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American Folk Art Museum

EIN 13-1985627 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair69 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

FOUNDED IN 1961 THE AMERICAN FOLK ART MUSEUM IS THE NATIONS MUSEUM OF FOLK AND SELF-TAUGHT ARTISTS. CANDID GENUINE AND UNEXPECTED. AFAM CELEBRATES THE CREATIVITY OF INDIVIDUALS WHOSE SINGULAR TALENTS HAVE BEEN REFINED THROUGH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE RATHER THAN FORMAL ARTISTIC TRAINING WITH A COLLECTION SPANNING 7,500 WORKS OF ART FROM FOUR CENTURIES AND NEARLY EVERY CONTINENT THE MUSEUM ENGAGES PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS THROUGH ITS COLLECTIONS EXHIBITIONS PUBLICATIONS AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS AS THE LEADING FORUM SHAPING THE UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF FOLK AND SELF-TAUGHT ART THANKS TO THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBER PATRONS AND DONORS ADMISSION IS ALWAYS FREE.

Income
$6.1 million
Spending
$6.0 million
Spent on programs
67%
Reserves
0.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 40%
Employees
46
Volunteers
20
Highest pay
$348,836, 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

Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    67% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 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 25

    27 of 27 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

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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 (4)
  1. $1.2 million spent. EXHIBITIONS AND COLLECTIONS - DEVELOPMENT AND PRESENTATION OF EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMS THAT PRESENT NEW IDEAS ARTISTS AND ARTWORKS THAT SHAPE AND DEFINE THE FIELD OF FOLK ART AND WORK OF SELF-TAUGHT ARTISTS. THE MUSEUM ALSO MAINTAINS AND PRESERVES A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF MORE THAT 7,000 OBJECTS; LOANS ARTWORKS TO OTHER INSTITUTIONS; ORGANIZES TRAVELING EXHIBITIONS AND MAKES ITS COLLECTION AVAILABLE FOR STUDY.
  2. $563,014 spent. MUSEUM GIFT SHOP AND E-COMMERCE PLATFORM MAKES MERCHANDISE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC INCLUDING HAND-MADE ITEMS ARTISTIC REPRODUCTIONS AND PUBLICATIONS THAT REFLECT THE MISSION AND VISION OF THE MUSEUM.
  3. $354,115 spent. EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT PRE-K THROUGH 12TH GRADE STUDENTS WITH SINGLE CLASS VISITS; MUSEUM-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS; TEEN DOCENT PROGRAMS AND SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS; MONTHLY FAMILY PROGRAMS HANDS ON WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS WEEKLY MUSIC EVENTS PROGRAMS FOR SENIORS WITH ALZHEIMERS DISEASE TOURS FOR BLIND AND VISTORS WITH LOW VISION A YEAR-LONG PAID INTERNSHIP FOR LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS FOR NYC TEACHERS AND OPEN HOUSES FOR TEACHERS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS; AN EDUCATIONAL LIBRARY AND STUDY CENTER FOR THE BENEFIT OF SCHOLARS AND RESEARCHERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC BY APPOINTMENT; AND ADULT PROGRAMS THAT SERVE LIFE-LONG LEARNERS WITH A ROBUST PROGRAM OF LECTURES FILMS DOCENT TOURS SYMPOSIA AND SPECIAL EVENTS.
  4. $1.9 million spent. SUPPORT SERVICES

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

  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 November 6, 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 June 2025.

    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 July 1964.

    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 November 4, 2026.

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