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Each tax year counts once: when a return was amended, only the latest return for that period is used below (superseded returns stay listed, greyed, under Finances).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.

NameLatest titleYearsHrs/wk (latest)CompensationOrganizations
Cody Carlton President2017-2021 25 $0 reported 1
Shana Acray Secretary2021 20 $0 reported 1
Ken Staeck Vice President2017-2021 15 $0 reported 1
Santana McKinney-Carlton (former) Secretary Treasuer2017-2020 20 $0 reported 1
Daniel Henson (former) IT Chairman2017-2018 10 $0 reported 1
Debra Whitaker (former) Volunteer Coordinator2017-2018 10 $0 reported 1

People by year

2021 · 3 people listed · none paid
NameTitleHrs/wkFrom orgFrom relatedOtherTotalOrgs
Cody Carlton President25 $0-$0 $01
Shana Acray Secretary20 $0-$0 $01
Ken Staeck Vice President15 $0-$0 $01
2020 · 3 people listed · none paid
NameTitleHrs/wkFrom orgFrom relatedOtherTotalOrgs
Cody Carlton President25 $0-$0 $01
Santana McKinney-Carlton Secretary Treasuer20 $0-$0 $01
Ken Staeck Vice President15 $0-$0 $01
2019 · 3 people listed · none paid
NameTitleHrs/wkFrom orgFrom relatedOtherTotalOrgs
Cody Carlton President35 $0-$0 $01
Ken Staeck Vice President10 $0-$0 $01
Santana McKinney Carlton Secretary/Treasurer15 $0-$0 $01
2018 · 5 people listed · none paid
NameTitleHrs/wkFrom orgFrom relatedOtherTotalOrgs
Cody Carlton President35 $0-$0 $01
Ken Staeck Vice President10 $0-$0 $01
Santana McKinney-Carlton Secretary Treasurer35 $0-$0 $01
Daniel Henson IT Chairman10 $0-$0 $01
Debra Whitaker Volunteer Coordinator10 $0-$0 $01
2017 · 5 people listed · none paid
NameTitleHrs/wkFrom orgFrom relatedOtherTotalOrgs
Cody Carlton President35 $0-$0 $01
Ken Staeck Vice President10 $0-$0 $01
Santana McKinney-Carlton Secretary Treasurer35 $0-$0 $01
Daniel Henson IT Chairman10 $0-$0 $01
Debra Whitaker Volunteer Coordinator10 $0-$0 $01

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 yearGrants and other assistanceContractsAwards
2020$0$01
Largest awards · 0 shown
YearAgencyKindProgramDescriptionObligated

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.

RevenueExpensesAssetsNet assetsContributionsProgram revenueOfficer payEmployeesVolunteers
2021 · Form 990EZ period ending 2021-12-31 · view filing · original 990 ↗
$46,000$56,500 $27,208$27,208 $4,000$42,000 ---
2020 · Form 990EZ period ending 2020-12-31 · view filing · original 990 ↗
$127,847$106,307 $37,708$37,708 $22,000$105,847 ---
2019 · Form 990EZ period ending 2019-12-31 · view filing · original 990 ↗
$169,847$175,966 $16,168$16,168 $35,950$133,897 ---
2018 · Form 990EZ period ending 2018-12-31 · view filing · original 990 ↗
$145,056$148,944 $22,297$22,297 $39,650$105,406 ---
2017 · Form 990EZ period ending 2017-12-31 · view filing · original 990 ↗
$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

GrantorTypeMatchYears givenGrantsTotalLatest yearLatest year's amountGrants
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

OrganizationStateNTEELatest revenueLatest expensesTop-paid titleTop payWhy similar
CHARACTERS OF CHARACTER NFP INCTNB99 $40,328$35,469 President and Founder$0 Similar name, revenue within 2x
CHARACTER CHOICE INCCOP40 $28,860$18,007 PRESIDENT$2,100 Similar name, revenue within 2x
The Charity IncKSNot reported $63,445$75,137 President$0 Similar name, revenue within 2x
CHARACTER HEART INCALNot reported $6,589$100,221 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR$11,538 Similar name, revenue within 10x, same state
CHARACTERWORKS INCVAO50 $1,333,007$1,320,106 Executive Artistic Director$61,800 Similar name, revenue differs more than 10x
CHARACTER THAT COUNTS INCMOX21 $678,595$656,196 SECRETARY$0 Similar name, revenue differs more than 10x
THE CHARACTER LAB INCPANot reported $0$523,078 CHAIRMAN (THRU 8/31/24)$0 Similar name
CHARACTER MOXIE INCWINot reported $0$409 TREASURER$0 Similar name
THE CENTERS INCFLNot 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).

GrantorTypeTotal givenGrantsOrganizations fundedYearsWhich ones
GATES FOUNDATION Private foundation$4,338,2576 12019–2023 THE CHARACTER LAB INC
JOHN TEMPLETON FOUNDATION Private foundation$2,385,8925 12016–2019 THE CHARACTER LAB INC
SILICON VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION DAF sponsor$2,027,3004 22015–2022 THE CHARACTER LAB INC; CHARACTERWORKS INC
CHAN ZUCKERBERG INITIATIVE FOUNDATION Private foundation$1,500,0002 12021–2022 THE CHARACTER LAB INC
WALTON FAMILY FOUNDATION INC Private foundation$999,6603 12021–2023 THE CHARACTER LAB INC
NATIONAL CHRISTIAN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION DAF sponsor$273,57515 22012–2024 CHARACTER THAT COUNTS INC; CHARACTER HEART INC
DONOR ADVISED CHARITABLE GIVING DAF sponsor$245,0008 22016–2022 THE CHARACTER LAB INC; THE CENTERS INC
FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND DAF sponsor$86,8796 22016–2024 THE CHARACTER LAB INC; CHARACTER THAT COUNTS INC
JEWISH COMMUNAL FUND DAF sponsor$55,0003 12016–2018 THE CHARACTER LAB INC
ANTHONY A YOSELOFF FOUNDATION INC Private foundation$50,0001 12018–2018 THE CHARACTER LAB INC
NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TR DAF sponsor$40,0011 12018–2018 THE CHARACTER LAB INC
AMERICAN ONLINE GIVING FOUNDATION INC DAF sponsor$37,8813 22019–2024 THE CHARACTER LAB INC; CHARACTERWORKS INC
VANGUARD CHARITABLE ENDOWMENT PROGRAM DAF sponsor$35,0003 22020–2024 CHARACTER THAT COUNTS INC; THE CHARACTER LAB INC
LOWELL BERRY FOUNDATION Private foundation$31,00013 12011–2023 CHARACTER CHOICE INC
SERVANT FOUNDATION DAF sponsor$25,2003 12018–2020 CHARACTER THAT COUNTS INC

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
LineAs describedTotalShare
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$56,500100%

View the filing

2020 · Form 990EZ · $106,307 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $0
LineAs describedTotalShare
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$106,307100%

View the filing

2019 · Form 990EZ · $175,966 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $0
LineAs describedTotalShare
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$175,966100%

View the filing

2018 · Form 990EZ · $148,944 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $0
LineAs describedTotalShare
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$148,944100%

View the filing

2017 · Form 990EZ · $119,640 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $0
LineAs describedTotalShare
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$119,640100%

View the filing

Comments

Anonymous: no account or email. Up to 2,000 characters, at most one link. Comments are checked automatically; some wait for review.