Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Romare Bearden Foundation Inc

EIN 30-0207085 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood70 out of 100GovernanceGood74 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO PERPETUATE ROMARE BEARDEN'S ARTISTIC AND INTELLECTUAL LEGACIES, AND TO PROMOTE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION OF THE ARTS.

Income
$317,870
Spending
$423,746
Spent on programs
67%
Reserves
59.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 80%
Employees
3

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 59.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 33% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 47% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    67% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 26 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 14 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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, 2024, 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 (5)
  1. $142,975 spent. CATALOGUE RAISONNE PROJECT- PHASE FOUR CONTINUED THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING AND RESEARCHING WORKS, AND GAINING NEW PHOTOGRAPHY OF ART FROM PRIVATE COLLECTIONS IN DETROIT, CALIFORNIA, SAVANNAH, GA, AND A LARGE ONE OF OVER 200 DRAWINGS IN NYC; WE ASSISTED IN REVIEWING AND VERIFYING MATERIALS FROM THE FOUNDATION FILES IN PREPARATION FOR THE FIRST LAUNCH OF THE CATALOGUE RAISONNE (2025) WITH THE ONLINE DIGITAL CATALOGUE PROJECT PARTNER- WILDENSTEIN PLATTNER INSTITUTE (WPI).
  2. $8,550 spent. THE FOUNDATION DEVELOPED AND PRESENTED SEVERAL PROGRAMS AS PART OF OUR THE"CINQUE ARTIST PROGRAM" TALK SERIES THAT PROVIDES A PLATFORM FOR MID- CAREER ARTISTS. SPEAKERS ARE PAID AN HONORARIUM. ARTISTS INCLUDED PHILIP SMALLWOOD (APRIL 23, 2024); HANK WILLIS THOMAS (NOVEMBER 15, 2024); KAHLIL IRVING (OCTOBER 16, 2024); AND NANCY GROSSMAN (OCTOBER 17, 2024)
  3. FOUNDATION TRAVELING EXHIBITION SHOWED AT TWO VENUES- CLAY ART CENTER, CHARLESTON, WV (NOV. 2023 - FEB 2024); THE FOUNDATION ALSO LENT WORKS FOR A SMALL EXHIBITION AT THE PARAMOUNT CENTER FOR THE ARTS IN IN ST. CLOUD, MN. (JUNE 24 -JULY 29, 2024); THE CO-DIRECTORS BOTH TRAVELLED TO GIVE GALLERY TALKS IN SUPPORT OF THE TRAVELING SHOW AT THE CLAY ART CENTER, CHARLESTON, WV (FEBRUARY 1-3, 2024)
  4. $134,098 spent. SUPPORT TO SCHOLARS TO ENCOURAGE NEW EXHIBITIONS AND PUBLICATIONS ON THE ARTIST; MANAGED RESEARCH AND IMAGE REQUESTS; SUPPORT TO NEW DOCUMENTARY FILM ON BEARDEN. FOUNDATION REPRESENTATION AT SEVERAL CONFERENCES AND INITIATIVE MEETINGS, INCLUDING THE HARLEM SEMESTER INITIATIVE AT BARNARD COLLEGE- (ONGOING SPRING 2024) AND HARLEM CULTURAL COLLABORATION (ONGOING); ARTIST ENDOWED FOUNDATION ANNUAL FORUM (OCT 2024); SUPPORT TO A CONSORTIUM OF ARTIST ENDOWED FOUNDATION PILOT PROGRAM FOR INTERNS AND FELLOWS IN THE ARTS. THE FOUNDATION BOARD AND STAFF HOSTED A SPRING SALON IN WASHINGTON, DC INCLUDED A TALK BY SCHOLAR LESLIE KING HAMMOND, AND ART AUCTION WITH N'NAMDI GALLERY (JUNE 8, 2024); ATTENDED CONFERENCE BLACK PORTRAITURE (VENICE APRIL 20-21, 2024); REPRESENTED AT GROUP BY UNIT GALLERY IN VENICE, ITALY (APRIL 2024); THE FOUNDATION STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN THE LAUNCH OF A NEW DOCUMENTARY ON BEARDEN, AT MIAMI ART BASEL (DEC 1-4, 2024). THIS INCLUDED A SMALL EXHIBITION OF COLLAGE, AND A PANEL DISCUSSION WITH THE FILMMAKER, DEBORAH RILEY DRAPER, AND ARTIST TSCHABALALA SELF.
  5. SUPPORT TO SCHOLARS TO ENCOURAGE NEW EXHIBITIONS AND PUBLICATIONS ON THE ARTIST; MANAGED RESEARCH AND IMAGE REQUESTS; SUPPORT TO NEW DOCUMENTARY FILM ON BEARDEN. FOUNDATION REPRESENTATION AT SEVERAL CONFERENCES AND INITIATIVE MEETINGS, INCLUDING THE HARLEM SEMESTER INITIATIVE AT BARNARD COLLEGE- (ONGOING SPRING 2024) AND HARLEM CULTURAL COLLABORATION (ONGOING); ARTIST ENDOWED FOUNDATION ANNUAL FORUM (OCT 2024); SUPPORT TO A CONSORTIUM OF ARTIST ENDOWED FOUNDATION PILOT PROGRAM FOR INTERNS AND FELLOWS IN THE ARTS. THE FOUNDATION BOARD AND STAFF HOSTED A SPRING SALON IN WASHINGTON, DC INCLUDED A TALK BY SCHOLAR LESLIE KING HAMMOND, AND ART AUCTION WITH N'NAMDI GALLERY (JUNE 8, 2024); ATTENDED CONFERENCE BLACK PORTRAITURE (VENICE APRIL 20-21, 2024); REPRESENTED AT GROUP BY UNIT GALLERY IN VENICE, ITALY (APRIL 2024); THE FOUNDATION STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN THE LAUNCH OF A NEW DOCUMENTARY ON BEARDEN, AT MIAMI ART BASEL (DEC 1-4, 2024). THIS INCLUDED A SMALL EXHIBITION OF COLLAGE, AND A PANEL DISCUSSION WITH THE FILMMAKER, DEBORAH RILEY DRAPER, AND ARTIST TSCHABALALA SELF.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 2024.

    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 January 2004.

    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.