Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Foundation for Art and Music in Elementary Education Inc

EIN 35-1719238 · Fort Wayne, IN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak40 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 44% 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 FAME IS TO FOSTER AND PERPETUATE CREATIVITY THROUGH MULTICULTURAL ARTS EDUCATION: WE BELIEVE IN THE VALUE AND POWER OF THE ARTS TO KINDLE THE IMAGINATION, ENCOURAGE CREATIVE THINKING AND ENHANCE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT.

Income
$134,678
Spending
$159,014
Spent on programs
44%
Reserves
1.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 57%
Employees
4
Volunteers
103
Highest pay
$51,697, executive di

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: 40 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 18% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 6% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    44% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 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

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (1)
  1. $70,409 spent. ARTS CAMP - A WEEK LONG OVER-NIGHT SUMMER RESIDENTIAL ARTS CAMP AT CAMP LUTHERWALD. 40 CAMPERS (AGES 8-16) TOGETHER WITH AN OUTSTANDING FACULTY OF ARTS EDUCATORS GATHERED TO CREATE A UNIQUE STUDENT ARTIST COLONY. 10 OF THE CAMPERS RECEIVED FULL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE CAMP. CLASSES IN MUSIC, VISUAL ARTS, DRAMA, DANCE, AND STORYTELLING ARE INTERSPERSED WITH CAMP ACTIVITIES INCLUDING SWIMMING, BOATING AND ROCK WALL CLIMBING. THE CLASSES ARE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE IMMERSION IN THE CREATIVE ARTS CONCENTRATED AROUND THE ANNUAL CULTURAL FOCUS. FOR 2024-25 THE CULTURAL FOCUS WAS TALES OF THE CARIBBEAN. VISITING ARTIST PROGRAM - FAME'S MULTICULTURAL VISITING ARTIST PROGRAM SEEKS TO BROADEN CULTURAL PERCEPTIONS AMONG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH PERFORMANCES BY LEADING EXPERTS FROM DIVERSE CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD. IN 2025 WE HAD CARIBBEAN ARTIST, TERESA VALESQUEZ, DO LIVE DEMONSTRATIONS OF HER TEXTILE ARTWORK. WHILE SHE WEAVED, SHE TOLD THE STUDENTS IN ATTENDANCE AT THE FAME FESTIVAL ABOUT THE ART FORM. MUSIC AND ART FESTIVAL - HELD EVERY YEAR DURING SPRING IN THE MONTH OF MARCH, THIS TWO-DAY FESTIVAL IN FORT WAYNE AT THE GRAND WAYNE CENTER FEATURES AN AVERAGE OF 50 PERFORMING GROUPS, 6,100 STUDENT PAINTINGS, DRAWINGS AND SCULPTURES, AND THE IMAGINARIUM HANDS-ON CREATIVE ARTS CENTER. PERFORMANCES BY VISITING ARTISTS, THE INTERACTIVE INSTRUMENT PLAYGROUND ALL ADD TO THE EXUBERANT ATMOSPHERE THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE CREATIVITY OF INDIANA'S ELEMENTARY STUDENTS. ANNUALLY, APPROXIMATELY 28,000 STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE FAME FESTIVAL, WITH AN ESTIMATED 40,000 SPECTATORS. 100 VOLUNTEERS FROM THE COMMUNITY COME TO HELP WITH THE WORK. ARTS CAMP - A WEEK LONG OVER-NIGHT SUMMER RESIDENTIAL ARTS CAMP AT CAMP LUTHERWALD. 40 CAMPERS (AGES 8-16) TOGETHER WITH AN OUTSTANDING FACULTY OF ARTS EDUCATORS GATHERED TO CREATE A UNIQUE STUDENT ARTIST COLONY. 10 OF THE CAMPERS RECEIVED FULL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE CAMP. CLASSES IN MUSIC, VISUAL ARTS, DRAMA, DANCE, AND STORYTELLING ARE INTERSPERSED WITH CAMP ACTIVITIES INCLUDING SWIMMING, BOATING AND ROCK WALL CLIMBING. THE CLASSES ARE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE IMMERSION IN THE CREATIVE ARTS CONCENTRATED AROUND THE ANNUAL CULTURAL FOCUS. FOR 2024-25 THE CULTURAL FOCUS WAS TALES OF THE CARIBBEAN. VISITING ARTIST PROGRAM - FAME'S MULTICULTURAL VISITING ARTIST PROGRAM SEEKS TO BROADEN CULTURAL PERCEPTIONS AMONG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH PERFORMANCES BY LEADING EXPERTS FROM DIVERSE CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD. IN 2025 WE HAD CARIBBEAN ARTIST, TERESA VALESQUEZ, DO LIVE DEMONSTRATIONS OF HER TEXTILE ARTWORK. WHILE SHE WEAVED, SHE TOLD THE STUDENTS IN ATTENDANCE AT THE FAME FESTIVAL ABOUT THE ART FORM. MUSIC AND ART FESTIVAL - HELD EVERY YEAR DURING SPRING IN THE MONTH OF MARCH, THIS TWO-DAY FESTIVAL IN FORT WAYNE AT THE GRAND WAYNE CENTER FEATURES AN AVERAGE OF 50 PERFORMING GROUPS, 6,100 STUDENT PAINTINGS, DRAWINGS AND SCULPTURES, AND THE IMAGINARIUM HANDS-ON CREATIVE ARTS CENTER. PERFORMANCES BY VISITING ARTISTS, THE INTERACTIVE INSTRUMENT PLAYGROUND ALL ADD TO THE EXUBERANT ATMOSPHERE THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE CREATIVITY OF INDIANA'S ELEMENTARY STUDENTS. ANNUALLY, APPROXIMATELY 28,000 STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE FAME FESTIVAL, WITH AN ESTIMATED 40,000 SPECTATORS. 100 VOLUNTEERS FROM THE COMMUNITY COME TO HELP WITH THE WORK.

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

  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 June 2025.

    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 April 1990.

    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.