Appalshop Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
APPALSHOP INC. IS A NON-PROFIT MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ARTS AND EDUCATION CENTER LOCATED IN WHITESBURG, KENTUCKY, IN THE HEART OF APPALACHIA, PRODUCING ORIGINAL FILMS, VIDEO, THEATER, MUSIC, SPOKEN WORDS RECORDINGS, RADIO, PHOTOGRAPHY, AND MULTI-MEDIA PRODUCTS.
- Income
- $4.7 million
- Spending
- $3.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 57%
- Reserves
- 3.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 58%
- Employees
- 32
- Volunteers
- 52
- Highest pay
- $75,780, board member
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
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 20% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 95% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1557% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 11 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
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
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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)
- $292,551 spent. APPALSHOP FILMS CONTINUES ITS FIFTY-YEAR PLUS TRADITION BY CONTINUING TO DOCUMENT AND TELL THE STORIES OF THE REGION. A WORKING COHORT OF FIVE YOUNG, UP AND COMING FILMMAKERS FROM THE REGION HAS SUPPORTED THE FULL TIME FILMMAKERS AT APPALSHOP AND COMPLETED WORK FOR ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTNERS NEEDING VIDEO ASSISTANCE. THE FILMMAKERS' CONTENT HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED AND SHARED WITH MULTIPLE FILM FESTIVALS, GARNERING AWARDS AT SEVERAL RECENT EVENTS.
- $304,959 spent. WMMT-FM, APPALSHOP'S PUBLIC COMMUNITY RADIO STATION, BROADCASTING AROUND THE CLOCK, PRIMARILY WITH VOLUNTEER DISC JOCKEYS, WMMT PRODUCES RADIO SERIES THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED NATIONALLY AND PRODUCES LOCAL PROGRAMMING INCLUDING "MOUNTAIN TALK" THAT ADDRESSES LOCAL AND REGIONAL ISSUES. THE COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENTS CORPS PROJECT IS TRAINING PEOPLE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF APPALSHOP AS LOCAL RADIO PRODUCERS.
- $650,357 spent. THE APPALSHOP ARCHIVE WAS FIRST FOUNDED IN 2003. PROJECT STAFF, INCLUDING TWO ARCHIVISTS, HAVE EVALUATED THE APPALSHOP ARCHIVES OF FILM, VIDEO, AND AUDIO RECORDINGS, BOTH FINISHED PRODUCTS AND "RAW TAPE." THEY DESCRIBE THEIR WORK AS "STABILIZING AND ORGANIZING THE COLLECTION" SO IT CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY. THIS HAS INCLUDED BUILDING A NEW VAULT, PRESERVATION OF WORK IN A VARIETY OF FORMATS, CATALOGUING THE MATERIALS, AND IMPROVING ACCESS TO COLLECTION. THE ARCHIVE PROJECT IS WORKING WITH OTHER APPALSHOP STAFF TO MAKE ARCHIVAL MATERIALS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC IN NEW FORMATS AND TO EVALUATE PAPER HOLDINGS.
- $858,682 spent. ALL OTHER PROGRAMS ARE OPERATED TO ACCOMPLISH GOALS OF APPALSHOP. FOR EXAMPLE, OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDE: (1) THE APPALACHIA MEDIA INSTITUTE: AMI HAS TRAINED LOCAL APPALACHIA YOUNG PEOPLE IN MEDIA SKILLS SINCE 1988. (2) THE COMMUNITY MEDIA INSTITUTE: CMI WORKS WITH PEOPLE IN GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP THEM DEVELOP THE SKILLS TO TELL THEIR OWN STORIES. THE CMI "MAKING CONNECTIONS PROJECT" DOCUMENTS INITIATIVES OF MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES TO ADDRESS REPIDLY CHANGING ECONIMC AND POLITICAL REALITIES. (3) SEEDTIME ON THE CUMBERLAND, IN ITS 36TH YEAR, IS A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ARTS FESTIVAL BRINGING TOGETHER SOME OF THE FINEST REGIONAL AND NATIONAL MUSICIANS, CRAFTSPEOPLE, AND VENDORS, AS WELL AS PRODUCING A SERIES OF FILM SCREENINGS AND WORKSHOPS. (4) THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC PROJECT SUPPORTS TRADITIONAL MUSIC IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES WITH OLD-TIME DAYS AT APPALSHOP; THE AFTER-SCHOOL "PASSING THE PICK AND BOW" CLASSES, IN WHICH TRADITIONAL MUSICIANS TEACH CHILDREN FIDDLE, BANJO, AND GUITAR; PROGRAMMING ON WMMT AND PUBLICIZING TRADITIONAL REGIONAL MUSIC FESTIVALS. (5) MANY OTHER PROGRAMS TO ENLIST THE POWER OF EDUCATION, MEDIA, THEATER, MUSIC, AND OTHER ARTS TO DOCUMENT AND REVITALIZE THE LASTING TRADITIONS AND CONTEMPORARY CREATIVITY OF APPALACHIA; TO TELL STORIES THAT THE COMMERCIAL CULTURAL INDUSTRIES DO NOT TELL; CHALLENGING STEREOTYPES WITH APPALACHIAN VOICES AND VISIONS; TO SUPPORT COMMUNITIES' EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE JUSTICE AND EQUITY, AND SOLVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS IN THEIR OWN WAY; TO CELEBRATE CULTURAL DIVERSITY AS A POSITIVE SOCIAL VALUE; AND TO PARTICIPATE IN REGIONAL, NATIONAL, AND GLOBAL DIALOGUE TOWARD THESE ENDS.
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 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 May 1976.
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.