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Nia Cultural Center

EIN 76-0375902 · Galveston, TX

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood88 out of 100GovernanceGood79 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE PROVIDE CULTURAL AND EDUCATION ACTIVITES THROUGH COLLABORATIVE COOPERATION, COMMUNICATION, AND COORDINATION WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WITH SIMILAR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

Income
$690,378
Spending
$586,081
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
11.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 79%
Employees
3

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 88 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 6% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 79 out of 100. Higher than 61% 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

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    12 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 (1)
  1. $485,954 spent. THE JUNETEENTH LEGACY ART GALLERY AT THE NIA CULTURAL CENTER, OPEN SIX DAYS A WEEK, SERVES AS A PIVOTAL EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL SPACE THAT CHRONICLES THE EMANCIPATION OF BLACK AMERICANS AND CELEBRATES THEIR CONTINUED IMPACT IN GALVESTON AND BEYOND. THE GALLERY OFFERS IMMERSIVE EXHIBITS, INTERACTIVE STORYTELLING, AND CONTEMPORARY ARTWORKS BY LOCAL BLACK ARTISTS, RECLAIMING HISTORIC SPACES ONCE ASSOCIATED WITH ENSLAVEMENT. OVER 500 STUDENTS AND OVER 7,000 VISITORS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY EACH YEAR ENGAGE WITH PROGRAMS AND TOURS THAT NURTURE CRITICAL THINKING AND AWARENESS OF RACIAL EQUITY AND THE LEGACY OF JUNETEENTH INCLUDING THE ABSOLUTE EQUALITY MURAL. BY PROVIDING BOTH A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND PLATFORM FOR LOCAL ARTISTS, THE GALLERY TRANSFORMS COMMUNITY DIALOGUE AND PERSONAL REFLECTION, ENSURING THAT PREVIOUSLY OVERLOOKED NARRATIVES ARE HONORED AND AMPLIFIED. THE THIRD ANNUAL EMANCIPATION GOSPEL CELEBRATION, HELD AT THE GRAND 1894 OPERA HOUSE, FEATURED NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ARTISTS AND HONORED LOCAL AND NATIONAL PIONEERS. ATTENDANCE REACHED 700, WITH MORE THAN 40% OF PARTICIPANTS TRAVELING FROM OUTSIDE GALVESTON. THE CONCERT, LECTURES, AND HISTORIC REENACTMENTS COLLECTIVELY SUPPORTED INCREASED AWARENESS OF JUNETEENTHS ORIGINS AND IMPACT IN GALVESTON, TEXAS. THE CHILDRENS DEFENSE FUND FREEDOM SCHOOL THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, THE NIA CULTURAL CENTERS CHILDRENS DEFENSE FUND FREEDOM SCHOOL PROGRAM PROVIDED CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE LITERACY AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TO 125 CHILDREN FROM HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED SIX WEEKS OF PROGRAMMING FOCUSED ON READING ACHIEVEMENT, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILL-BUILDING. OUTCOMES TRACKED INCLUDED A 98% COMPLETION RATE AND AN AVERAGE READING LEVEL IMPROVEMENT OF 0.8 GRADE LEVELS PER PARTICIPANT. THE NIA CULTURAL CENTERS TARGETED PROGRAMS AND HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS IN 2024 FOSTERED CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, AND COMMUNITY AWARENESS. KEY METRICS INCLUDE 8000 GALLERY VISITORS, 125 FREEDOM SCHOOL PARTICIPANTS, 1,400 TOTAL EVENT ATTENDEES ACROSS MAJOR HOLIDAYS, AND DEMONSTRABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE AND LITERACY AS MEASURED BY PARTICIPANT SURVEYS AND READING ASSESSMENTS. THE JUNETEENTH LEGACY ART GALLERY AT THE NIA CULTURAL CENTER, OPEN SIX DAYS A WEEK, SERVES AS A PIVOTAL EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL SPACE THAT CHRONICLES THE EMANCIPATION OF BLACK AMERICANS AND CELEBRATES THEIR CONTINUED IMPACT IN GALVESTON AND BEYOND. THE GALLERY OFFERS IMMERSIVE EXHIBITS, INTERACTIVE STORYTELLING, AND CONTEMPORARY ARTWORKS BY LOCAL BLACK ARTISTS, RECLAIMING HISTORIC SPACES ONCE ASSOCIATED WITH ENSLAVEMENT. OVER 500 STUDENTS AND OVER 7,000 VISITORS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY EACH YEAR ENGAGE WITH PROGRAMS AND TOURS THAT NURTURE CRITICAL THINKING AND AWARENESS OF RACIAL EQUITY AND THE LEGACY OF JUNETEENTH INCLUDING THE ABSOLUTE EQUALITY MURAL. BY PROVIDING BOTH A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND PLATFORM FOR LOCAL ARTISTS, THE GALLERY TRANSFORMS COMMUNITY DIALOGUE AND PERSONAL REFLECTION, ENSURING THAT PREVIOUSLY OVERLOOKED NARRATIVES ARE HONORED AND AMPLIFIED. THE THIRD ANNUAL EMANCIPATION GOSPEL CELEBRATION, HELD AT THE GRAND 1894 OPERA HOUSE, FEATURED NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ARTISTS AND HONORED LOCAL AND NATIONAL PIONEERS. ATTENDANCE REACHED 700, WITH MORE THAN 40% OF PARTICIPANTS TRAVELING FROM OUTSIDE GALVESTON. THE CONCERT, LECTURES, AND HISTORIC REENACTMENTS COLLECTIVELY SUPPORTED INCREASED AWARENESS OF JUNETEENTHS ORIGINS AND IMPACT IN GALVESTON, TEXAS. THE CHILDRENS DEFENSE FUND FREEDOM SCHOOL THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, THE NIA CULTURAL CENTERS CHILDRENS DEFENSE FUND FREEDOM SCHOOL PROGRAM PROVIDED CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE LITERACY AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TO 125 CHILDREN FROM HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED SIX WEEKS OF PROGRAMMING FOCUSED ON READING ACHIEVEMENT, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILL-BUILDING. OUTCOMES TRACKED INCLUDED A 98% COMPLETION RATE AND AN AVERAGE READING LEVEL IMPROVEMENT OF 0.8 GRADE LEVELS PER PARTICIPANT. THE NIA CULTURAL CENTERS TARGETED PROGRAMS AND HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS IN 2024 FOSTERED CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, AND COMMUNITY AWARENESS. KEY METRICS INCLUDE 8000 GALLERY VISITORS, 125 FREEDOM SCHOOL PARTICIPANTS, 1,400 TOTAL EVENT ATTENDEES ACROSS MAJOR HOLIDAYS, AND DEMONSTRABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE AND LITERACY AS MEASURED BY PARTICIPANT SURVEYS AND READING ASSESSMENTS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since October 1992.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.

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