Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

American Wine Society

EIN 38-2034240 · Brambleton, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

AMERICAN WINE SOCIETY (HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS "AWS- OR THE "ORGANIZATION- OR THE "SOCIETY") IS A MEMBER BASED, NON-GOVERNMENTAL, NOT- FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION INCORPORATED IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ON NOVEMBER 13, 1973. THE MISSION OF THE SOCIETY IS TO PROMOTE THE APPRECIATION OF WINE THROUGH EDUCATION. THE ORGANIZATION IS PRIMARILY FUNDED BY ITS MEMBERS AS AN EDUCATIONAL, CONSUMER-ORIENTED ORGANIZATION FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT ALL ASPECTS OF WINE. AWS IS THE LARGEST CONSUMER ORGANIZATION IN THE U.S. DEDICATED TO THE MISSION OF SPREADING THE AWARENESS OF WINE. MEMBERS EXPLORE WINE TOGETHER THROUGH RELAXED TASTING EVENTS ORGANIZED BY VARIOUS LOCAL CHAPTERS (INDEPENDENT AFFILIATES) THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE, AND BY PARTICIPATING IN VARIOUS WINE TASTING COMPETITIONS AND EVENTS ORGANIZED BY THE ORGANIZATION. THROUGH VARIOUS PROGRAMS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE INDUSTRY, WE PROMOTE WINE CULTURE IN THE US WITH A FOCUS ON PERSO

Income
$839,053
Spending
$719,989
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
1.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 98%
Employees
3
Highest pay
$85,000, 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: 60 out of 100. Higher than 20% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 62% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 51% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 81% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 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

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    12 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (5)
  1. $421,282 spent. CONFERENCE AND EVENTS : EVERY YEAR AWS ORGANIZES WINE CONFERENCE WHERE THE MEMBERS GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT WINE, WINE REGIONS, ENOLOGY AND VITICULTURE THROUGH VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS. PARTICIPANTS TO THE WINE CONFERENCE INCLUDES MEMBERS, INDUSTRY PARTNERS AND SPONSORS'. LIKE MANY ORGANIZATIONS IN 2020, WE WERE UNABLE TO HAVE AN IN-PERSON CONFERENCE. HOWEVER, WE RELAUNCHED OUR CONFERENCE AS A VIRTUAL EVENT WHICH OFFERED PARTICIPANTS THE SAME EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND INTERACTION WITH LEADING WINE INDUSTRY FIGURES IN THE COMFORT AND SAFETY OF THEIR HOMES. WE OFFERED PARTICIPATION IN THIS VIRTUAL EVENT AT NO COST TO OUR MEMBERS.
  2. $48,351 spent. PUBLICATIONS : THE AWS FLAGSHIP PUBLICATION, "THE WINE JOURNAL", WAS PUBLISHED FOUR TIMES DURING THE YEAR AND DISTRIBUTED TO NEARLY 7,000 AWS MEMBERS AS WELL AS LIBRARIES AND WINE INDUSTRY RECIPIENTS. THE JOURNAL CONTAINS ARTICLES ON VITICULTURE, ENOLOGY, INDUSTRY TRENDS AND RESEARCH NEWS. THE BIMONTHLY NEWSLETTER IS DISTRIBUTED TO ALL AWS MEMBERS AND IS PRIMARILY USED AS A COMMUNICATION TOOL WITH THE MEMBERS ON AWS BUSINESSES.: THE JOURNAL IS AVAILABLE IN PRINT AND ELECTRONIC FORMAT. THE AWS NEWSLETTER IS AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY.
  3. $24,709 spent. WINE COMPETITION : THE AWS CONDUCTS ONE OF THE LONGEST RUNNING NATIONAL WINE COMPETITIONS IN THE US. OUR AMATEUR WINE COMPETITION, OPEN TO MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS, PROVIDES ENCOURAGEMENT AND GUIDANCE TO HOME WINEMAKERS. OUR NATIONAL WINE COMPETITION REWARDS EXCELLENCE IN COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE WINES. THE COMPETITION PROVIDES JUDGING EXPERIENCE AND OPPORTUNITIES TO THE AWS-CERTIFIED WINE JUDGES.OUR TEAM DEVELOPED A PROCESS TO CONDUCT THE COMPETITION SAFELY DESPITE COVID, AND ALLOWED THIS PROGRAM TO CONTINUE
  4. $101,302 spent. MEMBER SERVICES : LOCAL CHAPTERS AND MEMBERS' SERVICES : AWS MAINTAIN LOCAL CHAPTERS AND MEMBERSHIP SUPPORT TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION : AWS IS AN APPROVED PROGRAM PROVIDER FOR THE LONDON-BASED WINE & SPIRITS EDUCATIONAL TRUST, A LEADING GLOBAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF PANDEMIC SHUTDOWNS, THE ORGANIZATION WAS ABLE TO DELIVER TRAINING DIGITALLY AND TEST IN-PERSON SAFELY. TO ALLOW OUR CHAPTER/AFFILIATES TO CONTINUE PROGRAMMING REMOTELY, THE AWS PROVIDED SMALL SPECIMEN BOTTLES AND ZOOM LICENSED THAT THAT ALLOWED OUR LOCAL CHAPTER/ AFFILIATES. COLLABORATING WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS AND EDUCATORS, WE PROVIDED OR COLLABORATED ON MORE THAN A DOZEN NATIONAL VIRTUAL EDUCATIONAL AND TASTING OPPORTUNITIES FREE OF CHARGE TO THOUSANDS OF OUR MEMBERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
  5. MEMBER SERVICES : LOCAL CHAPTERS AND MEMBERS' SERVICES : AWS MAINTAIN LOCAL CHAPTERS AND MEMBERSHIP SUPPORT TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION : AWS IS AN APPROVED PROGRAM PROVIDER FOR THE LONDON-BASED WINE & SPIRITS EDUCATIONAL TRUST, A LEADING GLOBAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF PANDEMIC SHUTDOWNS, THE ORGANIZATION WAS ABLE TO DELIVER TRAINING DIGITALLY AND TEST IN-PERSON SAFELY. TO ALLOW OUR CHAPTER/AFFILIATES TO CONTINUE PROGRAMMING REMOTELY, THE AWS PROVIDED SMALL SPECIMEN BOTTLES AND ZOOM LICENSED THAT THAT ALLOWED OUR LOCAL CHAPTER/ AFFILIATES. COLLABORATING WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS AND EDUCATORS, WE PROVIDED OR COLLABORATED ON MORE THAN A DOZEN NATIONAL VIRTUAL EDUCATIONAL AND TASTING OPPORTUNITIES FREE OF CHARGE TO THOUSANDS OF OUR MEMBERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

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

  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 October 13, 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 December 2024.

    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 January 1983.

    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 October 21, 2026.

  7. Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.

    A much larger organization has a similar name: American Bible Society (Philadelphia, PA), EIN 13-1623885. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.