Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Abbeville Institute Ltd

EIN 41-2041098 · Auburn, AL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood74 out of 100GovernanceFair56 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 42% 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 INSTITUTE IS DEDICATED TO EXPLORING WHAT IS TRUE AND VALUABLE IN THE SOUTHERN TRADITION THROUGH POPULAR AND SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS AND CONFERENCES, VIA OUR WEBSITE, ZOOM WEBINARS, PUBLIC AND ACADEMIC CONFERENCES AND PUBLISHED BOOKS AND ARTICLES. OVER 170 AFFILIATIONS.

Income
$271,961
Spending
$295,143
Spent on programs
42%
Reserves
33.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 86%
Employees
1
Volunteers
20
Highest pay
$114,583, president 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

Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 33.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 15% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    42% 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

Fair: 56 out of 100. Higher than 28% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

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

  • 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 (3)
  1. $84,844 spent. THE INSTITUTES WEBSITE: DURING 2022 THE INSTITUTE PUBLISHED ARTICLES, BOOK REVIEWS, A PODCAST, AND LECTURES ON SOUTHERN CULTURE, HISTORY, ECONOMICS, PHILOSOPHY, LITERATURE, AND THE ARTS ON A FREE PUBLIC WEBSITE AND MOBILE APPLICATION. WE ALSO HELD ZOOM WEBINARS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON VARIOUS TOPICS ON THE SOUTHERN TRADITION.
  2. $23,899 spent. SUMMER SCHOOL: THE INSTITUTE HELD A SUMMER SCHOOL FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN JULY 2022 SESSIONS ARE LED BY AFFILIATED SCHOLARS ALONG WITH DISCUSSION GROUPS. SCHOLARS ARE GENERALLY THERE ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS AND ARE ONLY COMPENSATED WITH ROOM AND BOARD. VOLUNTEERS HELP COORINDATE THE ACTIVITIES, AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDINGS ARE USUALLY MADE OF THESE SESSIONS
  3. $14,754 spent. NEWSLETTERS AND BOOK PUBLISHING: THE INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER IS MAILED FREE OF CHARGE TO DONORS AND INTERESTED PARTIES, AND INCLUDES DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INSTITUTES CURRENT AND UPCOMING EVENTS. WE ALSO PUBLISH BOOKS ON SOUTHERN TOPICS. THE INSTITUTE HAS SEVEN BOOKS IN MANUSCRPT FORM AT VARYING STAGES OF COMPLETION.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 2002.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.