Watkins Glen Motor Racing Research Council Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Only 23% of its spending went to programs.
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 61 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
THE INTERNATIONAL MOTOR RACING RESEARCH CENTER COLLECTS, SHARES AND PRESERVES THE HISTORY OF MOTORSPORTS. SPANNING CONTINENTS, ERAS AND RACE SERIES, THE CENTER'S COLLECTION EMBODIES THE SPEED, DRAMA AND CAMARADERIE OF AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL MOTOR RACING THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. THE CENTER WELCOMES SERIOUS RESEARCHERS AND THE CASUAL FANS ALIKE TO SHARE STORIES OF RACE DRIVERS, RACE SERIES, AND RACE CARS CAPTURED ON OUR SHELVES AND WALLS, AND BROUGHT TO LIFE THROUGH A REGULAR CALENDAR OF PUBLIC LECTURES AND SPECIAL EVENTS. THE CENTER'S COLLECTION DOCUMENTS THE HISTORY OF RACING IN THE MORE THAN 4000 BOOKS OR 250 DIFFERENT MOTORSPORTS MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS TITLES; CLUB AND SANCTIONING BODY RECORDS; RACE RESULTS, PROGRAMS AND POSTERS; PAPERS OF MOTORSPORTS JOURNALISTS AND SCHOLARS; CORRESPONDENCE OF RACE ORGANIZERS; AND STILL AND MOVING IMAGES HOUSED ONSITE AND IN OUR EXPANDING OFFSITE COLLECTIONS STORAGE FACILITIES. ITS KNOWLEDGEABLE RESEARCH AND ARCHIVES STAFF ASSISTS HUNDRE
- Income
- $1.4 million
- Spending
- $1.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 23%
- Reserves
- 38.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 74%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 24
- Highest pay
- $65,665, executive director through 7/2025
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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 38.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 18% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1523% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 61 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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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 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 (1)
- $265,635 spent. A VALUABLE COLLECTION OF RESEARCH AND ARCHIVAL MATERIALS DOCUMENTING THE HISTORY OF MOTORSPORTS ARE ACQUIRED THROUGH DONATION AND MAINTAINED AS A RESOURCE FOR THE RACING COMMUNITY AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THE CENTER SERVES AS THE CUSTODIAN OF THE ARCHIVES OF THE SPORTS CAR CLUB OF AMERICA, THE LARGEST CLUB FOR AUTOMOBILE RACING IN THE UNITED STATES. IT SHARES ITS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS THROUGH AN ACTIVE RESEARCH AND REFERENCE SERVICES PROGRAM, PUBLIC EVENTS, AND EXHIBITIONS AS WELL AS ONLINE UTILIZING ITS WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, AND ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS.
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
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.
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.
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.
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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 1999.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.