The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION IS TO INSPIRE THE WORLD THROUGH JAPANESE ANIMATION AND CULTURE BY PROMOTING PUBLIC AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION OF AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT JAPANESE ANIMATION, MANGA, AND RELATED CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC FORMS.
- Income
- $27.5 million
- Spending
- $22.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 14.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 95%
- Employees
- 35
- Volunteers
- 640
- Highest pay
- $788,623, ceo
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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 14.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 17% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 11% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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, 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)
- $20.2 million spent. THE ORGANIZATION RECEIVES ITS REVENUES FROM REGISTRATION FEES COLLECTED TO ENTER THE EVENTS, FEES PAID BY EXHIBITORS FOR BOOTH RENTALS AT THE EVENTS, ARTISTS' ALLEY WHERE ASPIRING ANIME ARTISTS CAN EXHIBIT THEIR WORK, SPONSORSHIPS FROM ANIME INDUSTRY AND OTHER BUSINESSES THAT BENEFIT FROM THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT DIRECTLY WITH ANIME FANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, LICENSING, AND FROM OTHER CONCERTS AND PROGRAMS. WITH EACH UNIQUE EVENT THE ORGANIZATION PRODUCES, THE PURPOSE AIMS TO PROMOTE, CELEBRATE, AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT JAPANESE ANIMATION AND POP CULTURE.THE ORGANIZATION HAS COMMITTED THE MAJORITY OF ITS TIME AND RESOURCES, INCLUDING, IN RECENT YEARS, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOURS FROM APPROXIMATELY 800 VOLUNTEERS, TO PLANNING, PREPARING FOR, AND HOSTING ANIME EXPO ("AX"). THIS FOUR-DAY CONVENTION IS HELD ANNUALLY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND INCLUDES HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF EDUCATIONAL, ARTISTIC, CULTURAL, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS DESIGNED TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC, FANS OF ANIME, AND MEMBERS OF THE ANIME INDUSTRY TO CELEBRATE AND LEARN ABOUT JAPANESE ANIMATION AND POPULAR CULTURE. SINCE 2004, AX HAS BEEN THE LARGEST ANIME CONVENTION IN NORTH AMERICA, WITH MORE THAN 100,000 ATTENDEES OVER THE FOUR DAYS OF EVENTS.STARTING 2022, THE ORGANIZATION PRODUCED ANIME EXPO CHIBI ("AXC") IN ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA. THIS CONVENTION IS A SMALLER-SCALE CONVENTION THAT WILL AFFORD FANS AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IN THE AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION OF JAPANESE ANIMATION AND POPULAR CULTURE. THE EVENT SERVES AS A MARKETPLACE SHOWCASING THE EXHIBIT HALL AND ARTIST ALLEY.
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
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 2025.
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 May 2020.
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.