International Womens Air and Space Museum Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Only 41% of its spending went to programs.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S AIR & SPACE MUSEUM IS TO COLLECT, PRESERVE, AND SHOWCASE THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF WOMEN IN ALL AREAS OF AVIATION & AEROSPACE; EDUCATE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD ABOUT THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS; AND INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS BY BRINGING THE HISTORY TO LIFE.
- Income
- $207,319
- Spending
- $162,420
- Spent on programs
- 41%
- Reserves
- 12.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 63%
- Employees
- 3
- Volunteers
- 30
- Highest pay
- $45,424, executive di
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
Fair: 66 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.6 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 28% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 22% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 31% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1541% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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
Strong: 92 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 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
0 of 7Reports no 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.
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, 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 (2)
- $31,950 spent. COLLECTIONS IWASM'S COLLECTION CONTAINS APPROXIMATELY 20,000 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL OBJECTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ARCHIVAL MATERIALS, AND BOOKS RELATING TO THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND HISTORY OF WOMEN IN AIR AND SPACE. IN ADDITION, OUR REFERENCE ARCHIVE HOLDS MORE THAN 6,000 ITEMS. THE EARLIEST ITEMS IN THE COLLECTION DATE TO APPROXIMATELY 1880 AND IWASM IS AN ACTIVELY COLLECTING INSTITUTION FOR CONTEMPORARY COLLECTIONS. IN TOTAL, THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTIONS DOCUMENT THE LIVES AND CAREERS OF WOMEN IN ALL AREAS OF AVIATION AND AEROSPACE INCLUDING PILOTS, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS, ENGINEERS, FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, ASTRONAUTS, BALLOONISTS, AND MORE. IN 2023, THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED ITS PROGRESS ON A COLLECTIONS INVENTORY AND REHOUSING PROJECT SUPPORTED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES (NEH); PROJECT PERIOD 11/1/2022-3/31/2024. THANKS TO THIS FUNDING, THE MUSEUM WILL ENHANCE AND UPDATE ITS COLLECTIONS STORAGE ENVIRONMENTS TO ENSURE THAT ITEMS CAN BE BETTER ACCESSED. ONE SUCH METHOD OF ACCESS IF THROUGH EXHIBITS AND TO FACILITATE ORGANIZATIONAL RESEARCH, PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, AND AS RESOURCES FOR EXTERNAL RESEARCHERS. NOT ALL IWASM COLLECTIONS ARE ACCESSIBLE ONLINE. WHAT ARE, CAN BE FOUND BY VISITING: WWW.IWASM.OMEKA.NET COLLECTIONS IWASM'S COLLECTION CONTAINS APPROXIMATELY 20,000 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL OBJECTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ARCHIVAL MATERIALS, AND BOOKS RELATING TO THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND HISTORY OF WOMEN IN AIR AND SPACE. IN ADDITION, OUR REFERENCE ARCHIVE HOLDS MORE THAN 6,000 ITEMS. THE EARLIEST ITEMS IN THE COLLECTION DATE TO APPROXIMATELY 1880 AND IWASM IS AN ACTIVELY COLLECTING INSTITUTION FOR CONTEMPORARY COLLECTIONS. IN TOTAL, THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTIONS DOCUMENT THE LIVES AND CAREERS OF WOMEN IN ALL AREAS OF AVIATION AND AEROSPACE INCLUDING PILOTS, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS, ENGINEERS, FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, ASTRONAUTS, BALLOONISTS, AND MORE. IN 2023, THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED ITS PROGRESS ON A COLLECTIONS INVENTORY AND REHOUSING PROJECT SUPPORTED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES (NEH); PROJECT PERIOD 11/1/2022-3/31/2024. THANKS TO THIS FUNDING, THE MUSEUM WILL ENHANCE AND UPDATE ITS COLLECTIONS STORAGE ENVIRONMENTS TO ENSURE THAT ITEMS CAN BE BETTER ACCESSED. ONE SUCH METHOD OF ACCESS IF THROUGH EXHIBITS AND TO FACILITATE ORGANIZATIONAL RESEARCH, PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, AND AS RESOURCES FOR EXTERNAL RESEARCHERS. NOT ALL IWASM COLLECTIONS ARE ACCESSIBLE ONLINE. WHAT ARE, CAN BE FOUND BY VISITING: WWW.IWASM.OMEKA.NET
- $34,950 spent. EDUCATION IWASM STRIVES TO SERVE ITS COMMUNITIES THROUGH VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL MEANS. THIS INCLUDES OFFERING: -CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS: AVIATION ADVENTURES AND QUEST FOR THE STARS -ROCKET DAY (AGES 4-12) -WOW STEM CONFERENCE (AGES 14-18) -DINNER WITH A SLICE OF HISTORY, GRANT FUNDED (ADULT LEARNERS) -VIRTUAL PROGRAMS -ADULT SPEAKERS' BUREAU PROGRAMS IN 2021, WE BEGAN BENCHMARKING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AGAINST STATE AND NATIONAL STANDARDS. FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE BEGAN ASSESSING THE NEEDS OF TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS AND STRATEGIZING HOW BEST TO COMPLIMENT WHAT SCHOOLS ARE ALREADY EXPECTED TO COVER IN SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE, AND ENGLISH- LANGUAGE ARTS. FOR DESCRIPTIONS AND EXAMPLE OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS OFFERED SINCE JANUARY 2021, VISIT: WWW.IWASM.ORG/WP-BLOG/EVENTS. EDUCATION IWASM STRIVES TO SERVE ITS COMMUNITIES THROUGH VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL MEANS. THIS INCLUDES OFFERING: -CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS: AVIATION ADVENTURES AND QUEST FOR THE STARS -ROCKET DAY (AGES 4-12) -WOW STEM CONFERENCE (AGES 14-18) -DINNER WITH A SLICE OF HISTORY, GRANT FUNDED (ADULT LEARNERS) -VIRTUAL PROGRAMS -ADULT SPEAKERS' BUREAU PROGRAMS IN 2021, WE BEGAN BENCHMARKING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AGAINST STATE AND NATIONAL STANDARDS. FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE BEGAN ASSESSING THE NEEDS OF TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS AND STRATEGIZING HOW BEST TO COMPLIMENT WHAT SCHOOLS ARE ALREADY EXPECTED TO COVER IN SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE, AND ENGLISH- LANGUAGE ARTS. FOR DESCRIPTIONS AND EXAMPLE OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS OFFERED SINCE JANUARY 2021, VISIT: WWW.IWASM.ORG/WP-BLOG/EVENTS.
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
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 December 2024.
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 July 1976.
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.