Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Foundation for Anime and Niche Subcultures

EIN 81-4054929 · San Jose, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood81 out of 100GovernanceGood89 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported an excess benefit transaction with an insider.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

STIMULATE INTEREST IN, CREATE AWARENESS OF, AND FOSTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN APPRECIATION FOR ASIAN CULTURE AND MEDIA AS WELL AS VARIOUS UNDERREPRESENTED SUBCULTURES.

Income
$2.4 million
Spending
$2.3 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
11.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 93%
Employees
0
Volunteers
1,200

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 62% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 28% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 0% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    85% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 5 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 (2)
  1. $2.0 million spent. FANIMECON IS AN ANNUAL ANIME AND JAPANESE CULTURE CONVENTION WHICH TAKES PLACE OVER MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND IN SAN JOSE, CA. IT CURRENTLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 25,000 ATTENDEES, NUMEROUS VENDORS, 200 LOCAL ARTISTS, DOZENS OF INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL ACTORS, MUSICIANS, PERFORMERS AND MORE. FANIMECON, SINCE 1994, HAS BEEN A PLACE "BY FANS, FOR FANS" (IT'S MOTTO). IT STRIVES TO BE A PLACE TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY VIA A SHARED INTEREST IN THE ANIME INDUSTRY AND ITS SURROUNDING FIELDS, LIKE JAPANESE CULTURE, ASIAN MUSIC, ART, AND MORE. FANIMECON AIMS TO BE AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE FANS OF ALL TYPES AND BACKGROUNDS CAN FIND A SENSE OF BELONGING WITH OTHERS AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INDUSTRY AND CULTURE WHICH CREATES THE CONTENT THEY LOVE.
  2. $767 spent. CLOCKWORK ALCHEMY IS AN ANNUAL STEAMPUNK CONVENTION WHICH TAKES PLACE IN THE SPRING IN THE BAY AREA OF CALIFORNIA. IT CURRENTLY HAS APPROXIMATELY NUMEROUS ATTENDEES, NUMEROUS VENDORS, AND SEVERAL AUTHORS, MUSICIANS, AND CRAFTSPEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD. CLOCKWORK ALCHEMY BRINGS TOGETHER FANS OF SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY, AND ALTERNATIVE HISTORY. ITS EVENTS, LIKE THE FASHION SHOW, TEA ROOM, CONCERTS, MARTIAL ARTS, TEAPOT RACING, AND MORE, BRING TOGETHER A COMMUNITY WHICH DELIGHTS IN WHIMSY AND WONDER.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 November 6, 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 August 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 November 2018.

    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 November 4, 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.