy filed as “THE CHARACTERS INC” | 2020-2023 | 4 | $430 | 2023 | $77 | show |
Similar organizations
Ranked without any AI: same NTEE code first, then the same NTEE group; then revenue within 2x, 5x or 10x; then the same state; then similar name and mission text. Same state only
| Organization | State | NTEE | Latest revenue | Latest expenses | Top-paid title | Top pay | Why similar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHARACTERS OF CHARACTER NFP INC | TN | B99 | $40,328 | $35,469 | President and Founder | $0 | Similar name, revenue within 2x |
| CHARACTER CHOICE INC | CO | P40 | $28,860 | $18,007 | PRESIDENT | $2,100 | Similar name, revenue within 2x |
| The Charity Inc | KS | Not reported | $63,445 | $75,137 | President | $0 | Similar name, revenue within 2x |
| CHARACTER HEART INC | AL | Not reported | $6,589 | $100,221 | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | $11,538 | Similar name, revenue within 10x, same state |
| CHARACTERWORKS INC | VA | O50 | $1,333,007 | $1,320,106 | Executive Artistic Director | $61,800 | Similar name, revenue differs more than 10x |
| CHARACTER THAT COUNTS INC | MO | X21 | $678,595 | $656,196 | SECRETARY | $0 | Similar name, revenue differs more than 10x |
| THE CHARACTER LAB INC | PA | Not reported | $0 | $523,078 | CHAIRMAN (THRU 8/31/24) | $0 | Similar name |
| CHARACTER MOXIE INC | WI | Not reported | $0 | $409 | TREASURER | $0 | Similar name |
| THE CENTERS INC | FL | Not reported | - | - | VICE PRESIDE | $0 | Similar name |
Who funds organizations like this
Grantors that funded the 9 most similar organizations. Ranked by total given to them. Foundations (990-PF) and donor-advised fund sponsors only. Same matching as Funders above (by EIN, or by name for foundations).
The full list · all similar organizations
Where the money went
Every expense line on each return, biggest first: Form 990 Part IX (with its program, management and fundraising columns), 990-EZ Part I, or 990-PF Part I. Event marks lines the organization itself describes as events. “Events” in each summary adds those lines, conferences and meetings, and the direct costs of fundraising events. Unusual is not the same as improper. Many of these patterns have ordinary explanations. Check the filing.
2021 · Form 990EZ · $56,500 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $0
| Line | As described | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other expenses (detail on Schedule O) | $29,000 | 51.3% | |
| Fees to independent contractors | $14,900 | 26.4% | |
| Occupancy, rent, utilities, maintenance | $9,600 | 17.0% | |
| Printing, publications, postage | $3,000 | 5.3% | |
| Total | $56,500 | 100% |
2020 · Form 990EZ · $106,307 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $0
| Line | As described | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other expenses (detail on Schedule O) | $56,007 | 52.7% | |
| Occupancy, rent, utilities, maintenance | $26,000 | 24.5% | |
| Fees to independent contractors | $15,300 | 14.4% | |
| Printing, publications, postage | $9,000 | 8.5% | |
| Total | $106,307 | 100% |
2019 · Form 990EZ · $175,966 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $0
| Line | As described | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other expenses (detail on Schedule O) | $88,966 | 50.6% | |
| Fees to independent contractors | $43,000 | 24.4% | |
| Occupancy, rent, utilities, maintenance | $23,000 | 13.1% | |
| Printing, publications, postage | $21,000 | 11.9% | |
| Total | $175,966 | 100% |
2018 · Form 990EZ · $148,944 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $0
| Line | As described | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other expenses (detail on Schedule O) | $86,444 | 58.0% | |
| Fees to independent contractors | $35,000 | 23.5% | |
| Printing, publications, postage | $15,000 | 10.1% | |
| Occupancy, rent, utilities, maintenance | $12,500 | 8.4% | |
| Total | $148,944 | 100% |
2017 · Form 990EZ · $119,640 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $0
| Line | As described | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other expenses (detail on Schedule O) | $73,458 | 61.4% | |
| Fees to independent contractors | $24,722 | 20.7% | |
| Occupancy, rent, utilities, maintenance | $12,500 | 10.4% | |
| Printing, publications, postage | $8,960 | 7.5% | |
| Total | $119,640 | 100% |
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