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American Museum of Ceramic Art

EIN 41-2077818 · Pomona, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair65 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

AMOCA BELIEVES CLAY IS MAGIC. IT IS A SIMPLE YET EXTRAORDINARY MATERIAL FROM WHICH ARTISTIC MASTERPIECES ARE CREATED AND EVERYDAY PRODUCTS ARE MADE. FROM DINNERWARE TO SCULPTURE TO CELL PHONE CHIPS AND COSMETICS, CLAY IS A PART OF EVERYONE'S LIFE.

Income
$2.4 million
Spending
$1.5 million
Spent on programs
76%
Reserves
-2.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 71%
Employees
29
Volunteers
21
Highest pay
$192,551, executive director

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: 65 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 38% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 39% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    76% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    21 of 21 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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. $202,319 spent. EXHIBITIONS: AMOCA'S FOUR GALLERIES SHOWCASE A VARIETY OF CERAMIC EXHIBITIONS, FROM SHOWS BY EMERGING ARTISTS TO CAREER RETROSPECTIVES OF MASTER CERAMICISTS TO PERMANENT COLLECTION REVIEWS OF HISTORIC ARTWORKS. EXHIBITIONS ARE OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY PRINT CATALOGS THAT LEAVE A LASTING SCHOLARLY LEGACY FOR THE EXHIBITING ARTISTS, UNDERSCORING THEIR IMPORTANCE IN THE ART HISTORICAL RECORD. AMOCA PRESENTS EXHIBITIONS THAT SHOWCASE AND CHAMPION CERAMIC ARTISTS, REFLECT ON HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY ART MOVEMENTS, ADDRESS OVERLOOKED AND/OR UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES, AND EXAMINE CONTEMPORARY ISSUES THROUGH ART.
  2. $433,422 spent. EDUCATION, OUTREACH, AND CERAMICS STUDIO: ALL EXHIBITIONS ARE ACCOMPANIED BY ARTIST TALKS, CURATOR PRESENTATIONS, TOURS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, AND SPANISH EXHIBITION TEXT TRANSLATIONS. ALL EXHIBITION PROGRAMMING IS FREE WITH MUSEUM ADMISSION.K-12 FIELD TRIPS PROVIDE A 2.5-HOUR MUSEUM EXPERIENCE AND INCLUDE ADMISSION, DOCENT-LED TOURS, GALLERY GUIDES, AND A HANDS-ON CLAY ACTIVITY. AMOCA ALSO OFFERS COMPLIMENTARY EXHIBITION TOURS FOR ADULTS ENROLLED IN COLLEGE-LEVEL PROGRAMS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.THE ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL CERAMICS EXHIBITION IS THE LARGEST JURIED EXHIBITION OF ITS KIND ON THE WEST COAST. THE VIRTUAL EXHIBITION RECEIVES MORE THAN 500 APPLICATIONS FROM OVER 100 SCHOOLS IN 25 STATES AND FEATURES THE WORK OF APPROXIMATELY 100 STUDENTS IN GRADES 9-12. THERE IS NO FEE TO APPLY.MUDMOBILE MOBILE MUSEUM VISITS INCREASE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO ARTS AND ARTS EDUCATION FOR K-12 STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND FAMILIES, FOCUSING ON SERVING TITLE 1 SCHOOLS WITHIN 20 MILES OF THE MUSEUM. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES A POP-UP MUSEUM EXHIBITION AND HANDS-ON CLAY ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPLEMENT TEACHING CURRICULUMS, SUPPORT TEACHERS IN MEETING STATE STANDARDS, AND FACILITATE STUDENT EXPOSURE TO THE RICH CALIFORNIA CERAMIC ARTS TRADITION.ESTABLISHED IN 2015, TEEN COUNCIL PROVIDES WEEKLY STRUCTURED PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR A COHORT OF LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS (AGES 14-17). MEMBERS LEARN FROM PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS IN AMOCA'S CERAMICS STUDIO, HONING ARTISTIC TECHNIQUES AND PROFESSIONALSKILLS (INCLUDING RESUME WRITING AND PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT).THE CERAMICS STUDIO STRIVES TO MAKE CERAMICS ACCESSIBLE TO OUR SURROUNDING CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY. SINCE 2011, OUR 12,000 SQ FT STUDIO HAS BEEN A VALUABLE RESOURCE FOR CERAMIC ARTISTS IN OUR AREA AND, INCREASINGLY, A PLACE FOR THOSE NEW TO CERAMICS TO LEARN BASIC SKILLS TO DEVELOP THEIR WORK AND STYLE.AMOCA'S ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM, ESTABLISHED IN 2012, OFFERS ONE OF THE FEW LONG-TERM FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ON THE WEST COAST. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES STUDIO SPACE, HOUSING FOR LONG-TERM RESIDENTS, MATERIALS, FIRING, AND LIVING STIPENDS. IN 2022, AN ADDITIONAL 6-MONTH RESIDENCY BECAME AVAILABLE FOR ARTISTS BASED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. RESIDENTS ARE SELECTED BASED ON THE QUALITY AND ARTISTIC MERIT OF THEIR WORK AND THE STRENGTH OF THEIR RESIDENCY PLAN.ARTIST WORKSHOPS, SKILL-BUILDING WORKSHOPS, AND DEMONSTRATIONS INVITE PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS INTO THE AMOCA STUDIO TO SHARE SIGNATURE TECHNIQUES AND APPROACHES WHILE GIVING OUR COMMUNITY A CHANCE TO FOCUS ON AND EXPAND THEIR PRACTICE. WE ACCOMMODATE WEEKLY COMMUNITY FIRINGS AND 200+ PRIVATE FIRINGS PER YEAR. MONTHLY INTRODUCTORY CLASSES FOR ADULTS 18+ ALLOW NEW CERAMICISTS TO LEARN THE BASICS OF THROWING ON THE POTTER'S WHEEL, INCLUDING CLAY, GLAZE, AND FIRING SERVICES. SIX-WEEK CLASSES, OFFERED QUARTERLY, INCLUDE INSTRUCTION IN WHEEL-THROWING AND HAND-BUILDING FOR NEW AND SEASONED ARTISTS TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS. STUDENTS ENJOY ACCESS TO OPEN STUDIO HOURS DURING THE DURATION OF THEIR COURSE.AMOCA'S CERAMICS STUDIO RENTALS ACCOMMODATE AROUND 65 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ARTISTS. INDIVIDUALS RENTING ONE OF 52 PRIVATE OR SEMI-PRIVATE STUDIOS RECEIVE 24/7 ACCESS TO STUDIO FACILITIES (INCLUDING A COMMUNAL GLAZE AREA, SPRAY BOOTHS, SAND-BLASTING EQUIPMENT, AND COMMUNAL FIRING SERVICES). THE STUDIO SCHOLARSHIP FUND, LAUNCHED IN 2024, ENSURES THAT ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE ACCESS TO OUR PROGRAMS, NO MATTER THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATION.
  3. $506,683 spent. COLLECTIONS: AMOCA PRESERVES AND COLLECTS SIGNIFICANT CERAMIC ACHIEVEMENTS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE, FROM ANCIENT TIMES TO THE PRESENT. OUR PERMANENT COLLECTION, WHICH CONSISTS OF OVER 13,000 PIECES, IS A GROWING REPRESENTATION OF THE IMPACT OF CERAMICS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN CULTURES.

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 September 2004.

    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.