Museum of American Finance
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FINANCE IMPACTS EVERYONE. AS A SOCIALLY RELEVANT ORGANIZATION, THE MUSEUM OF AMERICAN FINANCE SEEKS TO IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE INFLUENCE OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND CAPITAL MARKETS ON THE U.S. AND GLOBAL ECONOMIES, AND ON INDIVIDUALS' LIVES. THE NATION'S ONLY INDEPENDENT MUSEUM DEDICATED TO FINANCE AND FINANCIAL HISTORY EDUCATES THE PUBLIC THROUGH EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAMS AND PUBLIC EVENTS. THE MUSEUM, AN AFFILIATE OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, SEEKS TO EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS TO STRIVE TOWARD FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE, WHILE ENCOURAGING CURIOSITY AND DISCOVERY.
- Income
- $1.9 million
- Spending
- $1.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 65%
- Reserves
- -3.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 42
- Highest pay
- $217,539, president/ceo
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
Weak: 47 out of 100.
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 98% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 33% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1565% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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: 90 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2540 of 40 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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 (2)
- $664,518 spent. COLLECTION AND EXHIBITION PROGRAMSIN 2024, THE MUSEUM SHOWCASED OBJECTS FROM ITS COLLECTIONS AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS, INCLUDING NEW YORK, ARIZONA, KENTUCKY AND MASSACHUSETTS. IN APRIL, IT OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED ITS NEW TRAVELING EXHIBIT, "FOUNDERS TO FUTURES: A COLLECTIONS SHOWCASE FROM THE MUSEUM OF AMERICAN FINANCE," WHICH FEATURES A SELECTION OF THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ARTIFACTS HELD BY THE MUSEUM. MANY DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN SIGNED BY AMERICAN POLITICAL AND BUSINESS LEADERS FROM THE 18TH CENTURY THROUGH TODAY, WHILE OTHER OBJECTS HIGHLIGHT TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS THAT HAVE TRANSFORMED THE FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY. THIS EXHIBIT IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR BOOKING AT EVENTS AND VENUES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. ALSO IN 2024, THE MUSEUM AND ITS ARCHIVAL PRESERVATION PARTNER, HERITAGE WERKS, CONTINUED PHASE TWO OF THE WIDE-RANGING, MULTI-YEAR COLLECTION DIGITIZATION INITIATIVE, WHICH WAS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH SUPPORT RECEIVED FROM PREVIOUS GALAS AND GENEROUS DONATIONS FROM MOAF BOARD MEMBERS. NEARLY 3,000 OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITY OBJECTS HAVE BEEN SCANNED, WITH THE SCANNING PROCESS CONTINUING IN 2025. HERITAGE WERKS ALSO PROVIDED ARCHIVAL SUPPORT FOR THE MUSEUM'S TRAVELING EXHIBITION, LOANS AND OTHER COLLECTIONS PROJECTS, HELPING TO MAKE THE COLLECTION MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR BOTH DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL INITIATIVES.
- $529,084 spent. COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATIONFINANCIAL EDUCATION IS AT THE HEART OF THE MUSEUM'S MISSION, AND MORE THAN 113,300 STUDENTS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN ITS EDUCATION PROGRAMS. A HIGHLIGHT OF THE MUSEUM'S EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES IS THE MUSEUM FINANCE ACADEMY (MFA), A UNIQUE PERSONAL FINANCE CERTIFICATE COURSE OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE TO HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS AND SENIORS. THE PROGRAMWHICH IS CURRENTLY PRESENTED IN AN ONLINE FORMAT PROVIDES A FOUNDATION IN PERSONAL FINANCE. THIS PROGRAM IS OFFERED IN THE SPRING AND FALL, WITH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TOP-ACHIEVING STUDENTS TO EARN PARTIAL COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS. IN 2023, THE MUSEUM EXPANDED THE MFA WITH A PILOT SUMMER PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY, WHICH CONTINUED IN 2024; 1,190 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM IN ITS FIRST TWO YEARS. THE MUSEUM ALSO OFFERS A ROBUST SERIES OF MORE THAN 30 PUBLIC EVENTS PER YEAR. AMONG THE DISTINGUISHED PARTICIPANTS ARE NOBEL LAUREATES AND INDUSTRY LEADERS, AS WELL AS AWARD WINNING AUTHORS. MUCH OF THE MUSEUM'S PROGRAMMING SHIFTED TO A VIRTUAL FORMAT IN MARCH 2020, LEADING TO AN EXPANDED NUMBER OF EVENTS AND A FOUR-FOLD INCREASE IN ATTENDANCE. IN 2024, PROGRAMS WERE OFFERED IN BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL FORMATS. FEATURED SPEAKERS INCLUDED IAN BREMMER, PAULINA BREN, JOSH BROWN, JENNIFER BURNS, LAWRENCE CUNNINGHAM, TOM GAYNER, DONALD GRAHAM, MARK HIGGINS, RONALD OLSON, DANIEL SCHULMAN, TEVI TROY, FAREED ZAKARIA AND PAOLO ZANNONI, AMONG MANY OTHERS. FAREED ZAKARIA AND IAN BREMMER DISCUSSED ZAKARIA'S NEW BOOK, AGE OF REVOLUTIONS, AT A MOAF/FORDHAM GABELLI CENTER PROGRAM IN APRIL. THE MAJORITY OF THE MUSEUM'S PROGRAMS ARE PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FORDHAM UNIVERSITY GABELLI CENTER FOR GLOBAL SECURITY ANALYSIS. TWO SPONSORED PANEL DISCUSSIONS FOCUSED ON "AI AND FINANCE AND "CALLING THE SHOTS: INVESTING IN SPORTS." IN 2024, THE MUSEUM ALSO CONTINUED ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY'S THOMAS YOSELOFF BUSINESS CENTER ON A FREE FINANCIAL EDUCATION SERIES FOR ADULTS, TITLED "INVESTING A TO Z," AS WELL AS A FREE SERIES ON RETIREMENT PLANNING, TITLED "RETIREMENT A TO Z." BOTH OF THESE PROGRAMS ATTRACTED LARGE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCESWITH NEARLY 7,000 TOTAL PARTICIPANTSAND CONTINUE IN 2025.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 1992.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.