American Federation of Arts Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF ARTS INITIATES AND ORGANIZES A NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM OF ART EXHIBITIONS, PUBLICATIONS, AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES TO BENEFIT THE MUSEUM COMMUNITY AND ENRICH THE PUBLIC'S EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF ART AND CULTURE.
- Income
- $4.1 million
- Spending
- $4.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 60%
- Reserves
- 0.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 61%
- Employees
- 29
- Volunteers
- 30
- Highest pay
- $279,741, director and ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 41 out of 100. Higher than 12% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.5 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 44% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 35% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1560% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 49 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2530 of 30 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 (1)
- $2.6 million spent. SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1909, THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF ARTS (AFA) HAS BEEN INITIATING AND ORGANIZING EXHIBITIONS OF BOTH CRITICAL AND POPULAR ACCLAIM. AFA EXHIBITIONS HAVE BEEN PRESENTED THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, AS WELL AS IN CANADA, LATIN AMERICA, EUROPE, AND ASIA.THE AFA'S CURATORS INITIATE CONCEPTS FOR EXHIBITIONS, SELECT THE LEADING SCHOLARS IN THE FIELD TO ACT AS THE GUEST CURATOR FOR EACH PROJECT, AND THEN, TOGETHER WITH PUBLICATIONS, EDUCATION, AND REGISTRARIAL STAFF, ORGANIZE ALL ASPECTS OF THE EXHIBITION AND ITS TOUR, INCLUDING THE PUBLICATION OF THE CATALOG AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS.AT ANY GIVEN TIME, THE AFA HAS APPROXIMATELY THIRTY EXHIBITIONS IN VARIOUS STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT. SINCE THE ORGANIZATION'S INCEPTION, APPROXIMATELY THREE THOUSAND EXHIBITIONS HAVE TRAVELED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD UNDER ITS AUSPICES. TODAY, AFA EXHIBITIONS ARE SHOWN AT MUSEUMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND ABROAD, ATTRACTING AUDIENCES OF MORE THAN 1.5 MILLION VISITORS ANNUALLY-STATISTICS THAT POSITION THE AFA IN LINE WITH THE TEN MOST VISITED ART MUSEUMS IN THE COUNTRY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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.
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.
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.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 2003.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: American Federation of Teachers (New York, NY), EIN 13-5582895. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.