Art of Recycle
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
To develop, heal and grow community through experiential learning and interactive instruction for the advancement of diverse learners. We aim to promote access and equality by assisting all people to be inspired and empowered by using discarded, unwanted, and excess items as learning tools; creating generations to come to be more environmentally and socially conscious. Our philosophy is that art and music is the foundation to teaching math, science, reading, writing and sociology. Creativity belongs in the same category as preventive healthcare, diet and exercise, and people who are robbed of the ability to create art because of economic hardship live a life of the poorest quality.
- Income
- $652,845
- Spending
- $578,553
- Spent on programs
- 95%
- Reserves
- -9.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 66%
- Employees
- 21
- Volunteers
- 150
- Highest pay
- $13,000, president, treasurer, 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
Weak: 45 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 228% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 52% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1595% 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: 64 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
18 of 253 of 3 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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)
- $172,744 spent. Art Center - Art of Recycle's Community Arts Center is a place where the community comes together around the locus of art. The Craft Castle is a free crafting area which is utilized by the general Ephrata community. Latchkey kids and people with special needs are two significant groups serviced at the free craft area. Revenue obtained through sale of donated craft supplies. Paid cashier positions utilized to train special needs youth empowering them with confidence and job skills. Summer job skills youth training program enables both advanced and delayed youth to experience a work environment while developing workplace skills, empathy, and critical thinking. Seven to eleven volunteers each day throughout the year
- $9,811 spent. Workshops - Organization provides free and low-cost workshops teaching skills on how to creatively reuse resources readily available and which are often thrown away. Education focused on developing critical thinking skills and empathy.
- $26,586 spent. Free Teachers Supplies - The "Art is a Necessity" program supplies free classroom and educational materials to teachers of children or seniors or special needs students, as well various materials to nonprofits.
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
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 December 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 January 2014.
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.