Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Warnecke Institute Inc

EIN 20-4401473 · Healdsburg, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceFair52 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 28% of its spending went to programs.

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

What it says it does

WARNECKE ARCHITECTURAL ARCHIVES MISSION:THE WARNECKE ARCHIVES WELCOMES AND ENCOURAGES THE STUDY OF ITS ARCHITECTURAL COLLECTION. A WEALTH OF MATERIAL EXISTS FOR HISTORIANS, STUDENTS, AND OTHER RESEARCHERS TO USE AT WARNECKE ARCHIVES. THE ARCHITECTURAL ARCHIVE LOCATED AT WARNECKE RANCH IN SONOMA COUNTY CA, CONTAINS SIGNIFICANT, PRIMARY SOURCE MATERIALS BY AND ABOUT NOTED CALIFORNIA ARCHITECTS, JOHN CARL WARNECKE AND HIS FATHER CARL I. WARNECKE. MORE THAN 100 YEARS AND OVER 800 PROJECTS WORTH OF ARCHITECTURAL PLANS, DRAWINGS, SKETCHES, PHOTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL PAPERS, JOURNALS, PROJECT FILES, AND CORRESPONDENCE MAKE UP ONE OF THE MOST EXTENSIVE, REMAINING ARCHITECTURAL ARCHIVES STILL IN ONE FAMILY, SINCE 1911. THEY ARE USED BY SCHOLARS, RESEARCHERS, PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS, AND ARTISTS. THE ARCHIVE IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC BY APPOINTMENT. WE OFFER TOURS OF THE ARCHIVE.

Income
$260,287
Spending
$109,619
Spent on programs
28%
Reserves
Over 10 years of spending
Largest source of income
other income, 84%
Employees
1
Volunteers
4

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 63% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 58% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 216% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    28% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Fair: 52 out of 100. Higher than 20% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    4 of 4 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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 (2)
  1. $27,849 spent. THE CHALK HILL ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM PROVIDES ARTISTS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS, ABILITIES, AND MEDIUMS, WITH TIME AND SPACE FOR REFLECTIVE WORK IN A NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND TO PRESERVE THE LANDSCAPE IN WHICH THE INSTITUTE IS FOUNDED.CHALK HILL RESIDENCY IS PROUD TO COLLABORATE WITH CREATIVE INSTITUTIONS AND COMMUNITY NONPROFITS TO FULFILL OUR MISSION OF PROVIDING TIME AND SPACE AT WARNECKE RANCH AND VINEYARD WHERE ARTISTS ARE VALUED, THRIVING, AND REPRESENT THE DIVERSE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE. OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS WITH BECOMING INDEPENDENT (BI), CREATIVE GROWTH, CREATIVITY EXPLORED, AND NURTURING INDEPENDENCE THROUGH ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT (NIAD) BRING ARTIST TEACHERS FROM THESE PROGRAMS TO SPEND A WEEK AT THE RESIDENCY TO WORK ON THEIR VARIOUS ARTISTIC ENDEAVORS. IN 2025 WE HOSTED 6 PARTNERSHIP TEACHING ARTISTS. CHALK HILL RESIDENCY PROGRAM - IN 2025, 10 ARTISTS OUT OF 56 APPLICANTS WERE SELECTED FOR RESIDENCY. THE SELECTION PROCESS INCLUDES THE COMMITTEE REVIEWING APPLICANT SUBMISSIONS FROM OUR ANNUAL CALL FOR ARTISTS AND SELECTION IS BASED ON QUALITY OF WORK, PROJECT PROPOSAL, AND RESUME. TOTAL ARTISTS SERVED:19 ARTISTS TOTAL INCLUDING 6 TEACHING ARTISTS (2 EACH FROM OUR PARTNERING NON-PROFITS: CREATIVE GROWTH, CREATIVITY EXPORED, AND NIAD).PUBLIC PROGRAMMING:OPEN STUDIOS: 3SPRING OPEN STUDIO MAY 3, 2025SUMMER OPEN STUDIO AUGUST 2, 2025 + FUNDRAISER SECOND ANNUAL ICE CREAM SOCIALFALL OPEN STUDIO: OCTOBER 12, 2025 MARTIN EVANS OPEN STUDIO: NOVEMBER 29, 202550-60 GUESTS ATTEND FROM OUR MAILING LIST FOR EACH EVENT.TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED OPEN STUDIOS AND/OR PARTICIPATED IN CHALK HILL ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAMS= 150 (APPROXIMATED)WORKSHOPS:WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP WITH QINQIN LIUGALLERY SHOW: "AT PLAY WITH COSMIC COINCIDENCE" BY FRIENDS OF THE RESIDENCY, CINDY LUBAR BISHOP AND SUSAN FIELD5 STUDIO VISITS:JUNE 3RD: EDGE ESMERELDA ARTIST VISIT AND ARCHIVE TOURSEPTEMBER 20TH: OPEN DOORS ARCHIVE TOUR
  2. $3,096 spent. WARNECKE ARCHITECTURAL ARCHIVES RESEARCH REQUEST: MILLER & WARNECKE RESIDENTIAL HOME PLANS REQUEST STEPHANIE WEHRLEY801 ROSEMOUNT ROAD, OAKLANDBUILT IN 1922 FOR R.W. KINNEY THREE AT&T LONG LINES BUILDING REQUESTSNICHOLAS MCCAULEYDAWSON ZHANG, UPENNAARON ERDOS, IE UNIVERSITY (SPAIN) COLLEGE OF SAN MATEOHISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS, SLIDES AND DESIGNS FOR DOCOMOMO ARTICLEPUBLICATION DATE: MAY 2026AUTHOR: JOSH WEINBERG GOLDEN GATE VILLAGE IN MARIN CITY / PYATOK ARCHITECTSREVITALIZATION PLAN WITH BURBANK HOUSINGMILAN OUTLAW AND GARY STRUTHERS: PLANNING TO RENOVATE ALL THE BUILDINGSREQUEST FOR ORIGINAL PLANS, COLOR SLIDES, PHOTOS GOLDEN GATE VILLAGE IN MARIN CITY BOOK BY FELICIA GASTON LAFAYETTE SQUARE LANDSCAPE RESTORATION AND COURT BUILDINGSTRUST FOR THE NATIONAL MALLSTEVEN PRESTON, SENIOR PROJECT MANAGERREQUEST FOR ORIGINAL PLANS, COLOR SLIDES, PHOTOSUPDATE: WEBSITE PUBLISHED: HTTPS://NATIONALMALL.ORG/CONTENT/LAFAYETTE-PARK NOT DISPLACED, BUT ROOTED: HONORING THE ARCHITECTS WHO BUILT MARIN CITYARCHITECTURAL LEGACY PUBLICATIONBOOK IN PROCESS BY FELECIA GASTONMARIN CITY HISTORICAL & PRESERVATION SOCIETY ARTICLE: LAND, LEGACY AND LEADERSHIP: MARGO WARNECKE MERCK'S ENDURING SONOMA STORYBY GLENDA WINDERSSONOMA COUNTY FEATURES PUBLISHED AUGUST 2, 2025 MODERNIST RETAIL DESIGNERS IN AMERICAMARILYN FRIEDMAN - MFF DESIGN HISTORIANLECTURES ON ELEANOR LEMAIRE AND ILONKA KARASZ: MODERNIST RETAIL DESIGNERS IN AMERICATOUR, RESEARCH AND COLOR SLIDES AND PHOTOS REQUEST THE MODERN CREATIVE: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR 21ST CENTURY ARTISTSBOOK BY KAYE KELLY, PROFESSOR OF MUSIC AT BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSICINCLUDES A CHAPTER ON THE ARCHIVES MIRA VISTA SCHOOL, RICHMOND CAPOTENTIAL NOMINATION FOR NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACESBY ALYSA CHADOW- BOOK: FASHION DESIGNER ANN LOWE AND MRS. JACKIE KENNEDYROSEANNE MONTILLOBOOK PROJECT ON THE LIFE OF FASHION DESIGNER ANN LOWE AND HER RELATIONSHIP WITHMRS. JACQUELINE KENNEDY.- MUSIC VIDEO PROJECT: ARCHITECTURAL MODELS AND IMAGESCAROLINE WAXSE, STANDING ON THE CORNER / XL RECORDINGSREMOTE IMAGE/DOCUMENT RETRIEVAL REQUEST. SEEKING ARCHIVAL IMAGES AND MODELVIEWS OF A WARNECKE DESIGNED BUILDING FOR USE IN A MUSIC VIDEO.BOOK: CAMELOT'S ARCHITECT - MOVING FORWARD WITH JOHN CARL WARNECKE MEMOIR: CAMELOT'S ARCHITECT. A HYBRID PUBLISHER HAS BEEN SELECTED: GREENLEAF, AND THE PUBLISHING DATE IS NOVEMBER 2026.

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

  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 December 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 May 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.

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.