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Arts for L a

EIN 20-2797313 · West Covina, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair66 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ARTS FOR LA LEADS COMMUNITIES, ARTISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO ADVOCATE FOR AN EQUITABLE, HEALTHY, AND CREATIVE LOS ANGELES REGION THROUGH THE ARTS.

Income
$1.5 million
Spending
$1.5 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
0.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 76%
Employees
12
Volunteers
23
Highest pay
$194,808, 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

Fair: 66 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 14% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 33% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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 65% 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

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (1)
  1. $1.1 million spent. CONVENINGS - ARTS FOR LA LED 11 CULTURAL CONVENINGS THAT WELCOMED 309 PARTICIPANTS OVER 24 HOURS OF ENGAGEMENT. WE LED AN ARTS WORKERS WEBINAR SERIES THAT SERVED A TOTAL OF 102 ARTISTS AND ARTS WORKERS WITH EDUCATION, RESOURCES AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES. WE HOSTED AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE THAT BROUGHT TOGETHER 354 ARTS AND CULTURE LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE REGION TO NETWORK AND LEARN ABOUT THE STATE OF THE CREATIVE ECONOMY IN THE LOS ANGELES REGION.RESEARCH - ARTS FOR LA COMMISSIONED AND PUBLISHED A REPORT BASED ON THE CULTURAL CONVENINGS FOR THE 2028 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES. THE REPORT SUMMARIZED KEY FINDINGS FROM THESE SESSIONS. WE ALSO COMMISSIONED A SECOND STUDY, TITLED, ARTS AND MUSIC IN SCHOOLS: EXPLORING PROP 28 IMPLEMENTATION AND PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY WHICH SOUGHT TO UNDERSTAND HOW LA COUNTY SCHOOL LEADERS ARE BOTH ENVISIONING AND WITNESSING THE IMPACT OF PROP 28 AT THEIR SCHOOLS.EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT - ARTS FOR LA PROVIDED INFORMATION ABOUT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY AND CULTURAL POLICY ISSUES TO OVER 75,000 SUBSCRIBERS OF OUR WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS.WE TRAINED 90 COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS THE FOUR TRACKS OF OUR ACTIVATE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. THROUGH OUR ACTIVATE DELEGATES TRACK, WE TRAINED PARTICIPANTS TO UNDERSTAND THE POLITICAL PROCESS AND HOW TO BE CIVICALLY ENGAGED IN LOS ANGELES. THROUGH OUR ACTIVATE EMERGING ARTS LEADERS TRACK WE HELPED PARTICIPANTS IDEATE AND EXECUTE TARGETED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS FOR THE EMERGING ARTS LEADER COMMUNITY OF LOS ANGELES. THROUGH OUR ACTIVATE PROTEGE TRACK,PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED PERSONALIZED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH ONE-ON-ONE MENTORSHIPS WITH SEASONED ARTS AND CULTURE LEADERS. THROUGH OUR ACTIVATE STUDENT ORGANIZING TRACK, WE PROVIDE HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES COUNTY THE SKILLS NEEDED TO BECOME LEADING ARTS ADVOCATE IN THE GROWING STUDENT MOVEMENT FOR EQUITABLE ACCESS TO AN ARTS EDUCATION. TOTAL OF 15 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED DURING THE TAX YEAR. THESE 90 COMMUNITY MEMBERS JOINED AN ACTIVATE ALUMNI NETWORK OF OVER 700 INDIVIDUALS THAT ARTS FOR LA CONTINUES TO ENGAGE IN SUPPORT OF ARTISTS, ARTS WORKERS, AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE LOS ANGELES REGION. ACTIVATE CELEBRATED ITS 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY WHERE WE WELCOMED THESE ALUMNI TO CELEBRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROGRAM, THEIR EXPERIENCES AS PARTICIPANTS, AND THEIR CONTINUED LEADERSHIP.

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 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 November 6, 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 June 2025.

    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 February 2006.

    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 November 4, 2026.

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