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The Museum for African Art

EIN 13-3137461 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak28 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

THE AFRICA CENTER, A NONPROFIT, NONPARTISAN, MULTIDISCIPLINARY INSTITUTION, PROVIDES A GATEWAY FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH CONTEMPORARY AFRICA. THE CENTER IS TRANSFORMING THE WORLD'S UNDERSTANDING OF AFRICA, ITS DIASPORA AND THE ROLE OF PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT IN THE WORLD. SERVING AS THE HUB FOR THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AROUND CULTURE, BUSINESS, AND POLICY RELATED TO THE CONTINENT, AND IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION AND ENGAGEMENT WITH INDIVIDUALS AND INSTITUTIONS WHO SHARE THE CENTER'S VALUES, THE AFRICA CENTER INSPIRES ENTHUSIASM, AND ADVANCES THOUGHT AND ACTION AROUND AFRICA'S GLOBAL INFLUENCE AND IMPACT ON OUR COLLECTIVE AND SHARED FUTURES.

Income
$2.8 million
Spending
$3.7 million
Spent on programs
61%
Reserves
-28.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 86%
Employees
10
Volunteers
20
Highest pay
$328,635, ceo (through 2/25)

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: 28 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 10% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 34% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 63% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    61% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 24 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

Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 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

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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. $925,327 spent. PUBLIC PROGRAMS:PUBLIC PROGRAMS AT THE AFRICA CENTER ARE MULTIDISCIPLINARY AND FOCUS ON THE CENTER'S THREE CORE AREAS OF CULTURE, POLICY AND BUSINESS. THE AFRICA CENTER WORKS IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH ARTISTS, ACADEMICS, POLICY MAKERS, INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS ON A WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAMS THAT INCLUDE FILM SCREENINGS, BOOK LAUNCHES, WORKSHOPS, MUSICAL PERFORMANCES, AS WELL AS PANEL DISCUSSIONS AND COMMUNITY ACTIVATIONS ON BUSINESS AND POLICY.
  2. $483,726 spent. EXHIBITIONS THE AFRICA CENTER PRODUCES EXHIBITIONS THAT ALIGN WITH OUR MISSION OF TRANSFORMING NARRATIVES ABOUT THE AFRICAN DIASPORA, AFRICAN CONTINENT AND PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT. THE CENTER WORKS WITH UP-AND-COMING CONTEMPORARY VISUAL ARTISTS FROM ACROSS THE DIASPORA WHOSE WORK REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY THAT EXISTS AMONG PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT.
  3. $466,149 spent. POLICY CENTER:ONE OF THE KEY FOCUS AREAS FOR THE AFRICA CENTER IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN AFRICAN POLICY INSTITUTE DEDICATED TO THE FUTURE OF THE AFRICAN CONTINENT AND DIASPORA. THE POLICY INSTITUTE FOCUSES ON THREE INTERRELATED THEMES: HABITABLE SPACES, TECHNOLOGY FOR HUMANITY, AND PROSPEROUS YOUTHINTEGRATING THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURE AS A TRANSFORMATIVE, CROSS-CUTTING FORCE IN THE POLICY SPACE. OUR MULTIDISCIPLINARY POLICY APPROACH AIMS TO BUILD AN INCLUSIVE, EQUITABLE GLOBAL FUTURE INSPIRED BY AFRICAN INNOVATION, CREATIVE INDUSTRIES, AND VISIONARY NARRATIVES.
  4. $391,557 spent. NEW CENTER: THE AFRICA CENTER IS TRANSFORMING THE WORLD'S UNDERSTANDING OF AFRICA, ITS DIASPORA AND THE ROLE OF PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT IN THE WORLD. SERVING AS THE HUB FOR THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AROUND CULTURE, BUSINESS, AND POLICY RELATED TO THE CONTINENT, AND IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION AND ENGAGEMENT WITH INDIVIDUALS AND INSTITUTIONS WHO SHARE THE CENTER'S VALUES, THE AFRICA CENTER INSPIRES ENTHUSIASM, AND ADVANCES THOUGHT AND ACTION AROUND AFRICA'S GLOBAL INFLUENCE AND IMPACT ON OUR COLLECTIVE AND SHARED FUTURES.

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 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 June 2025.

    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 1982.

    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.