Emerson Cultural Center Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE EMERSON'S MISSION IS TO BUILD COMMUNITY BY PROMOTING ART AND CULTURE, SET IN A HISTORIC BUILDING. TO ACHEIVE THIS, THE EMERSON CENTER FOR THE ARTS & CULTURE: 1) ENGAGES THE PUBLIC BY HOSTING AND CURATING EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMS OF REGIONAL AND NATIONAL RECOGNITION;2) PROMOTES ARTS EDUCATION THROUGH ITS ONGOING CLASSES AND OUTREACH TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY;3) CELEBRATES BOZEMAN'S HISTORY THROUGH EFFECTIVE STEWARDSHIP OF ITS HISTORICAL FACILITY; 4) OFFERS THE COMMUNITY A VARIETY OF SPACES FOR STUDIOS, MEETINGS, PERFORMANCES, RECEPTIONS, CLASSES AND OTHER ACTIVITIES;5) LEADS THE WAY IN REGIONAL PUBLIC ART VIA CITY-WIDE PROJECTS WITH LASTING IMPACT; AND 6) WORKS IN COLLABORATION WITH ITS TENTANTS AND OTHER ARTS, CULTURAL AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS TO STIMULATE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN BOZEMAN AND TO FURTHER ITS REPUTATION AS A REGIONAL DESTINATION.
- Income
- $1.7 million
- Spending
- $1.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 7.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- other income, 65%
- Employees
- 31
- Volunteers
- 35
- Highest pay
- $136,967, executive director
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: 88 out of 100. Higher than 75% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 21% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 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.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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)
- $914,854 spent. TENANT AND PUBLIC SPACE RENTAL: ARTS-RELATED BUSINESSES/NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS - APPROXIMATELY 58 TENANTS. SPACES AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC RENTAL - 3 (CRAWFORD THEATER, WEAVER ROOM, BALLROOM).
- $129,666 spent. ART EDUCATION THROUGH CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS TAUGHT BY WORKING ARTISTS-TEACHERS, INCLUDING ARTISTS EXHIBITING WORK IN THE EMERSON'S CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERIES. CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS ARE EXHIBIT-INSPIRED, COMMUNITY-BASED, AND INTERDISCIPLINARY EXPLORATIONS OF PAINTING, DRAWING, SCULPTURE, MIXED MEDIA, PRINTMAKING, CERAMICS, AND NEW GENRE.
- $113,562 spent. ARTS THROUGH EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH ASSOCIATED WITH ITS EXHIBITS. THE EMERSON CURATES AND HOSTS ART EXHIBITIONS OF SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY VALUE. EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS OF REGIONAL AND NATIONAL RECOGNITION EXHIBIT THEIR WORK REPRESENTING BOTH TRADITIONAL AND INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES, MEDIA AND CONTENT WITH THE INTENT OF APPEALING TO DIVERSE AUDIENCES.
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 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 June 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 December 1993.
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.