Illinois Arts Alliance
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ARTS ALLIANCE ILLINOIS BUILDS THE CREATIVE SECTOR'S POWER THROUGH ADVOCACY AND CONNECTION TO RESOURCES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN COMMUNITIES STATEWIDE.
- Income
- $3.3 million
- Spending
- $2.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 66%
- Reserves
- 5.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 85%
- Employees
- 23
- Volunteers
- 20
- Highest pay
- $200,124, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100.
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1566% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 2521 of 21 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 September 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 (5)
- $713,890 spent. FISCAL SPONSORSHIP: ASSISTING STARTUP INITIATIVES LOOKING TO STRENGTHEN THE CREATIVE SECTOR OF ILLINOIS AS THEY ESTABLISH THEIR OWN TAX EXEMPTION.
- $470,064 spent. PUBLIC FUNDING NAVIGATION: IN 2023 ARTS ALLIANCE ILLINOIS LAUNCHED OUR PUBLIC FUNDING NAVIGATOR PROGRAM TO HELP THE ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR LEARN ABOUT AND ACCESS PUBLIC FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, AND TO POSITION OURSELVES AS AN ADVOCATE TO HELP THEM OVERCOME BARRIERS WITHIN THESE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS.THE PROGRAM INCLUDES RESEARCHING AND IDENTIFYING ADDITIONAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT CAN BE LEVERAGED FOR CREATIVES AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS/BUSINESSES, AS WELL AS CONNECTING THE CREATIVE SECTOR WITH AFFORDABLE FINANCIAL LITERACY AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES.
- $366,176 spent. CIVIC ENGAGEMENT: THE ALLIANCE KEEPS ITS STAKEHOLDERS UP TO DATE ON NEWS AND POLICY THAT AFFECT THE CREATIVE SECTOR THROUGH PUBLIC FORUMS, ACTION ALERTS, ADVOCACY TRAININGS, WORKSHOPS, VOTER EDUCATION, MEETINGS WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS, WEBINARS, AND OTHER ENGAGEMENT EVENTS. BY EMPOWERING OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO BE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE POLICY-MAKING PROCESS, WE EQUIP THE SECTOR WITH THE TOOLS TO GROW OUR IMPACT ACROSS ILLINOIS. CAPITOL DAY: EVERY SPRING, ARTS AND CULTURE ADVOCATES FROM ACROSS ILLINOIS COME TOGETHER TO CHAMPION KEY ISSUES THAT IMPACT THE LARGER CREATIVE COMMUNITY IN ILLINOIS WHILE ADVANCING THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES.
- $338,680 spent. ARTS EDUCATION & CULTURAL EQUITY: ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE EXPANSION OF STUDENT ACCESS TO DAILY ARTS INSTRUCTION THROUGHOUT ILLINOIS, AND TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF CREATIVE WORKERS OF COLOR AND RAISING AWARENESS OF HISTORICALLY NEGLECTED FORMS OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION.
- RESEARCH: RESEARCH AROUND POLICIES AND PROGRAMS THAT INCREASE STABILITY FOR CREATIVE WORKERS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 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 September 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 June 1982.
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.
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