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Public Art Fund Inc

EIN 13-2898805 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair57 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

AS THE LEADER IN ITS FIELD, PUBLIC ART FUND BRINGS DYNAMIC CONTEMPORARY ART TO A BROAD AUDIENCE IN NEW YORK CITY AND BEYOND BY MOUNTING AMBITIOUS FREE EXHIBITIONS OF INTERNATIONAL SCOPE AND IMPACT THAT OFFER THE PUBLIC POWERFUL EXPERIENCES WITH ART AND THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT.

Income
$5.6 million
Spending
$6.7 million
Spent on programs
59%
Reserves
7.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 80%
Employees
36
Volunteers
27
Highest pay
$444,140, artistic & 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

Fair: 57 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 17% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 19% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    59% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 29 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.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    27 of 28 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 (1)
  1. $4.0 million spent. EXHIBITION PROGRAMPUBLIC ART FUND (PAF) ENGAGES ARTISTS OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS WHOSE WORKS REFLECT DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW AND THE DIVERSITY OF NEW YORK CITY. PAF'S MAJOR INITIATIVES INCLUDE DYNAMIC EXHIBITIONS, INSTALLATIONS, AND NEW COMMISSIONS OF ARTWORK BY AN INTERNATIONAL ROSTER OF ARTISTS AT ALL POINTS IN THEIR CAREERS FROM EMERGING TO GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED. THESE PROJECTS BRING IMPORTANT WORKS OF ART OUTSIDE THE TRADITIONAL CONFINES OF MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES, DIRECTLY TO PLACES WHERE NEW YORKERS LIVE AND WORK-INCLUDING PARKS, PLAZAS, OUTDOOR ADVERTISING VENUES, AND OTHER UNEXPECTED SITES-WHERE THEY CAN BE EXPERIENCED FREE OF CHARGE. (SEE SCHEDULE O)EACH YEAR, PAF WORKS WITH ARTISTS TO CREATE SITE-RESPONSIVE WORKS FOR VARIED LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT NEW YORK CITY, AND TO DEBUT EXISTING SCULPTURES AND INSTALLATIONS. COMMISSIONING NEW WORKS INVOLVES DEVELOPING LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PAF AND INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS; IT CAN TAKE FROM A FEW MONTHS TO SEVERAL YEARS TO DEVELOP A PROJECT AND ADDRESS THE COMPLEX TECHNICAL AND LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS INVOLVED IN PRESENTING NEW WORKS IN THE PUBLIC REALM.PAF MAINTAINS A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO DEVELOPING PROJECTS, WHEREIN INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS RESPOND TO A SITE IN NEW YORK CITY. AS A RESULT, PAF'S INSTALLATIONS ARE CLOSELY INTEGRATED INTO THEIR LOCATIONS AND OFFER OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE THESE SITES IN NEW WAYS. TO MEET THE ORGANIZATION'S GOAL OF REACHING THE BROADEST POSSIBLE AUDIENCE, PROJECTS ARE LOCATED BOTH IN HIGHLY TRAFFICKED LOCATIONS AND SPREAD ACROSS NEW YORK CITY'S FIVE BOROUGHS. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMSPAF'S OUTREACH PROGRAMS EXPAND UPON ITS EXHIBITION ACTIVITIES BY MAKING THEM ACCESSIBLE TO A WIDER AUDIENCE. PAF PRODUCES DIDACTIC MATERIALS IN PRINT AND DIGITAL FORMATS TO SUPPORT EACH OF ITS PROJECTS, AND TO AID AUDIENCES IN ENJOYING AND UNDERSTANDING PUBLIC ART PROJECTS BY CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS. PAF'S AUDIENCE IS AS BROAD AND DIVERSE AS THE MAKE-UP OF NEW YORK CITY'S RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, AND IT IS ESTIMATED THAT SOME 11 MILLION PEOPLE EXPERIENCED A PAF EXHIBITION OR PROGRAM IN THE LAST YEAR.GIVEN THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES OF MOUNTING AN EXHIBITION OUTDOORS, PAF ALSO DEVOTES SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES TO ENGAGING WITH ITS ONLINE AUDIENCE THROUGH BOTH ITS WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. PUBLICARTFUND.ORG FEATURES EXTENDED INFORMATION ON EACH EXHIBITION AND ARTIST, AS WELL AS MAPS AND GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SHOWS. VIDEOS FOR EACH EXHIBITION ILLUMINATE THE ARTISTS' THOUGHT PROCESSES AND OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR ONLINE VIEWERS TO EXPERIENCE THE SHOWS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF AN IN-PERSON VISITOR. PUBLIC ART FUND CONTINUES TO PRESENT ITS SIGNATURE LECTURE SERIES, PUBLIC ART FUND TALKS, VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON. ORGANIZED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COOPER UNION, THEY CONNECT COMPELLING CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS TO A BROAD PUBLIC BY ESTABLISHING A DIALOGUE ABOUT ARTISTIC PRACTICES AND PUBLIC ART.

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 July 1977.

    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.