Passes our checks

Visual Arts Exchange

EIN 56-1287429 · Raleigh, NC

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

What it says it does

VAE produces, funds, and exhibits socially-engaged art through community collaboration.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

Reserves
0 of 35
Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20
It owes 11% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15
Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15
Income rose 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 15
82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

Independent board
25 of 25
11 of 11 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
0 of 10
Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
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 June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (2)

$106,070 spent. VAE provides direct support to artists chiefly through its largest funding initiative The Snapdragon Fund, a regional regranting program made possible through funding from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. The fund provides 60,000 of funding for individual artists each year. This funding is split across 3 categories 8 project grants of 5,000 5 research grants of 2,000 and 20 micro grants of 500. VAEs fiscal sponsorship program allows the Organization to support individual artists and unincorporated artists groups through the provision of grant and donation-based fundraising opportunites under the Organizations nonprofit umbrella, as well as assitance in the management of their finances. The Orrganization is responsible for collecting funds restricted to the project and disbursing them in accordance with the projects approved guidelines.
$97,911 spent. VAE organizes the bulk of its programming into large-scale projects that include exhibitions and community events. These projects focus on highlighting the creative contributions of people who are often marginalized from the contemporary art world and building trust with new communities. VAE produces between 6 and 20 exhibitions each year, displaying works from a growing array of contemporary artists. In addition to the Organizations main galleries in their flagship location, the Organization also hosts exhibitions in a collection of community exhibition spaces across the greater Triangle.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

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 March 1981.
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.