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Bafb Cold War Museum

EIN 83-4267639 · Blytheville, AR

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair55 out of 100GovernanceWeak48 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 5% of its spending went to programs.
  • Raising each dollar of donations cost 95 cents.

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

What it says it does

THE NATIONAL COLD WAR MUSEUM IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT, INSPIRED BY THE SETTING OF A RETIRED U.S. AIR FORCE BASE, SHARES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COLD WAR--A UNIQUE SUPERPOWER RIVALRY THAT PREVAILED BETWEEN THE U.S. AND SOVIET UNION FROM THE END OF WORLD WAR II UNTIL THE COLLAPSE OF THE U.S.S.R.--EXPLORING IT S MILITARY STRATEGY, ITS IMPACT ON THE COUNTRY AND ITS EFFECT ON WORLD RELATIONS. AS A DESTINATION FOR THE REGION, THE NATION AND THE WORLD, THE MUSEUM EXPANDS UNDERSTANDING THROUGH THE INNOVATIVE PRESENTATION OF FACTS, CAPTIVATING EXPERIENCES AND TOURS OF ORIGINAL U.S. AIR FORCE FACILITIES. THE NATIONAL COLD WAR MUSEUM, LOCATED ON EAKER AIR FORCE BASE, WILL BE RECOGNIZED AS A MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTION IN ARKANSAS THAT WILL PROVIDE AN IMMERSIVE AND AUTHORITATIVE EXPERIENCE IN INFORMING, INTERPRETING AND HONORING THE LEGACY OF THE COLD WAR.

Income
$470,615
Spending
$963,809
Spent on programs
5%
Reserves
30.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 48%
Employees
3

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

Financial health

Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 30.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 105% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 36% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    5% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 95 cents.

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

Governance

Weak: 48 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    13 of 13 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 December 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 (3)
  1. THE NATIONAL COLD WAR MUSEUM IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT, INSPIRED BY THE SETTING OF A RETIRED US.S. AIR FORCE BASE, SHARES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COLD WAR--A UNIQUE SUPERPOWER RIVALRY THAT PREVAILED BETWEEN THE US. AND SOVIET UNION FROM THE END OF WORLD WAR II UNTIL THE COLLAPSE OF THE U.S.S.R.--EXPLORING ITS MILITARY STATEGY, ITS IMPACT ON THE COUNTRY AND ITS EFFECT ON WORLD RELATIONS. AS A DESTINATION FOR THE REGION, THE NATION AND THE WORLD, THE MUSEUM EXPANDS UNDERSTANDING THROUGH THE INNOVATIVE PRESENTATION OF FACTS, CAPTIVATING EXPERIENCXES AND TOURS OF ORIGINAL U.S. AIR FORCE FACILITIES.
  2. $51,065 spent. THE NATIONAL COLD WAR MUSEUM WILL BE RECOGNIZED AS A MAJOR TOURIST ATRACTION IN ARKANSAS THAT WILL PROVIDE AN IMMERSIVE AND AUTHORITATIVE EXPERIENCE IN INFORMING, INTERPRETING AND HONORING THE LEGACY OF THE COLD WAR.
  3. THE NATIONAL COLD WAR MUSEUM WILL BE RECOGNIZED AS A MAJOR TOURIST ATRACTION IN ARKANSAS THAT WILL PROVIDE AN IMMERSIVE AND AUTHORITATIVE EXPERIENCE IN INFORMING, INTERPRETING AND HONORING THE LEGACY OF THE COLD WAR.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 December 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 July 2019.

    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.