Gallery Route One
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
GRO (GALLERY ROUTE ONE) IS A NONPROFIT, COMMUNITY BASED, ARTIST-RUN ORGANIZATION WHICH PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL EXHIBITION SPACE FOR VISUAL ARTISTS IN A RURAL SETTING. THE GALLERY SERVES ITS LOCAL AND REGIONAL COMMUNITIES BY PRESENTING VARIED EXHIBITIONS OF CONTEMPORARY ART, AND OFFERS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND RELATED EVENTS SUCH AS LECTURES, PERFORMANCES AND WORKSHOPS. THE ORGANIZATION ADHERES TO A POLICY OF EQUAL ACCESS TO ARTISTS FROM MULTI ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS AND IS COMMITTED TO ASSISTING ARTISTS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS IN PRESENTING THEIR WORK TO THE PUBLIC.
- Income
- $227,284
- Spending
- $262,673
- Spent on programs
- 56%
- Reserves
- 1.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 68%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 27
- Highest pay
- $60,000, executive dir.
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
Fair: 53 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1556% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 23 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. Higher than 92% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 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.
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 (1)
- $148,273 spent. From July October, 2024, GRO organized a monthly Point Reyes Art Walk thatwas funded by a grant from the West Marin Fund, with businesses throughoutdowntown Point Reyes participating. This was followed by the Path of Lightsevent in December.In August-September,2024, we held our annual Box Show silent auctionfundraiser.From August December we mounted 10 exhibitions in our galleries.In September we held a fundraiser for our Fellowship Program at the home of adonor. We then began working with this donor on a strategic plan to build ourfinancial stability.In October we mounted a matching gift fundraiser to raise $25,000 with a $12,500match from a donor.In September we began a collaboration Called Wills for West Marin with theDance Palace, Mesa Rufuge, West Marin Senior Services and Community LandTrust of West Marin to present a series of workshops about the value of naming anonprofit in your Will.From September 2024-November 2024, we hosted 2 online productions of theArtists Exchange in which host, Pamela Blotner finds 2 artists who share theirwork and engage in conversation. The audience made up of mostly artists gatherto learn about the artists concepts and processes, and then artist opportunitiesare shared with the group at the end. This reflects our desire to bring morevisibility to the gallery, and to reach more artists.The Artists Exchange Program came to a close. An archive of program videosremains on our website and YouTube channel.October 2024 marked the return of the Mole Dinner, a fundraiser benefittingGROs Latino Photography Project. This event was sponsored by the DancePalace.In November we interviewed the finalists who applied to our FellowshipProgram and selected two.2025From January June we mounted 12 exhibitions in our galleries.May 2025, we received a grant from the West Marin Fund to support anIndigenous Art Festival that we held in Point Reyes Station.In June of 2025, our Artists in the Schools Program held its annual culminatingart exhibition of students artwork at Tobys Feed Barn in Point Reyes Stationthat kicks off during Western Weekend festivities in town.
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 November 1986.
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.