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American Women Artists

EIN 74-2816298 · Knoxville, TN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

AMERICAN WOMEN ARTISTS (AWA) IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION QUALIFIED UNDER SECTION 501c3 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE. THE ORGANIZATION IS DEDICATED TO THE INSPIRATION, CELEBRATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF WOMEN IN THE VISUAL FINE ARTS BY CREATING PROFESSIONAL EXHIBITION OPPORTUNITIES FOR ITS MEMBERS IN GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS AROUND THE COUNTRY, INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF WOMEN'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE VISUAL FINE ARTS, AND PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH WORKSHOPS, ARTIST DEMOS, AND THE ORGANIZATION'S WEBSITE AND NEWSLETTER.

Income
$464,067
Spending
$308,242
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
16 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 89%
Employees
3
Volunteers
15
Highest pay
$34,975, executive director until 11/08/2024

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 88% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 16.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 34% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 66% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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: 91 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 8 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

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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

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)
  1. $101,199 spent. NATIONAL MUSEUM EXHIBITION: DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR, AWA WORKED ON TWO MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS. THE LOVELAND MUSEUM EXHIBITION WAS HELD IN LOVELAND, CO SEPTEMBER THROUGH NOVEMBER 2024. THE NATIONAL SPORTING LIBRARY & MUSEUM IS BEING HELD OCTOBER 2025 THROUGH MARCH 2026. THESE JURIED MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS PROVIDE OUR MEMBERS WITH EXPOSURE AND PROMOTION OF THEIR WORK ON A NATIONAL SCALE AND IN A MUSEUM SETTING. THIS HELPS TO ELEVATE THE WORK OF ALL WOMEN ARTISTS IN THE FIELD AND INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF WOMEN'S ARTWORK EXHIBITED IN MUSEUMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. ALL MEMBERS IN THE EXHIBITION ARE JURIED FOR AWARDS OF CASH AND DONATED MERCHANDISE, WHICH HELPS TO SUPPORT THEIR WORK IN THE FIELD OF VISUAL FINE ARTS. AWA SELF-PUBLISHES AN ANNUAL MUSEUM CATALOGUE, WHICH FURTHER PROMOTES THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION AND THE WORK OF ITS ARTISTS TO A BROADER AUDIENCE.
  2. $45,049 spent. GENERAL PROGRAMS: DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, AWA WORKED ON TWO SYMPOSIUMS FOR WOMEN IN THE ARTS, ONE HELD IN SEPTEMBER 2024 AND ONE HELD IN OCTOBER 2025. THE SYMPOSIUMS INCLUDED A KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY AN INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN ARTIST AND A PANEL OF MASTER ARTISTS SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE. THESE SYMPOSIUMS OFFER WOMEN ARTISTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER AND FROM OTHER EXPERTS ABOUT TECHNICAL SKILLS AS WELL AS THE BUSINESS ASPECTS OF AN ART CAREER.
  3. $25,600 spent. ONLINE JURIED SHOWS: AWA ORGANIZES AN ANNUAL ONLINE JURIED SHOW, WHICH FURTHER OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR MEMBER'S WORK TO BE SHOWN TO A NATIONAL AUDIENCE. THE ONLINE SHOW ALSO HAS A SET OF CASH AND MERCHANDISE AWARDS THAT ARE GIVEN OUT AFTER BEING JURIED.
  4. $55,845 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 1998.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.