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Eternal Gandhi Museum Houston Inc

EIN 02-0643033 · Houston, TX

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak31 out of 100GovernanceWeak42 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
  • Only 7% of its spending went to programs.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

OUR MISSION IS TO INTRODUCE UNIVERSAL VALUES OF TRUTH, NONVIOLENCE, LOVE AND SERVICE TO EVERY CHILD IN AND AROUND HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AREA THROUGH STUDY OF LEADERS OF PEACE SUCH AS MAHATMA GANDHI, DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. AND OTHERS.

Income
$1.5 million
Spending
$718,729
Spent on programs
7%
Reserves
-33.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 97%
Employees
0
Volunteers
50

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 31 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 21% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 53% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 67% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    7% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Weak: 42 out of 100. Higher than 6% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $17,355 spent. THE ENTITY IS IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING THE ETERNAL GANDHI MULTIMEDIA MUSEUM. THE EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUM ARE A GIFT TO MGL FROM BIRLA FAMILY OF INDIA. HOUSTON WILL BE THE FIRST AND ONLY CITY IN THE UNITED STATES TO HOST IT AS A PERMANENT EXHIBIT. THE HOUSTON MUSEUM WILL BE A PHENOMENAL EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE AND CIVIC ASSET FOR THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN, AND WILL PRESENT GANDHIAN VALUES IN A FUN AND GAME-CENTRIC MANNER. THE MUSEUM WILL PRESENT THE HISTORICAL EVENTS OF GANDHIS LIFE AS WELL AS SPECTRUM OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INSPIRED BY GANDHIAN THOUGHT.
  2. $29,549 spent. 1000 LIGHTS FOR PEACE IS CELEBRATED EACH YEAR ON SUNDAY FOLLOWING BIRTHDAY OF MAHATMA GANDHI, OCTOBER 2ND, AS CULMINATION OF MAHATMA GANDHI WEEK. ACTIVITIES DURING MAHATMA GANDHI WEEK HAVE INCLUDED THE AIRING OF A FORCE MORE POWERFUL BY KUHT, CH 8 (PUBLIC TV), THE PAINTING AND DEDICATION OF THE GANDHI MURAL BY HCC STUDENTS IN DUPREE PARK FEATURING SEVERAL NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNERS, A TRAVELING EXHIBIT TITLED GANDHI DARSHAN, GLIMPSES OF GANDHI, (DISPLAYED AT AREA LIBRARIES, SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES), FIELD TRIPS FOR CHILDREN, STORYTELLING SESSIONS BY PROFESSIONAL STORYTELLERS FROM HOUSTON STORYTELLERS GUILD, A CITY WIDE POSTER, MULTIMEDIA, ESSAY AND SPEECH CONTEST FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND NUMEROUS OTHER ACTIVITIES.
  3. FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS UNITY OF HOUSTON HAS BEEN HOSTING THIS EVENT TO COMMEMORATE THE PASSING AWAY OF THIS "GREAT SOUL-MAHATMA" ON A SATURDAY, FOLLOWING DEATH ANNIVERSARY ON JANUARY 30TH. UNITY OF HOUSTON ALONG WITH MGL PAY TRIBUTE TO MAHATMA GANDHI. MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS ARYA SAMAJ GREATER HOUSTON, INTERFAITH MINISTRY OF GREATER HOUSTON, CHINMAYA MISSION, BARAHAMAKUMARIS AND OTHER HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since December 2002.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.