Arts Council of the Morris Area
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO BUILD COMMUNITY THROUGH THE ARTS.
- Income
- $1.2 million
- Spending
- $1.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 0.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 36%
- Employees
- 8
- Highest pay
- $190,619, former exec dir
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
Weak: 45 out of 100.
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 28% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 23% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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: 92 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2521 of 21 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
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 (6)
- $376,792 spent. Arts in Education: Through our Arts in Education program, we serve a diverse range of schools and other populations connecting them to assembles, workshops and customized artist-in-residency programs in the visual arts, dance, music, poetry, theatre, creative writing, storytelling, filmmaking, and environmental arts. In the 2024-2025 school year, Morris Arts served 4,300 students through 39 residencies at schools in Morris County, as well as in Essex, Somerset, Union, Passaic, Hunterdon and Mercer counties. Most of these programs are made possible through the school districts funding but Morris Arts was able to provide 4 of these residencies free of charge to provide access to the arts for under resourced populations. Another of our longest running and successful Arts in Education programs is our Young Artist Mentoring Program. This after-school program at Morristown High School works with students in need of guidance and additional instruction in refining their artistic skills, developing their own style and assembling a strong art portfolio. In 2025, the program ran for 17 sessions from October to March, 2025. The program ended with an exhibition of student artwork. Morris Arts helps fund the Storytelling Arts Program with Head Start of Morris County. This program is designed for children in preschool and elementary school who face substantial socio-economic obstacles that impede their ability to achieve school readiness and success. Storytelling Arts served 225 students with 60 sessions in 15 Head Start classes in Morris Plains, Dover and Wharton.
- $261,765 spent. Arts in Health: Arts in Health programming brings the healing power of the arts to residents of Morris County. In FY 2025, Morris Arts expanded its signature program, Her Words, to the Dover Middle School where the program was enthusiastically received. We also embarked on a pilot program with CASA of Morris and Sussex counties for children in grades 6-12 in the foster care system in Morristown. Through a Horizon grant, Morris Arts partnered with Life Center Stage to present Making Art in Public Spaces. This program empowers individuals affected by opioid use disorder and related challenges through a series of drop-in programs in Morris County.
- $181,558 spent. Great Conversations is Morris Arts' renowned special event.Great Conversations is about rediscovering the vanishing art of live conversation. Great Conversations connects our guests with prominent individuals from all walks of life who facilitate a thoughtful exchange of ideas around the dining table-in other words, a great conversation.Morris Arts Annual Fundraiser, Great Conversations, was held at the Birchwood Manor in April, 2025. This unique event, celebrating the art of conversation, brings interesting people (authors, chefs, entrepreneurs, climatologists, actors, authors, et.) for a lively evening of cocktails, dinner and discussion.
- $146,597 spent. Local Arts :In the spirit of building community through the arts, Morris Arts regranted $120,000 to local organizations throughout Morris County in FY 2025. This level of support was made possible by a funding from the NJSCA.
- $117,130 spent. Arts Participation and AdvocacyArts Participation and Advocacy initiatives create and present innovative cultural events that introduce the arts to large and diverse audiences in non-traditional venues and settings. Annual events like Pumpkin Illumination, Morris Arts scholarships, Creative Placemaking and art exhibits at the Atrium Gallery in the Morris County Administration building are included in this category. For the last two years, Morris Arts has also joined with other community organizations for a weekend of events celebrating and commemorating Juneteenth.As advocates for the arts, Morris Arts continued to communicate and inform its constituents of local arts events and the importance of the arts. Morris Arts is an active member of Art Pride NJ, the chief arts advocacy organization in New Jersey and Americans for the Arts, a national arts advocacy organization.
- $94,403 spent. Public Information supports the arts in Morris County by serving as a Central Artsresource for regional arts events and activities through a website, on-line calendar, newsletter and the use of social media.
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 November 1973.
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.