Avon Hills Folk School
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Build and enrich community through the sharing and teaching of traditional practices, craft and art.
- Income
- $250,182
- Spending
- $269,840
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- -0.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 72%
- Employees
- 10
- Volunteers
- 48
- Highest pay
- $79,296, executive director
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
Fair: 50 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 20% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 35% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1577% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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
Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 8 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
6 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 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 (2)
- $113,503 spent. TRADITIONAL SKILLS, CRAFTS AND ARTS: Avon Hills' purpose is building and enriching community through the teaching and sharing of traditional skills, craft and art. We do this through connecting local and regional artists and makers as well as naturalists from many cultural backgrounds with members of our community. In 2024 we offered 42 experiences and classes and brought 38 instructors to campus, 24 of them new and a 300% increase over 2023. Of note was our inaugural Timber Framing for FLINTA, which brought those who do not identify as male to the folk school for a timber framing course taught by two women. Also exciting was our second year of welcoming April Ogimaakwe Stone, an Ojibwe basket weaver from the Bad River Tribe in northern Wisconsin to share her culture and craft. We increasingly draw from all over the United States, bringing folks from the Upper Midwest and coast to coast.
- $93,869 spent. YOUTH PROGRAMMING: Avon Hills Folk School youth programming (under 18 years of age) offers classes and experiences involving traditional skills, crafts and art similar to, but adjusted for the young learners. In addition we provide experiences deeply rooted in and taking place in the natural environment for our young learners, including TimberNook and other nature-based programming. Children grow in their confidence and experience in: creativity, collaboration, physical, social-emotional, conflict resolution, self-regulation, executive functioning and moving within and experiencing the natural world, in community with other children, often of diverse backgrounds.
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
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 December 2024.
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 September 2017.
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.