U B W Inc
Choreographer jawole willa jo zollar founded urban bush women (UBW) in 1984 as a performance ensemble dedicated to exploring the use of cultural expression as a catalyst for social change. UBW weaves contemporary dance, music and text with the history, culture, and spiritual traditions of african americans and the african diaspora. UBW's artistic work is unique and requested around the world. UBW has a collaborative approach to choreography and performance and works with an impressive list of collaborators from the worlds of dance, music and literature.
U B W Inc at a glance
- Total assets
- $5,414,252
- +35.0% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $3,567,279
- +30.6% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $95,897
- -6.8% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $2,379,176
- -23.7% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who U B W Inc funds
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2020, annual grant giving ranged from $12K (2020) to $71K (2019). In 2020 it made 2 grants totaling $12K.
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,414,252 | $3,567,279 | $2,379,176 | — | — | $95,897 |
| 2024 | $4,010,313 | $2,731,076 | $3,119,250 | — | — | $102,936 |
| 2023 | $4,174,881 | $1,954,125 | $3,270,072 | — | — | $69,043 |
| 2022 | $5,586,480 | $2,215,799 | $2,493,802 | — | — | $4,566 |
| 2021 | $6,152,678 | $6,601,239 | $1,579,791 | — | — | $1,156 |
| 2020 | $981,742 | $1,028,318 | $1,139,289 | $12,000 | 2 | $431 |
| 2019 | $832,574 | $1,408,450 | $1,776,756 | $71,400 | 2 | $1,735 |
About U B W Inc
Based on IRS filings
U B W Inc is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Brooklyn, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $5.4M in total assets. Net investment income was $96K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
U B W Inc is led by Tahnia Belle, Executive Director on every filing since 2024; 2 of 19 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Tahnia Belle
Executive Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$99K (2024) → $102K (2025)
Michele Kumi Baer
Executive Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marjorie McFarlane Lucas
Chair
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jawole Willa Jo Zollar
Director & Artistic Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$63K (2019) → $96K (2025)
Ngozi Ogbonna
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tammy Bormann
Director
Chairman → Chair, 2024
Chair → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Williams-Riley
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Debra Brookes
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marc Bleyer
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Dorant
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tamara Greenfield
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karen Garrett
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kenya Nyota Lee
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kyishia Lewis
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carolin Butler
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lynna Cobrall
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ashly Nikkole Davis
Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Smith
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Yvahn Martin
Vice Chair
Vice Chairman → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Michelle Dorant-Smith (2024) — Director
- Former: Brian Hills (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Deborah Brookes (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Mary Jamis (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Alice Sheppard (2019) — Director
- Former: Tanisha Ross (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $102K, to Tahnia Belle (Executive Director (Thru 3/7/25)). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about U B W Inc
How large is U B W Inc?
U B W Inc reported $5.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.6M.
What is U B W Inc?
U B W Inc is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Brooklyn, NY. It holds $5.4M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does U B W Inc operate?
U B W Inc has awarded grants in Minnesota, New York.
What is U B W Inc's EIN?
U B W Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3645651. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 14, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 17, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 21, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 19, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 3, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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