Pittsburgh Glass Center Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
GLASS ART: WE TEACH IT. WE CREATE IT. WE PROMOTE IT. WE SUPPORT THOSE WHO MAKE IT. PITTSBURGH GLASS CENTER (PGC) CULTIVATES AN INCLUSIVE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT THAT ENCOURAGES EVERYONE, FROM THE CASUALLY CURIOUS TO THE MASTER ARTIST, TO LEARN, CREATE, AND BE INSPIRED BY GLASS. WE SHARE OUR PASSION FOR GLASS LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY TO ADVANCE A MORE DIVERSE, VIBRANT, AND ACCESSIBLE GLASS ART COMMUNITY.
- Income
- $5.7 million
- Spending
- $4.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 70%
- Reserves
- 16.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 45%
- Employees
- 51
- Volunteers
- 40
- Highest pay
- $120,383, chief financial officer
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
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 16.5 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 41% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 29% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 16% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1570% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2523 of 23 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.
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 (4)
- $1.5 million spent. CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS:WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES ARE GIVEN IN EACH OF OUR FOUR STUDIOS: THE FLAME SHOP, HOT SHOP, CASTING STUDIO AND COLD SHOP.PITTSBURGH GLASS CENTER CLASSES RANGE FROM SHORT 20 MINUTE EXPERIENCES CALLED "MAKE IT NOW," TO MULTI-DAY WORKSHOPS, TO EIGHT-WEEK CLASSES DURING THE FALL, WINTER, AND SPRING, AND TWELVE WEEKS OF ONE-WEEK SUMMER INTENSIVE CLASSES. THE FALL, WINTER, AND SPRING CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS PULL STUDENTS MAINLY FROM ALLEGHENY AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES. EACH SEMESTER CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY ENROLLS OVER 40 STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR EIGHT-WEEK SESSION OF CLASSES. DURING THE SUMMER OUR MASTER CLASSES DRAW STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. PARTICIPANTS HAVE COME FROM OVER 40 STATES AND 12 FOREIGN COUNTRIES. PITTSBURGH GLASS CENTER OFFERS CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS FOR BOTH ADULTS AND TEENS AND HAS RECENTLY BEEN EXPANDING TEEN PROGRAMMING TO INCLUDE A VARIETY OF OFFERINGS FOR STUDENTS AGES 14-18. CLASSES OFFERED BOTH AT THE PITTSBURGH GLASS CENTER AS WELL AS THROUGH RESIDENCY PROGRAMS THAT TAKE GLASS ART INTO THE CLASSROOM.
- $500,050 spent. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH:COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS INCLUDE TOURS WITH DEMONSTRATIONS IN THE STUDIOS, GLASS ART SALES THAT PROMOTE THE WORK OF ARTISTS WHO CREATE HERE, ARTISTS' LECTURES, AND COLLEGE INTERNSHIPS.HOT JAMS ARE FREE PUBLIC EVENTS HELD ON THE FIRST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH AND COINCIDE WITH THE PENN AVENUE ARTS INITIATIVE'S UNBLURRED COMMUNITY EVENTS. HOT JAMS FEATURE GLASS BLOWING AND FLAME WORKING DEMONSTRATIONS BY LOCAL AND INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED GLASS ARTISTS. HOT JAMS ATTRACT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, OFTEN FIRST-TIME VISITORS TO THE PITTSBURGH GLASS CENTER. FREE PUBLIC LECTURES COINCIDE WITH ARTISTS RESIDENCIES AT PITTSBURGH GLASS CENTER AND ARE OFTEN IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE FRICK ART AND HISTORICAL CENTER, CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART, AND THE MATTRESS FACTORY. THESE FREE PROGRAMS EDUCATE OUR VISITORS AND STUDENTS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN STUDIO GLASS IN THE REGION AND THE CURRENT PRACTICE OF THE ART FORM FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
- $407,865 spent. EXHIBITIONS AND RESIDENCIES:PITTSBURGH GLASS CENTER'S HODGE GALLERY IS AN EXHIBITION SPACE WHERE THE PITTSBURGH GLASS CENTER PRESENTS THE WORK OF LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL GLASS AND MIXED MEDIA ARTISTS. THE GALLERY PRESENTS THREE EXHIBITIONS A YEAR AND IS ALWAYS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. PITTSBURGH GLASS CENTER'S DYNAMIC RESIDENCIES AND EXHIBITS HAVE GARNERED NATIONAL MEDIA ATTENTION, SATISFIED THE ARTISTS' DESIRE FOR STUDIO TIME, AND RESULTED IN COMPREHENSIVE CATALOGUES THAT MARKET THE ARTISTS AND THE GLASS CENTER. OUR EXHIBITION AND RESIDENCY PROGRAM SETS US APART FROM OTHER PUBLIC ACCESS GLASS FACILITIES.
- $452,632 spent. PGC OFFERS STUDIO AND EQUIPMENT RENTAL TO ADVANCED STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONAL GLASS ARTISTS. THE RENTALS PROVIDE AN ACCESSIBLE AND SUPPORTIVE STUDIO ENVIRONMENT FOR THE CREATION OF GLASS ART AS WELL AS FACILITATE THE PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF GLASS ART IN THE PITTSBURGH REGION. PGC HAS ALSO IMPLEMENTED NEW STRATEGIES TO ATTRACT AND TRAIN NEW STUDIO RENTERS INCLUDING AN "OPEN STUDIO" PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN CLASSES.PGC'S TEEN PROGRAM (SIO2) IS COMPRISED OF CLASSES AND EVENTS THAT INTRODUCE THE SCIENCE AND ART OF HOT GLASS TO MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE PITTSBURGH REGION. THE PROGRAM ALLOWS STUDENTS TO CREATE GLASS ART AND TO UNDERSTAND THE SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES BEHIND HOT GLASS, WHILE INSTILLING LIFE LESSONS SUCH AS TEAMWORK, DEDICATION, DISCIPLINE, ACHIEVEMENT, AND RESPECT. THE LESSONS OF SIO2 GO BEYOND A GLASS STUDIO ART PROGRAM TO ENHANCE STUDENTS' ACADEMIC, CREATIVE, AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT.
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 January 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.
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