Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Foundation for Contemporary Arts Inc

EIN 13-1978163 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO ENCOURAGE, SPONSOR, AND PROMOTE INNOVATIVE WORK IN THE ARTS CREATED AND PRESENTED BY INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS, AND ORGANIZATIONS.

Income
$4.3 million
Spending
$3.1 million
Spent on programs
71%
Reserves
Over 10 years of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 51%
Employees
12
Volunteers
21
Highest pay
$270,028, executive director

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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 28% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 33% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    71% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a 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.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or 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 (5)
  1. $1.3 million spent. GRANTS TO ARTISTS: UNRESTRICTED, $45,000 CASH AWARDS INTENDED TO PROVIDE RECIPIENTS WITH THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO ENGAGE IN WHATEVER ARTISTIC ENDEAVORS THEY WISH TO PURSUE. RECIPIENTS ARE CHOSEN ANNUALLY THROUGH A CONFIDENTIAL PEER NOMINATION PROCESS, STAFF RESEARCH, AND SELECTION BY A COMMITTEE COMPRISING FCA'S BOARD AND GUEST EXPERTS. IN 2024, 23 GRANTS WERE MADE TO INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS. 11 OF THESE AWARDS ARE NAMED AFTER AND IN MEMORY OF ARTISTS: JOHN CAGE, MERCE CUNNINGHAM, VIOLA FARBER, HELEN FRANKENTHALER, ROY LICHTENSTEIN, ALVIN LUCIER, RICHARD POUSETTE-DART, ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG, DOROTHEA TANNING, CY TWOMBLY, AND C.D. WRIGHT. THE CAGE AND CUNNINGHAM AWARDS ARE MADE IN ALTERNATING YEARS.
  2. $707,328 spent. EMERGENCY GRANTS: GRANTS OF $500-$3,000, AWARDED ON A ROLLING BASIS TO ARTISTS AND COLLECTIVES WHO INCUR UNEXPECTED EXPENSES RELATED TO THE PUBLIC PRESENTATION OF THEIR WORK OR RECEIVE SUDDEN OPPORTUNITIES TO PRESENT THEIR WORK PUBLICLY. APPLICATIONS ARE RECEIVED ON A ROLLING BASIS THROUGH AN OPEN APPLICATION PROCESS. STAFF REVIEW APPLICATIONS FOR ELIGIBILITY, AND EACH MONTH AN ARTIST PANEL REVIEWS THEM AND DETERMINES GRANT RECIPIENTS. IN 2024, FCA MADE 231 EMERGENCY GRANTS TOTALING $465,000.
  3. $67,746 spent. WARREN PRINDLE VISUAL ARTS SCHOLARSHIP (CVAS): FCA ADMINISTERS AN ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR COLLEGE-BOUND SENIORS FROM THE HOUSATONIC VALLEY REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDY IN THE FINE ARTS, WITH FUNDS CONTRIBUTED BY A CONNECTICUT FOUNDATION. SELECTION IS MADE BY A PANEL OF VISUAL ARTISTS BASED ON MERIT AND FINANCIAL NEED. SINCE 2023, EACH NEW SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT RECEIVES $80,000 OVER FOUR YEARS ($10,000 PER SEMESTER). $60,000 WAS DISTRIBUTED TO THREE STUDENTS IN 2024. FORMERLY THE CONTEMPORARY VISUAL ART SCHOLARSHIP, THE AWARD WAS NAMED AFTER HVRHS ART TEACHER WARREN PRINDLE UPON HIS RETIREMENT.
  4. $62,167 spent. THE ELLSWORTH KELLY AWARD: THIS ENDOWED AWARD WAS ESTABLISHED WITH A GIFT FROM THE ELLSWORTH KELLY FOUNDATION IN HONOR OF THE ARTIST. THE GRANT IS MADE ANNUALLY TO CREATE A SOLO EXHIBITION OPPORTUNITY FOR A CONTEMPORARY VISUAL ARTIST AT A U.S. ART MUSEUM OR UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE ART GALLERY. FCA IDENTIFIES AND INVITES APPLICATIONS FROM SUCH INSTITUTIONS ANNUALLY. THE FOUNDATION'S BOARD REVIEWS APPLICATIONS AND SELECTS THE RECIPIENT. THE 2024 AWARD WAS $45,000.
  5. $95,568 spent. CREATIVE RESEARCH GRANTS ADMINISTRATION:CREATIVE RESEARCH GRANTS OF $10,000 ARE AWARDED BY FCA TO SUPPORT CRITICAL EXPLORATORY PHASES OF THE ARTISTIC PROCESS. LAUNCHED IN 2024, THE PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE BY A GENEROUS BEQUEST FROM THE ESTATE OF MARGO LEAVIN. FCA INVITES PRIOR RECIPIENTS OF EMERGENCY GRANTS TO APPLY FOR ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD INFORM AND ENHANCE THEIR ARTISTIC PRACTICE OVER AN 18-MONTH PERIOD. APPLICATIONS ARE REVIEWED BY STAFF FOR ELIGIBILITY AND SUBSEQUENTLY REVIEWED BY AN ARTIST PANEL IN TWO PHASES TO SELECT THE RECIPIENTS. RECIPIENTS SIGN A GRANT AGREEMENT AND ARE ASKED TO SUBMIT A FINAL REPORT UPON THE CONCLUSION OF FUNDED ACTIVITIES, DESCRIBING HOW THEY USED THEIR GRANT AND ITS IMPACT. THE RESULTING $300,000 IN CREATIVE RESEARCH GRANTS WERE AWARDED IN JANUARY 2025 AND DO NOT APPEAR IN THE GRANT TOTAL.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since December 1999.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.