Digital Public Library of America
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE DIGITAL PUBLIC LIBRARY OF AMERICA EMPOWERS PEOPLE TO LEARN, GROW AND CONTRIBUTE TO A DIVERSE AND BETTER FUNCTIONING SOCIETY. WE DO THIS BY MAXIMIZING PUBLIC ACCESS TO OUR SHARED HISTORY, CULTURE, AND KNOWLEDGE.
- Income
- $4.6 million
- Spending
- $1.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 70%
- Reserves
- 12 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 77%
- Employees
- 7
- Volunteers
- 8
- Highest pay
- $337,134, executive director
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
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 67% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 214% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1570% 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.
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 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)
- $972,262 spent. CULTURAL HERITAGE: DPLA'S COMMITMENT TO AGGREGATING DIGITAL COLLECTIONS FOR PUBLIC USE IS FUNDAMENTAL AND MISSION CRITICAL. THIS WORK HAS MADE MILLIONS OF MATERIALS FROM LIBRARIES, ARCHIVES, MUSEUMS, AND OTHER CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AVAILABLE TO ALL IN A ONESTOP DISCOVERY EXPERIENCE, HTTPS://DP.LA. THE CULTURAL HERITAGE NETWORK AND PLATFORM LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR WHAT DPLA IS KNOWN FOR TODAY: FRUITFUL COLLABORATION IN PURSUIT OF TECHNOLOGY-BASED SOLUTIONS TO COMMON CHALLENGES. WE REMAIN INTENT ON THE EXPANSION OF THIS PROGRAM TOWARD OUR GOAL OF ENSURING THAT EVERY CULTURAL INSTITUTION IN THE NATION HAS A PATHWAY TO CONTRIBUTE PARTICULARLY COMMUNITY BASED EFFORTS THAT REPRESENT EXPERIENCES THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED.
- $78,367 spent. EBOOKS: THE DPLA EBOOKS PROGRAM, CULTURAL SERVICES, LLC PROVIDES A LIBRARY CONTROLLED MARKETPLACE AND PLATFORM FOR LIBRARIES TO PURCHASE, ORGANIZE, AND DELIVER EBOOKS AND OTHER E-CONTENT TO THEIR PATRONS. OUR EBOOKS PROGRAM, THROUGH WHICH WE ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE THE LIBRARY E-CONTENT EXPERIENCE, COMPLEMENTS OUR DIGITAL COLLECTIONS WORK. DRIVEN BY THE COMMON MISSION OF MAXIMIZING ACCESS TO DIGITAL CONTENT, THE GOAL OF OUR EBOOKS WORK IS TO GIVE LIBRARIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY GREATER CONTROL OVER THEIR ACQUISITION AND DELIVERY OF E-CONTENT MAKE MORE DIVERSE ECONTENT EASILY AVAILABLE TO LIBRARIES AND THEIR PATRONS AND ADVOCATE FOR THE NEEDS OF LIBRARIES IN THE E-CONTENT LANDSCAPE.
- $30,856 spent. INNOVATION PROGRAM: TO ENSURE THAT LIBRARIES FLOURISH IN THE DIGITAL AGE, DPLA CONVENES PEOPLE ACROSS FIELDS AND DISCIPLINES TO PROBLEM-SOLVE AROUND COMMON CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES.
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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 2013.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.