Ephrata Cloister Associates
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE EPHRATA CLOISTER'S HISTORIC BUILDINGS, COLLECTIONS, AND PROGRAMMING INVITE THE EXPLORATION OF THIS UNIQUE COMMUNITY'S SPIRITUAL, CREATIVE, AND INTELLECTUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY ENCOURAGING VISITORS TO DEVELOP A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO PENNSYLVANIA'S SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN RELIGIOUS TOLERATION AND INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM. THE EPHRATA CLOISTER ASSOCIATES IS DEDICATED TO THE CONTINUED PRESERVATION AND PROMOTION OF THE EPHRATA CLOISTER THROUGH THE SPONSORSHIP OF SPECIAL CLOISTER RELATED EVENTS SUCH AS LANTERN TOURS, APPLE DUMPLING DAY, DAY OF MUSIC, CHRISTMAS AT THE CLOISTER, THE STUDENT HISTORIAN PROGRAM AND OTHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR SPECIAL AUDIENCES. THE EPHRATA CLOISTER CHORUS, SPONSORED BY THE ASSOCIATES, IS UNIQUE AS IT RELATES TO THE MUSEUM AND THE HISTORIC SITE. THE CHORUS PERFORMS SEVERAL OF OVER 1,000 HYMNS WRITTEN AT THE SITE. IN ADDITION TO EPHRATA'S PAST, THE GROUP PERFORMS COMPOSITIONS FROM OTHER EARLY AMERICAN COMMUNITIES INCLUDING WORKS FROM THE SHAKERS, THE MORAVIANS, THE HA
- Income
- $183,981
- Spending
- $117,254
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- -13.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 43%
- Employees
- 7
- Volunteers
- 75
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: 50 out of 100. Higher than 20% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 36% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 41% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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 92% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 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.
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 (1)
- $84,862 spent. A COMMUNITY-BASED NOT-FOR-PROFIT SINCE 1958, THE ORGANIZATION, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL AND MUSEUM COMMISSION, CREATES PROGRAMS THAT FEATURE THE UNIQUE MUSIC, ART, ARCHITECTURE, AND SPIRITUAL PRACTICE OF THIS PRE-REVOLUTIONARY COMMUNITY. THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS THE CLOISTER CHORUS, FOUNDED IN 1959, WHICH OFFERS HISTORICALLY INFORMED PERFORMANCES OF MUSIC COMPOSED IN EARLY EPHRATA. REGULAR SITE PROGRAMS AND AN ARTISAN-RICH MUSEUM STORE COMBINE WITH A CALENDAR OF SPONSORED SPECIAL EVENTS LIKE WINTER HISTORY CLASS, SCHOOL-BASED COMMUNITY DAYS, CHRISTMAS AT THE CLOISTER, THE ICE CREAM SOCIAL, AND CHORUS CONCERTS AS A MEANS TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, INVITE EXPLORATION, PROMOTE LOCAL TOURISM, AND PRESERVE THE LEGACY OF THIS NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PROVIDES VISITOR SERVICES AND REGULAR GUIDED TOURS; RAISES FUNDS; AND ASSISTS IN ACQUIRING ARTIFACTS USING MONEY DONATED TO THE BACK TO THE CLOISTER FUND. A COMMUNITY-BASED NOT-FOR-PROFIT SINCE 1958, THE ORGANIZATION, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL AND MUSEUM COMMISSION, CREATES PROGRAMS THAT FEATURE THE UNIQUE MUSIC, ART, ARCHITECTURE, AND SPIRITUAL PRACTICE OF THIS PRE-REVOLUTIONARY COMMUNITY. THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS THE CLOISTER CHORUS, FOUNDED IN 1959, WHICH OFFERS HISTORICALLY INFORMED PERFORMANCES OF MUSIC COMPOSED IN EARLY EPHRATA. REGULAR SITE PROGRAMS AND AN ARTISAN-RICH MUSEUM STORE COMBINE WITH A CALENDAR OF SPONSORED SPECIAL EVENTS LIKE WINTER HISTORY CLASS, SCHOOL-BASED COMMUNITY DAYS, CHRISTMAS AT THE CLOISTER, THE ICE CREAM SOCIAL, AND CHORUS CONCERTS AS A MEANS TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, INVITE EXPLORATION, PROMOTE LOCAL TOURISM, AND PRESERVE THE LEGACY OF THIS NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PROVIDES VISITOR SERVICES AND REGULAR GUIDED TOURS; RAISES FUNDS; AND ASSISTS IN ACQUIRING ARTIFACTS USING MONEY DONATED TO THE BACK TO THE CLOISTER FUND.
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 November 6, 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 January 1967.
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 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.