Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
MUNSON-WILLIAMS-PROCTOR ARTS INSTITUTE (MWPAI) IS A FINE ARTS CENTER DEDICATED TO SERVING DIVERSE AUDIENCES BY ADVANCING THE APPRECIATION, UNDERSTANDING, AND ENJOYMENT OF THE ARTS. THE ART INSTITUTE AIMS TO PROMOTE INTEREST AND PARTICIPATION IN THE ARTS AND STIMULATE ARTISTIC SELF-EXPRESSION AND PERSONAL CREATIVITY. MWPAI CONTINUES TO ASSUME A LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY ROLE FOR THE ARTS IN UTICA, NY.
- Income
- $21.7 million
- Spending
- $18.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- 79.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 55%
- Employees
- 295
- Volunteers
- 65
- Highest pay
- $322,868, president & 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
Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 83% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 79.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 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
10 of 10Gave 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 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)
- $4.5 million spent. MUSEUM OF ART - THE MUNSON MUSEUM OF ART FY 24/25 WAS FULL OF EXCITING EXHIBITIONS, DYNAMIC ACQUISITIONS, AND THOUSANDS OF NEW VISITORS TO OUR GALLERIES. EXHIBITIONS EXPLORED VARIOUS SUBJECTS, PERIODS, AND MATERIALS WITH AN EMPHASIS ON 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY AMERICAN WORKS OF ART. THE SUMMER SEASON OPENED WITH AN INTRIGUING SHOW OF MASTERPIECES OF 19TH CENTURY AMERICAN LANDSCAPE PAINTINGS FROM THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY. THIS EXHIBITION WAS FOLLOWED BY MODERN WOMEN/MODERN VISION: PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE BANK OF AMERICA COLLECTION, WHICH FEATURED THE WORK OF INFLUENTIAL WOMEN PHOTOGRAPHERS FROM THE 20TH CENTURY. MUNSON ALSO HOSTED A TRAVELING EXHIBITION FROM THE SMITHSONIAN TITLED VOICES AND VOTES: DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA TO COINCIDE WITH THE FEDERAL ELECTION DAY IN NOVEMBER. THE ANNUAL VICTORIAN YULETIDE INSTALLATION, WHICH ATTRACTED MANY GUESTS TO FOUNTAIN ELMS, THE HOME OF THE FOUNDING FAMILY, WAS ON VIEW THROUGHOUT THE HOLIDAY SEASON. THE SPRING SAW THE PRESENTATION OF TWO EXHIBITIONS HIGHLIGHTING MASTERWORKS DRAWN FROM MUNSON'S PERMANENT COLLECTION: PORTRAITS OF FLORA: FLOWERS IN AMERICAN ART; AND CANVAS TO CULTURE: THOMAS COLE'S VOYAGE OF LIFE LIVES ON. ADDITIONAL EXHIBITIONS OF CONTEMPORARY ART WERE FEATURED IN THE PRATT MUNSON GALLERY. THE RICH ARRAY OF PROGRAMS OFFERED BY THE MUSEUM EDUCATION DEPARTMENT REACHED NEARLY 12,000 VISITORS IN THIS FISCAL YEAR. THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAS FOUR FULL-TIME PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND 25 VOLUNTEER DOCENTS. THE DEPARTMENT PRODUCED AN ARRAY OF PROGRAMS THAT ENHANCED THE UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF EXHIBITIONS AND THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION. THE VARIED EVENTS INCLUDED ART IN BLOOM, ART AND YOGA, ART ALIVE FAMILY DAYS, ART STORY (A READING AND LOOKING STORYTIME FOR PRESCHOOLERS), LECTURES, WORKSHOPS, ARTIST DEMONSTRATIONS, FILMS, AND MEET ME AT MUNSON, A PROGRAM THAT SERVES INDIVIDUALS WITH MEMORY LOSS. NUMEROUS GIFTS AND SEVERAL PURCHASES WERE ADDED TO THE MUSEUM OF ART'S PERMANENT COLLECTION, INCLUDING AN IMPORTANT NEW WORK BY CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN CERAMIC SCULPTOR, ROBERTO LUGO, ADDING TO THE DIVERSITY OF THE ARTISTS INCLUDED IN THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTIONS.
- $8.6 million spent. SCHOOL OF ART - THE NASAD ACCREDITED SCHOOL OF ART IS COMPRISED OF THREE MAIN PROGRAMS: THE PRATT MUNSON COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN PROGRAM, THE COMMUNITY ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAM, AND THE ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM. THE PRATT MUNSON PROGRAM FUNCTIONS AS AN EXTENSION CENTER OF PRATT INSTITUTE IN BROOKLYN, NY. STUDENTS PURSUING A BACHELORS OF FINE ARTS, COMMUNICATION DESIGN, PHOTOGRAPHY, OR ART EDUCATION DEGREE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLETE THEIR FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE YEARS AT OUR UTICA CAMPUS BEFORE TRANSITIONING TO PRATT'S BROOKLYN CAMPUS FOR THEIR JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEARS TO COMPLETE THEIR DEGREE. THE AFFILIATION ENTERED ITS 25TH YEAR IN 2025-2026.IN THE 2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR, PRATT MUNSON'S ENROLLMENT CONSISTED OF 90 FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS AND 87 SOPHOMORE FULL-TIME STUDENTS. OF THE 177 STUDENTS, 168 STUDENTS LIVED IN ONE OF OUR THREE RESIDENTIAL HALLS. THE FIRST-YEAR CLASS INCLUDED 7 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS REPRESENTING 4 COUNTRIES ALONGSIDE DOMESTIC STUDENTS FROM 27 STATES. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WERE 16 INTERNATIONAL SOPHOMORE STUDENTS FROM 5 COUNTRIES, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS TO 23.THE COMMUNITY ARTS PROGRAM ENROLLS APPROXIMATELY 1,150 STUDENTS ANNUALLY ACROSS THREE SEMESTERS, OFFERING 152 CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS FOR STUDENTS OF ALL AGES. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES A SIGNIFICANT POINT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND A PATHWAY INTO THE CREDIT-BEARING ART AND DESIGN PROGRAMS. THE ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM HOUSES 1 ARTIST FOR A 10 MONTH RESIDENCY, DURING WHICH THE RESIDENT ARTIST PRODUCES NEW WORK AND CONTRIBUTES TO BOTH THE COMMUNITY ARTS AND CREDIT-BEARING PROGRAMS THROUGH TEACHING, MENTORING, AND PUBLIC PROGRAMMING.
- $2.5 million spent. PERFORMING ARTS - THE 2024-2025 MUNSON PERFORMING ARTS SEASON OFFERED A DIVERSE SCHEDULE OF PERFORMANCES, FILMS, AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING. THE CONCERTS IN THE COURT SERIES FEATURED NELLA ROJAS, LIVE FROM LAUREL CANYON, AND DANU. JEFFREY SIEGAL'S KEYBOARD CONVERSATIONS CONTINUED. FAMILY PROGRAMMING WAS PRESENTED IN COORDINATION WITH ART ALIVE! FAMILY DAYS, INCLUDING PERFORMANCE AND WORKSHOP ACTIVITIES WITH DAVID ENGEL AND DOKTOR KABOOM!. THE FILM SERIES FEATURED INDEPENDENT, FOREIGN, AND DOCUMENTARY FILMS, ALONGSIDE MET LIVE IN HD OPERA SIMULCASTS. SPECIAL EVENTS INCLUDED THE HALF MOON ORCHESTRA HOLIDAY CONCERT AND A SPECIAL APPEARANCE BY DIRECOR/HUMORIST JOHN WATERS.
- $1.8 million spent. IN ADDITION, THE INSTITUTE OPERATES AN ART & DESIGN RESEARCH LIBRARY WHICH IS OPEN YEAR-ROUND AND SERVES THE INSTITUTE'S STAFF, STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND MEMBERS; THE GENERAL PUBLIC; AND OUTSIDE SCHOLARS. DURING THE 2024-2025 FISCAL YEAR, THE LIBRARY SERVED 5,158 PATRONS AND CIRCULATED 1,420 ITEMS. THE LIBRARY PROVIDES REFERENCE, RESEARCH, AND CIRCULATION SERVICES, CLASS AND INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION, COMPUTER AND DATABASE ACCESS AND TRAINING, INTERLIBRARY LOANS, SPECIAL EVENTS, TOURS, AND EXTENDED HOURS. ITS COLLECTIONS INCLUDE 27,394 BOOKS, 22 PERIODICAL SUBSCRIPTIONS, 3,141 MUSIC COMPACT DISCS, 1,728 FILMS ON DVD, AND 2,987 ARTISTS FILES. THE CATALOG OF COLLECTION HOLDINGS IS SEARCHABLE ON-SITE AND THROUGH THE INSTITUTE'S WEB PAGE. THROUGH ITS AFFILIATION WITH THE PRATT INSTITUTE LIBRARIES, PATRONS HAVE ACCESS TO 294 ONLINE ARTICLE, EBOOK, IMAGE, AND STREAMING VIDEO DATABASES. SERVICES ARE OFFERED IN PERSON AND BY EMAIL. CONTACTLESS CURBSIDE PICKUP AND RETURN SERVICES ARE OFFERED YEAR ROUND. AN OUTDOOR RETURN BOX IS AVAILABLE AT THE ACADEMIC CENTER ENTRANCE.
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
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 June 2025.
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 July 1942.
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.
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