Farhang Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
TO CELEBRATE AND PROMOTE IRANIAN ART AND CULTURE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE
- Income
- $3.1 million
- Spending
- $4.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- -3.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 85%
- Employees
- 3
- Volunteers
- 21
- Highest pay
- $282,820, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 40 out of 100. Higher than 9% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 35% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 36% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 49% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 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
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 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)
- $477,502 spent. FARHANG FOUNDATION AND THE PACIFIC SYMPHONY WERE PROUD TO ONCE AGAIN JOIN FORCES IN PRESENTING THE ANNUAL NOWRUZ (IRANIAN NEW YEAR) CONCERTS THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO MARK THIS JOYOUS OCCASION. THE EVENTS PROVIDE DIVERSE FAMILY-ORIENTED CULTURAL PROGRAMMING, CONCERTS, TRADITIONAL MUSIC, DANCERS, CUISINE, AND MORE.
- $89,876 spent. FARHANG FOUNDATION'S SHORT FILM FESTIVAL IS A SINGULAR AND UNPARALLELED EVENT ON THE GLOBAL STAGE, DEDICATED EXCLUSIVELY TO CELEBRATING THE ARTISTRY OF IRANIAN SHORT FILMS. IT PROVIDES SUBSTANTIAL SUPPORT TO FILMMAKERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, WITH $18,000 IN PRIZES GENEROUSLY AWARDED.
- $46,158 spent. IN 2015, WITH THE COMMUNITY'S SUPPORT, FARHANG FOUNDATION LAUNCHED THE FIRST-EVER PERSIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. THIS PROGRAM, WHICH IS PROVIDED FREE-OF-CHARGE TO PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS, CREATES A PLATFORM FOR K-12 STUDENTS TO BE EXPOSED TO IRAN'S RICH AND BEAUTIFUL LANGUAGE AND CULTURE.
- $3.2 million spent. PROMOTION AND CELEBRATION OF IRANIAN CULTURAL HERITAGE BY SUPPORTING AND ADVOCATING FOR PROGRAMS AND LECTURE SERIES BY SPONSORING ART AND CULTURAL EVENTS TO PROMOTE IRANIAN TRADITION AND CELEBRATION OF THE NEW YEAR, "NOWRUZ", AND BY SPONSORING MUSICAL AND THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES, PLAYS, FILMS AND POETRY READING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, THE LOS ANGELES MUSEUM OF ART, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES, AND UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 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 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 March 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 May 2008.
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.