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Friends of Materials for the Arts Inc

EIN 81-0551712 · Long Island City, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood77 out of 100GovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

FRIENDS OF MATERIALS FOR THE ARTS (FOMA) IS A 501C3 NONPROFIT WITH A MISSION TO SUPPORT MATERIALS FOR THE ARTS (MFTA) WITH PROVIDING PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, MATERIAL DONATIONS, AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HELPS ENGAGE THE NYC COMMUNITY TO TEACH ABOUT CREATIVE REUSE. THE CITY OF NEW YORK FUNDS INFRASTRUCTURAL AND OPERATIONAL COSTS FOR MFTA, AND IT FALLS UPON FOMA, MFTA'S NONPROFIT PARTNER, TO SUPPORT OTHER INITIATIVES TO REACH A BROADER AUDIENCE THROUGH OUR EDUCATION CENTER, WHICH CURRENTLY REACHES TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THROUGH OUR PROGRAMING.FOUNDED IN 1978, MFTA IS NYC'S LARGEST CREATIVE REUSE CENTER DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING ARTISTS AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS. SINCE ITS INCLUSION OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS MEMBERS IN 1998, MFTA IS PROUD TO BE THE LARGEST PROVIDER OF FREE ART MATERIALS TO THE NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

Income
$922,354
Spending
$972,696
Spent on programs
63%
Reserves
12.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 63%
Employees
12
Volunteers
5,083
Highest pay
$47,500, 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: 77 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 12.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 5% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 10% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    63% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 31 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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

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

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 (1)
  1. $611,314 spent. MFTA PROVIDES MATERIALS TO 4,670 RECIPIENT MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS. 416 (9%) GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, 1,871 (40%) NYC SCHOOLS, 1,668 (36%) ARTS GROUPS, 715 (15%) COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICE GROUPS WITH BUDGETS RANGING FROM $20,000 TO $500,000+. IN TOTAL, 49% OF MFTA'S MEMBERS ARE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. MFTA SERVES NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ARTS NONPROFITS, CITY AGENCIES AND SOCIAL SERVICE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS THAT INCLUDE ARTISTS, AUDIENCE MEMBERS, DIRECTORS, CHOREOGRAPHERS, DANCERS, ACTORS, SET DESIGNERS, ART THERAPISTS, AFTER-SCHOOL PROVIDERS, HOSPITAL STAFF, HOMELESS SHELTERS, TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND SENIOR CITIZENS. THE SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, RACE, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AGE, PHYSICAL ABILITY, AND LANGUAGE OF OUR MEMBER GROUPS, DONORS, AND VOLUNTEERS ARE HIGHLY DIVERSE, MIRRORING THE RICHNESS OF NYC. TODAY, MFTA'S DONATION CYCLE DIVERTS OVER 2 MILLION POUNDS OF MATERIALS, VALUED AT OVER $14 MILLION FROM LANDFILLS. THESE QUALITY GOODS ARE REDISTRIBUTED AND MADE AVAILABLE TO OUR ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS NONPROFITS AND NYC SCHOOLS, FREE OF CHARGE.THE MFTA EDUCATION CENTER, WHICH CONSISTS OF OUR ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE STUDIO, DESIGNER-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM, FIELD TRIP PROGRAM, IN SCHOOL RESIDENCIES, REPAIR PROGRAM, MFTA GALLERY AND FREE PUBLIC THIRD THURSDAY WORKSHOPS, EXPOSE THE WORK OF MANY ARTISTS TO THE PARTICIPANTS WITHIN THE MFTA EDUCATION CENTER AND PROVIDE A REMARKABLE BENEFIT TO ALMOST 4,700 ACTIVE MEMBER GROUPS AS WELL AS THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

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 September 2002.

    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.