Oglebay Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OGLEBAY INSTITUTE FOSTERS APPRECIATION, EXPRESSION AND DISCOVERY BY ENGAGING PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES THROUGH EXCEPTIONAL PROGRAMMING IN PERFORMING AND VISUAL ARTS, DANCE, HISTORY, AND NATURE.
- Income
- $3.1 million
- Spending
- $2.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- 17.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 36%
- Employees
- 101
- Volunteers
- 794
- Highest pay
- $110,336, president
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. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 17.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
0 of 250 of 0 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
0 of 10Did not give 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
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 (4)
- $379,996 spent. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION- PROVIDED EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING ON ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS, APPRECIATION, AND PRESERVATION, INCLUDING: CSO-LINKED PROGRAM DELIVERY TO NEARLY 3,900 STUDENTS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS;PUBLIC DAY AND RESIDENTIAL CAMPS, WORKSHOPS, LECTURES, SPECIAL EVENTS, AND OTHER PROGRAMMING TO NEARLY 2,400 PARTICIPANTS; AND 5,656 FREE ADMISSIONS TO AN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER; ENGAGED AN ESTIMATED 68 VOLUNTEERS AND SERVED A TOTAL OF 11,308 PARTICIPANTS.
- $299,452 spent. MUSEUMS- PROVIDED PROGRAMMING IN LOCAL AND REGIONAL HISTORY AND INTERPRETATION, INCLUDING: OPERATING A HOUSE MUSEUM AND A GLASS MUSEUM WITH TOTAL ATTENDANCE OF NEARLY 16,000 PEOPLE; LECTURES, WORKSHOPS, CLASSES, AND SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS; ENGAGED AS ESTIMATED 572 VOLUNTEERS AND SERVED A TOTAL 19,871 PARTICPANTS.
- $471,864 spent. VISUAL AND CREATIVE ARTS- PROVIDED EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING IN VISUAL AND CREATIVE ARTS, INCLUDING: CSO-LINKED PROGRAM DELIVERY TO OVER 2,600 STUDENTS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS; PUBLIC ART EXHIBITIONS SHOWCASING LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL TALENT ATTENDED NEARLY 2,500 PEOPLE; PUBLIC DAY CAMPS, CLASSES, AND SPECIAL EVENTS; ENGAGED AN ESITMATED 26 VOLUNTEERS AND SERVED A TOTAL OF 10,763 PARTICIPANTS.
- $1.1 million spent. PERFORMING ARTS AND DANCE - PROVIDED PROGRAMMING IN THEATRE / DRAMA, CINEMA, MUSIC, AND DANCE INCLUDING: OPERATING A COMMUNITY THEATRE AND SINGLE-SCREEN CINEMA WITH MORE THAN 5,600 PUBLIC PARTICIPANTS; LIVE MUSIC AND DANCE PERFORMANCES WITH MORE THAN 3,500 PARTICIPANTS; CSO-LINKED PROGRAM DELIVERY TO MORE THAN 4,300 STUDENTS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS; AND DELIVERING PUBLIC CLASSES IN DRAMA, THEATRE, DANCE, AND MUSIC TO NEARLY 4,000 PARTICIPANTS; ENGAGED AN ESTIMATED 86 VOLUNTEERS AND SERVED A TOTAL OF 17,854 PARTICIPANTS;
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 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 June 2025.
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 November 1944.
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.