San Diego Automotive Museum Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Only 48% 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 Museum functions as an educational and cultural institutionexercising community responsibility for the preservation of the automotive arts and sciences
- Income
- $2.0 million
- Spending
- $3.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 48%
- Reserves
- -7.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 56%
- Employees
- 25
- Volunteers
- 90
- Highest pay
- $162,328, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 10 out of 100. Higher than 0% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 40% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 50% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 42% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1548% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 44 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 June 30, 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 (2)
- $1.2 million spent. CollectionsThe Museums collection of vintage automobiles, motorcycles and accessories is on permanent display at the Museum located in Balboa Park. The Museums collection consists of 43 automobiles and 16 motorcycles. In addition, the Museum is home to one of the finest collections of automotive research materials on the entire West Coast consisting of:- 6,500 automobile books- 36,000-40,000 magazines- 1,500 hardcover repair manuals- 9 editions of Dykes Repair Manuals- 13,000 plus Club Newsletter and Magazines- 113 different automobile magazines titles back to 1901- 43 current monthly automobile periodicals- Automotive Quarterly: complete run- Road and Track: complete run
- $268,491 spent. Education San Diego Automotive Museums programming offers San Diegos children an opportunity to learn about the many facets of the automobile experience, from the automobiles impact on society to societys impact on the automobile. This includes social studies (automotive history: local, national, and international), science (thephysics and technologies involved), and even art (movable art). The impact of the automobile on American society is without question and has been driving factor in our growth.At the San Diego Automotive Museum, visitors can begin to understand how important the industry has been to humanity, how the automobile has helped to shape our national identity, how the automobile has changed the course of American History, and how technological improvements brought on by the automobile have given us much greater access to the world at large.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 September 1987.
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.
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.