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International Foundation for Art Research Inc

EIN 13-2623376 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak24 out of 100GovernanceGood71 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 43% 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

EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO INTEGRITY IN THE VISUAL ARTS. IFAR IS CONCERNED WITH ISSUES OF ATTRIBUTION/AUTHENTICITY, PROVENANCE, THEFT, OWNERSHIP, AND OTHER SCHOLARLY, LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES INVOLVING ART OBJECTS.

Income
$177,948
Spending
$500,121
Spent on programs
43%
Reserves
0.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 56%
Employees
4
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$221,043, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 24 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 181% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 57% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    43% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 71 out of 100.

  • 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

    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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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.

  • 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, 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 (3)
  1. $55,052 spent. AUTHENTICATION AND RESEARCHSINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1969, IFAR HAS OFFERED AN ART AUTHENTICATION RESEARCH SERVICE TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH SCHOLARLY, OBJECTIVE, AND UNBIASED RESEARCH AND OPINIONS ON WORKS OF ART WHOSE ATTRIBUTION IS IN QUESTION OR WHOSE EXISTENCE IS UNKNOWN TO SPECIALISTS IN THE FIELD. AS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT NEITHER BUYS, SELLS, NOR APPRAISES ARTWORKS FOR MONETARY VALUE, IFAR HAS NO VESTED INTEREST IN THE OUTCOME OF ITS RESEARCH. THE SERVICE IS AVAILABLE TO MUSEUMS, OTHER INSTITUTIONS, GALLERIES, AND INDIVIDUALS, BUT THEY MUST BE THE OWNERS OF THE ARTWORKS OR THEIR AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES. IFAR CONDUCTS PROVENANCE AND OTHER RESEARCH ON ARTWORKS, AND THEY ARE ALSO EXAMINED BY SPECIALISTS. IF WARRANTED, SCIENTIFIC TESTS ARE ALSO PERFORMED. AT THE END OF ITS RESEARCH, IFAR ISSUES A WRITTEN REPORT FOR THE OWNER DETAILING ITS FINDINGS. IFAR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO PUBLISH ITS RESEARCH, AND OVER THE YEARS, HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR EXPOSING NUMEROUS ART FRAUD SCAMS AND DISCOVERING MANY PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN ARTWORKS.
  2. $105,105 spent. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMSBEGINNING IN 2024, IFAR LAUNCHED A NEW INITIATIVE CALLED IFAR EDUCATION, COMPRISING FEE-BASED ONLINE COURSES ON PROVENANCE, FAKES AND FORGERIES, AND ETHICAL AND INFORMED ART COLLECTING. IN 2025, IFAR CONTINUED THIS INITIATIVE, OFFERING TWO SESSIONS OF ITS SIX-WEEK ONLINE CLASS, INTRODUCTION TO PROVENANCE RESEARCH, IN WHICH STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE LEARNED HOW TO INVESTIGATE, DEVELOP, AND INTERPRET PROVENANCE NARRATIVES FOR ARTWORKS FROM ANTIQUITY TO THE PRESENT DAY.
  3. $55,025 spent. WEBSITE INITIATIVESIFAR OFFERS THREE MAJOR EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES ON ITS WEBSITE: THE ART LAW & CULTURAL PROPERTY DATABASE, THE CATALOGUES RAISONNS DATABASE, AND THE PROVENANCE GUIDE. THE TWO DATABASES, LAUNCHED IN 2008, ARE CONTINUOUSLY UPDATED. THE ART LAW & CULTURAL PROPERTY DATABASE IS A COMPENDIUM OF CASE LAW AND INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL PROPERTY LEGISLATION DEALING WITH INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC LEGISLATION AND LEGAL CLAIMS RELATING TO ART OWNERSHIP & EXPORT, RESTITUTION, REPATRIATION, AND AUTHENTICITY OF ART OBJECTS. THE ART LAW DATABASE IS CURRENTLY A SUBSCRIPTION-BASED SERVICE, THOUGH USERS CAN ALSO ACCESS IT FOR 2- OR 4-HOUR SEGMENTS AT A MODEST FEE. THE CATALOGUES RAISONNS DATABASE HAS ALWAYS BEEN FREE. THE PROVENANCE GUIDE IS A PRIMER ON HOW TO DO PROVENANCE RESEARCH, PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN THIS ERA WHEN MUSEUMS AND THE ART COLLECTING PUBLIC ARE HELD TO A HIGH ETHICAL STANDARD REGARDING THE ACQUISITION AND EXHIBITING OF ART WORKS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 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 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 January 1969.

    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.