Nonprofit · EIN 83-4428059
I WAS HERE INC
Tax-exempt · LEXINGTON, KY 40507
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 990 | $261,912 | $163,010 | $98,902 | $291,131 | $1,335 | $289,796 |
| December 31, 2024 | 990-EZ | $160,274 | $137,699 | $22,575 | $190,894 | $0 | $190,894 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990-EZ | $123,413 | $94,357 | $29,056 | $192,319 | $0 | $192,319 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $252,988
- of which government grants
- $91,324
- Program service revenue
- $0
- Investment income
- $6,971
- Other revenue
- $1,953
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $1,289
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $0
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $0
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Accounting fees
- $5,238
- Occupancy
- $25,781
- Travel
- $9,429
- Program services (functional)
- $118,433
- Management and general (functional)
- $44,577
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $190,894
- Total assets, end of year
- $291,131
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $1,335
- Net assets, end of year
- $289,796
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $289,796
- Gross receipts
- $261,912
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 0
- Year formed
- 2019
- State of legal domicile
- KY
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnny Martinez | Board Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 |
| Marjorie Guyon | Artisitic Director Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 |
| Barry Burton | Treasurer & Program Director Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 |
| Syndy Deese | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Mary Quinn Ramer | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| James Brown | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Roberta Davis | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| John Hayes | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Ryan Foster | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Jim Voyles | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
990-EZ for the year ended December 31, 2024: 10 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnny Martinez | Board Chair | 2 | $0 |
| Marjorie Guyon | Artisitic Director | 2 | $0 |
| Barry Burton | Treasurer & Program Director | 1 | $0 |
| Syndy Deese | Director | 1 | $0 |
| Mary Quinn Ramer | Director | 1 | $0 |
| James Brown | Director | 1 | $0 |
| Roberta Davis | Director | 1 | $0 |
| John Hayes | Director | 1 | $0 |
| Ryan Foster | Director | 1 | $0 |
| Jim Voyles | Director | 1 | $0 |
990-EZ for the year ended December 31, 2023: 11 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barry Burton | Treasurer & Program Director | 2 | $23,575 |
| Johnny Martinez | President | 2 | $18,200 |
| Marshall Fields | Director | 1 | $9,500 |
| Marjorie Guyon | Secretary & Executive Director | 2 | $4,800 |
| Syndy Deese | Vice President | 2 | $0 |
| Mary Quinn Ramer | Director | 1 | $0 |
| James Brown | Director | 1 | $0 |
| Roberta Davis | Director | 1 | $0 |
| John Hayes | Director | 1 | $0 |
| Ryan Foster | Director | 1 | $0 |
| Jim voyles | Director | 1 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 269 W MAIN ST STE 200, LEXINGTON, KY 40507-1742
- In care of
- % MARJORIE GUYON
- Principal officer (990 for 2025)
- Johnny Martinez, 737 Emmett Creek Lane, Lexington, KY 40515
- Signed the 990
- Johnny Martinez, President
- Phone
- (859) 554-7995
- Website
- www.i-was-here.org
- Return prepared by
- Bourne Bookkeeping & Admin Srvcs
Mission
I Was Here creates a transformational force in public spaces bringing the voice of community into public space. The Mission of I Was Here is manifold. We enhance our community's cultural landscape through collaboration with artists, civic organizations, and community stakeholders to create transformative installations and exhibitions that reflect the unique character and spirit of Lexington.
Program accomplishments
- The I Was Here Project produces large-scale public art installations called Ancestor Spirit Portraits, designed to acknowledge the unrecognized Nation Builders whose labor helped build the United States. These installations transform public spaces into sites of historical reflection and civic dialogue. The program activates civic environments including museums, downtown districts, universities, and cultural institutions through large-scale printed installations, projection mapping, and immersive technology. Installations have appeared in locations such as Lexington, Kentucky; Washington, D.C.; New York City; and Broward County, Florida. Notable installations include a large-scale digital projection at One World Trade Center, presented with NYCxDesign and MadLabs Studios, where the portraits rose over 200 feet on the building facade overlooking Lower Manhattan. The program has created a growing network of installation sites and public spaces dedicated to acknowledging the contributions of Nation Builders. The installations restore visibility to historically overlooked contributors to American history while activating public dialogue about ancestry, identity, and civic belonging. I Was Here also runs the Nation Builder Workshops which are immersive educational programs that invite participants to explore ancestry, identity, and civic leadership through storytelling and creative reflection. Participants are guided through a structured process in which they examine the concept of Nation Builders and develop personal narratives about their own relationship to history, identity, and community. These workshops address what the project identifies as Narrative Debt-the absence of historically accurate representation in public memory-and encourage participants to see themselves as contributors to civic life. Workshops are conducted with youth, universities, and community organizations including Operation Be You and educational institutions across Kentucky and Florida. Participants develop personal narratives centered on ancestry and civic identity, building confidence, literacy skills, and civic engagement. Public presentations of these narratives often accompany installations and community ceremonies. The I Was Here Project hosts public events, exhibitions, and community dialogues designed to engage residents, scholars, artists, and civic leaders in discussions about history, ancestry, and shared identity. These programs include: community exhibition openings, civic presentations, public storytelling events, and cultural dialogues tied to installations. Events have been hosted in collaboration with partners including LexArts, VisitLEX, and the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. These programs foster community dialogue about historical memory while building connections between residents, cultural institutions, and civic leadership. I Was Here Nationwide is the project's expanding framework designed to bring the program's public art, educational workshops, and immersive technologies to cities across the United States. Through partnerships with artists, cultural institutions, and technology collaborators such as MadLabs Studios, the initiative integrates: large-scale portrait installations, immersive projection environments, holographic storytelling technology, and youth-led narrative workshops, This framework allows cities and institutions to adopt the model as cultural infrastructure, transforming public spaces into living archives of community memory and civic dialogue. The program creates new cultural assets for cities while encouraging civic literacy, cross-cultural dialogue, and community engagement around shared history. Across its programs, the I Was Here Project combines public art, immersive technology, and community storytelling to address gaps in public historical representation. By acknowledging the contributions of Nation Builders and inviting communities to explore ancestry and civic identity, the organization strengthens cultural memory and public dialogue. In 2025, I was Here has had 247 workshop participants, and 456 individuals served in Fayette County workshops, including 412 youth through programs delivered in schools, community centers, and cultural institutions. There were 88 installation sites created, 1,094,213 audience views over installations across multiple cities and cultural institutions and international public art recognition including a CODAworx award.Expenses $118,433 · revenue $252,987
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990-EZ on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990-EZ on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 83-4428059
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 2019
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Arts, culture and humanities (A20)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $291,131
- Income (IRS master file)
- $261,912
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2025 | $261,912 | $163,010 | $291,131 | IRS |
| 990-EZ | December 2024 | $160,274 | $137,699 | $190,894 | IRS |
| 990-EZ | December 2023 | $123,413 | $94,357 | $192,319 | XML |
| 990-EZ | December 2022 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990-EZ | December 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990-EZ | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 83-4428059).
Questions about I WAS HERE INC
- What is the EIN of I WAS HERE INC?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of I WAS HERE INC is 83-4428059.
- Is I WAS HERE INC tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2019.
- Are donations to I WAS HERE INC tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does I WAS HERE INC file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of I WAS HERE INC due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did I WAS HERE INC last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of I WAS HERE INC?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names Johnny Martinez.
- Who are the officers and directors of I WAS HERE INC?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 10 people; 0 received compensation from the organization.
- How much revenue does I WAS HERE INC have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $261,912, expenses of $163,010 and total assets of $291,131 at year end.
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