Arts Midwest
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Arts Midwest works collaboratively with private and public arts supporters to support, inform, and celebrate arts organizations and creative communities across the Midwest. Our mission is to build unprecedented opportunity across the Midwest by advancing creativity.
- Income
- $7.1 million
- Spending
- $9.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- 10.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 80%
- Employees
- 24
- Volunteers
- 21
- Highest pay
- $279,619, president & 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
Good: 73 out of 100. Higher than 51% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 14% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 34% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 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 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 (3)
- $3.9 million spent. Regional Prosperity: Arts Midwest's Regional Prosperity programs support artists, arts leaders, organizations, and communities throughout the Midwest. Efforts include giving grants for arts events and activities; supporting artist tours; offering tools and resources for arts organizations and administrators; and providing services to our member State Arts Agencies.
- $3.5 million spent. National Initiatives: Arts Midwest partners with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and our five sister U.S. Regional Arts Organizations (USRAOs) to support the national arts sector. We manage two programs on behalf of the NEA: Shakespeare in American Communities and the NEA Big Read. Through these programs, we issue grants to organizations to connect young people with the work of William Shakespeare and conduct community reading programs - bringing high-quality arts activities to communities across the nation. We also work closely with the other five USRAOs to design and implement programs that collectively reach organizations across the United States.
- $437,431 spent. Celebrating Midwestern Creativity: Arts Midwest seeks to amplify Midwestern creativity. To that end, we honor, celebrate, and reward innovative artists and leaders in our region through a series of award programs. These awards recognize folk arts practitioners and culture bearers, disabled visual artists, and entrepreneurial arts administrators. We are also home to a storytelling initiative that amplifies Midwestern creativity. We commission and publish stories that go beyond traditional arts coverage and celebrate creativity in all its forms.
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 August 1973.
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.