La Plaza De Cultura Y Artes
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
LA PLAZA DE CULTURA Y ARTES CENTERS THE HISTORY OF MEXICAN AND MEXICAN AMERICANS IN LOS ANGELES, AND CELEBRATES THE STORIES, ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND EXPERIENCES OF LATINX PEOPLE AND LATINO CULTURE THROUGH TRANSFORMATIVE EXHIBITIONS, MUSIC, DANCE, CULINARY ARTS, AND MULTIGENERATIONAL STORYTELLING AND ARTMAKING.
- Income
- $5.6 million
- Spending
- $6.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 71%
- Reserves
- 9.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 57%
- Employees
- 37
- Volunteers
- 28
- Highest pay
- $215,633, ceo
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
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 19% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 38% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1571% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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: 95 out of 100. Higher than 62% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 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
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 (3)
- $2.0 million spent. LA PLAZA PRESENTS A ROBUST, YEAR-ROUND SCHEDULE OF MORE THAN 150 EVENTS THAT INCLUDE TALKS, CONCERTS, FEATURE AND DOCUMENTARY FILM SCREENINGS, COOKING CLASSES, FOOD FESTIVALS, AND MORE THAT EXPLORE CONTEMPORARY AND HISTORICAL LATINO INTEREST AND ISSUES. PANEL DISCUSSIONS HAVE EXPLORED GENTRIFICATION, THE DISPLACEMENT OF CHAVEZ RAVINE FAMILIES; AFRO LATINO ISSUES; LOCAL AND NATIONAL ELECTIONS; THE STATE OF LATINO ARTS; AND MORE. LA PLAZA ALSO HOSTS FOUR FAMILY DAYS THAT CELEBRATE LATINO HOLIDAYS. MOST ACTIVITIES ARE OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE.
- $1.9 million spent. LA PLAZA IS THE ONLY MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DEDICATED TO PRESENTING AN ON-GOING SCHEDULE OF EXHIBITIONS FOCUSING ON US LATINO HISTORY, ART AND CULTURE. THE MUSEUM'S PERMANENT EXHIBITS INCLUDE: LA STARTS HERE!, AN EXPLORATION OF L.A.'S MULTICULTURAL HISTORY, AND CALLE PRINCIPAL, A RE-CREATION OF L.A.'S MAIN STREET IN THE 1920S. TEMPORARY EXHIBITS DEVELOPED BY THE MUSEUM'S CURATORIAL STAFF COVER TOPICS SUCH AS THE LOS ANGELES HISTORY OF BASEBALL, MURALS AND MARIACHI MUSIC; THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE EAST LOS ANGELES WALKOUTS; THE FOUNDING OF BOYLE HEIGHTS AS A MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY; AND LATINO ART SHOWS BY ARTISTS SUCH AS GILBERT "MAGU" LUJAN, ERNESTO YERENA, RAFAEL CARDENAS, LINDA VALLEJO, LATINX LGBTQ ARTISTS, AND THE MUJERES DEL MAIZ COLLECTIVE.
- $713,078 spent. LA PLAZA'S EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES ARE DIRECTED AT UNDER-RESOURCED TITLE 1 SCHOOLS IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN CULTURALLY-ROOTED AND IMMERSIVE, HANDS-ON LEARNING AND ARTMAKING EXPERIENCES. THE MUSEUM ALSO PROVIDES FREE TOURS FOR STUDENTS OF ALL AGES.
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 July 2002.
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.