American Iris Society
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO EDUCATE, PROMOTE, AND SUPPORT APPRECIATION OF THE IRIS PLANT, ITS CULTIVATION, AND DOCUMENTATION OF THE IRIS SPECIES AND HYBRIDS.
- Income
- $249,334
- Spending
- $144,670
- Spent on programs
- 65%
- Reserves
- 93.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 40%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 75
- Highest pay
- $14,400, registrar
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 93.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 42% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 61% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1565% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 67 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 18 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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, 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 (4)
- $25,902 spent. ELECTRONIC SERVICES - THE SOCIETY HIRED A COMPUTER PROGRAMMING CONSULTANT TO WRITE MAJOR SOFTWARE TO CREATE AN INTEGRATED MEMBERS SERVICES SYSTEM. THE SOCIETY'S MEMBER DATABASE, JUDGES DATABASE, AND REGISTRATIONS DATABASE ARE NOW TIED TOGETHER SO THAT THE SAME TRANSACTIONS DO NOT HAVE TO BE INPUT MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT ONLY HAVE TO BE INPUT ONCE. MEMBERS CAN JOIN AND RENEW ELECTRONICALLY THROUGH OUR WEBSITE; JUDGES CAN VOTE THEIR ANNUAL BALLOT; AND HYBRIDIZERS CAN REGISTER THEIR NEW IRIS THROUGH OUR WEBSITE. INFORMATION ENTERED THIS WAY AUTOMATICALLY UPDATES THE IRIS REGISTER, THE IRIS ENCYCLOPEDIA, AND MEMBERS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE THE ANNUAL BALLOT. THANK YOU NOTES ARE AUTOMATICALLY SEND OUT FOR PAYMENT OF DUES. THE ABOVE PROGRAMMING EXPENSES WERE IN ADDITION TO THE REHULAR EXPENSES TO MAINTAIN OUR WEBSITE, EXPENSES FOR ZOOM MEETINGS FOR MONTHLY BOARD OF DIRECTOR MEETINGS AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS, ZOOM EXPENSES FOR WEBINARS, ETC. ELECTRONIC SERVICES - THE SOCIETY HIRED A COMPUTER PROGRAMMING CONSULTANT TO WRITE MAJOR SOFTWARE TO CREATE AN INTEGRATED MEMBERS SERVICES SYSTEM. THE SOCIETY'S MEMBER DATABASE, JUDGES DATABASE, AND REGISTRATIONS DATABASE ARE NOW TIED TOGETHER SO THAT THE SAME TRANSACTIONS DO NOT HAVE TO BE INPUT MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT ONLY HAVE TO BE INPUT ONCE. MEMBERS CAN JOIN AND RENEW ELECTRONICALLY THROUGH OUR WEBSITE; JUDGES CAN VOTE THEIR ANNUAL BALLOT; AND HYBRIDIZERS CAN REGISTER THEIR NEW IRIS THROUGH OUR WEBSITE. INFORMATION ENTERED THIS WAY AUTOMATICALLY UPDATES THE IRIS REGISTER, THE IRIS ENCYCLOPEDIA, AND MEMBERS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE THE ANNUAL BALLOT. THANK YOU NOTES ARE AUTOMATICALLY SEND OUT FOR PAYMENT OF DUES. THE ABOVE PROGRAMMING EXPENSES WERE IN ADDITION TO THE REHULAR EXPENSES TO MAINTAIN OUR WEBSITE, EXPENSES FOR ZOOM MEETINGS FOR MONTHLY BOARD OF DIRECTOR MEETINGS AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS, ZOOM EXPENSES FOR WEBINARS, ETC.
- $44,106 spent. BULLETIN EXPENSE - THE AIS PUBLISHES 4 ISSUES (FALL, WINTER, SPRING AND SUMMER) OF IRISES: THE BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY. EACH ISSUE RANGES IN PAGES FROM 72 TO 94 IN COLOR AND BLACK & WHITE. IRS IS MAILED TO ALL PAID AND HONORARY MEMBERS, DOMESTIC AND OVERSEAS. NO ISSUES ARE OFFERED FOR SALE TO THE PUBLIC. ELECTRONIC MEMBERS HAVE ACCESS TO IRISES VIA "PDF" FILE SECURED BY A PASSWORD ON THE AIS WEBSITE. ISSUES INCLUDE ARTICLES ON IRIS CULTIVATION, PHOTOGRAPHY AND RECORDKEEPING, DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, RESULTS OF RESEARCH PROJECTS ON THE IRIS GENOME, NEW IRIS CULTIVARS AND COLOR PATTERNS, AND INTERVIEWS WITH HYBRIDIZERS AND GROWERS. ALSO PRINTED ARE LISTS OF OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, COMMITTEE CHAIRS, REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS, REPORTS ON SANCTIONED IRIS SHOWS, INFORMATION AND PHOTOS FROM THE ANNUAL NATIONAL CONVENTION, SECTION MEETINGS, AND THE WINNERS OF THE AIS AWARDS AND THE TALL BEARDED IRIS SYMPOSIUM AMONG OTHER FEATURES. BULLETIN EXPENSE - THE AIS PUBLISHES 4 ISSUES (FALL, WINTER, SPRING AND SUMMER) OF IRISES: THE BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY. EACH ISSUE RANGES IN PAGES FROM 72 TO 94 IN COLOR AND BLACK & WHITE. IRS IS MAILED TO ALL PAID AND HONORARY MEMBERS, DOMESTIC AND OVERSEAS. NO ISSUES ARE OFFERED FOR SALE TO THE PUBLIC. ELECTRONIC MEMBERS HAVE ACCESS TO IRISES VIA "PDF" FILE SECURED BY A PASSWORD ON THE AIS WEBSITE. ISSUES INCLUDE ARTICLES ON IRIS CULTIVATION, PHOTOGRAPHY AND RECORDKEEPING, DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, RESULTS OF RESEARCH PROJECTS ON THE IRIS GENOME, NEW IRIS CULTIVARS AND COLOR PATTERNS, AND INTERVIEWS WITH HYBRIDIZERS AND GROWERS. ALSO PRINTED ARE LISTS OF OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, COMMITTEE CHAIRS, REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS, REPORTS ON SANCTIONED IRIS SHOWS, INFORMATION AND PHOTOS FROM THE ANNUAL NATIONAL CONVENTION, SECTION MEETINGS, AND THE WINNERS OF THE AIS AWARDS AND THE TALL BEARDED IRIS SYMPOSIUM AMONG OTHER FEATURES.
- $1,493 spent. EXHIBITIONS EXPENSE - THE AIS SANCTIONS OVER 100 IRIS SHOWS ACROSS THE USA EACH YEAR. TO SUPPORT THESE SHOWS, THE SOCIETY PURCHASES SILVER AND BRONZE MEDALS, ENTRY TAGS, 1ST THROUGH 4TH PLACE RIBBONS, AND ROSETTES FOR SECTION AND SWEEPSTAKES WINNERS. ALL EXHIBITION SUPPLIES NEEDE TO BE REORDERED THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR WHICH DOES NOT NORMALLY HAPPEN.
- $21,870 spent. OTHER EXPENSES
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, 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 September 2024.
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 February 2001.
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.