Greater Columbus Arts Council Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
MISSION: TO CHAMPION AND ELEVATE THE ARTS AND CULTURAL EXPRESSION OF GREATER COLUMBUS.VISION: POWER OF ART REALIZED. PEOPLE ENGAGED. CITY ENERGIZED.
- Income
- $22.4 million
- Spending
- $25.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- 3.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 91%
- Employees
- 18
- Volunteers
- 370
- Highest pay
- $396,278, former president
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
Fair: 54 out of 100. Higher than 20% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.4 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 43% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 22% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2525 of 25 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)
- $19.2 million spent. GRANTS & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - GCAC SUPPORTS NONPROFIT ART ORGANIZATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS THAT PROVIDE ARTS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMMING IN COLUMBUS, OH INCLUDING: ARTS EXHIBITS, CONCERTS, AND PROGRAMS FOR THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS. FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF COLUMBUS HOTEL/MOTEL EXCISE TAX AND ADMISSIONS TAX (FROM VENUES OTHER THAN NATIONWIDE ARENA). GRANTS ARE AWARDED TO LOCAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS FOR OPERATING SUPPORT, CAPITAL FUNDING, PROJECTS, THRIVE, AND CULTURAL FESTIVALS. FUNDING ALSO SUPPORTS INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS THROUGH FUNDS FOR ARTIST GRANTS, ARTIST PROJECT GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS, MURAL ASSISTANCE, ARTIST AWARDS, ARTIST RESIDENCES AND EXCHANGES, ARTIST WORKSHOPS, NAVIGATOR OUTREACH, AND THE STREET PERFORMER PROGRAMS.
- $1.3 million spent. COLUMBUS ARTS FESTIVAL - GCAC ORGANIZES THE ANNUAL COLUMBUS ARTS FESTIVAL, WHICH IS HELD IN EARLY JUNE. THE FESTIVAL PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY TO VIEW AND PURCHASE WORK OF LOCAL AND NATIONAL ARTISTS, LISTEN TO CONTINUOUS LIVE MUSIC, AND PARTICIPATE IN ART ACTIVITIES FREE OF CHARGE. THE REVENUES OF THE FESTIVAL REPRESENT CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS, CONTRIBUTIONS, AND BOOTH AND TENT RENTALS, AS WELL AS REVENUES FROM CONCESSIONS. FESTIVAL EXPENSES ARE FOR OPERATIONS, PROGRAMMING, EQUIPMENT, MATERIALS, AND ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.
- $725,273 spent. COLUMBUS MAKES ART CAMPAIGN - ART MAKES COLUMBUS/COLUMBUS MAKES ART IS A CITYWIDE MARKETING CAMPAIGN IN CENTRAL OHIO THAT CONNECTS PEOPLE WITH THE ARTS AND ARTS EXPERIENCES. THE CAMPAIGN INCLUDES MARKETING OF ARTISTS AND ARTS EVENTS VIA A SEARCHABLE CALENDAR, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND PAID DIGITAL BROADCAST AND PRINT ADS AND PROMOTING SELF-GUIDED PUBLIC ART TOURS. THE PUBLIC CAN BROWSE THE COLUMBUS MAKES ART WEBSITE TO FIND THOUSANDS OF ARTS EVENTS EACH YEAR, EXPLORE THE ARTISTS THAT CALL CENTRAL OHIO HOME AND FIND PUBLIC ART IN NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY.
- $1.1 million spent. FILM COLUMBUSFILM COLUMBUS AIMS TO GROW THE FILM INDUSTRY IN COLUMBUS AND CENTRAL OHIO BY CREATING JOBS AND PROVIDING SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE AREA. FILM COLUMBUS STRIVES TO BUILD COLUMBUS AS A TOP CITY FOR FILM EDUCATION, EXHIBITION, AND PRODUCTION. BEGINNING IN 2020, FILM COLUMBUS BECAME A DIVISON OF GCAC.ART IN PUBLIC PLACESIN 2025 GCAC LAUNCHED THE GREATER COLUMBUS PUBLIC ART STRATEGY, THE FIRST EVER COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC ART PLAN FOR COLUMBUS AND FRANKLIN COUNTY. IT LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR AN ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM AT GCAC TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO ARTISTS, BUSINESSES, NEIGHBORHOODS AND OTHERS WHO WANT TO: CREATE PUBLIC ART, CONDUCT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT FOR COMMUNITY INPUT ON PUBLIC ART PROJECTS, DEVELOP NEW PUBLIC ART PLANS FOCUSED ON BOTH ARTISTS AND NEIGHBORHOOD EQUITY, DIRECTLY COMMISSION PUBLIC ART AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND ASSISTANCE FOR PROJECTS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY THAT NEED TO NAVIGATE CITY AND COUNTY SERVICES AND PERMITS.COMMUNITY ARTS PROGRAMS:JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENTTHE PROGRAM IS THE WORLD'S LARGET ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO EDUCATING STUDENTS ABOUT WORKFORCE READINESS, ENTREPRENEURESHIP, AND FINANCIAL LITERACY THROUGH EXPERIENCES, HANDS ON PROGRAMS. JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAMS HELP PREPARE YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE REAL WORLD BY SHOWING THEM HOW TO GENERATE WEALTH AND EFFECTIVELY MANAGE IT, HOW TO CREATE JOBS WHICH MAKE THEIR COMMUNITIES MORE ROBUST, AND HOW TO APPLY ENTREPRENEURIAL THINKING TO THE WORKFORCE. STUDENDS PUT THESE LESSONS INTO ACTION AND LEARN THE VALUE OF CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.BROAD & HIGHGCAC'S PARTNERSHIP WITH WOSU HELPS PRODUCE A TELEVISED PROGRAM TO PROMOTE GREATER APPRECIATION OF THE ARTS AND CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN CENTRAL OHIO. THE PROGRAM HAS GONE ON TO WIN NUMEROUS REGIONAL EMMY AWARDS, RECOGNIZING THEIR EFFORTS TO PROMOTE AND CELEBRATE LOCAL ARTS.
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 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 December 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 October 1974.
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.