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Opus 1 Foundation Corp

EIN 84-4029712 · Thiells, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak33 out of 100GovernanceGood89 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 46% of its spending went to programs.

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

What it says it does

Opus 1 Foundation activates systemic sustainable and scalable solutions to social economic and environmental challenges through the power of the arts advancing opportunities for greater equity inclusion and innovation worldwide.

Income
$308,651
Spending
$335,491
Spent on programs
46%
Reserves
0.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 94%
Employees
0
Volunteers
42

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

Weak: 33 out of 100. Higher than 4% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 9% of income.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    46% 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

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    3 of 3 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

    12 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • 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 (5)
  1. $56,778 spent. Everyone is an Artist is a cyclical arts-based workforce development program empowering cultural workers with disabilities across the United States. Recognizing the inherent creative potential in everyone the program creates sustainable employment opportunities develops and disseminates accessible educational resources and partners with academic institutions to advance the integration of inclusive arts curricula.
  2. $75,137 spent. Memory of a Star is a STEAM education and audio technology initiative that transcribes gravitational waves and cosmic events into sound enabling multi-sensory learning experiences for students and accessible engagement with scientific phenomena through the arts. The program develops an interstellar audio catalogue spanning billions of years of cosmic history serving as an innovative educational tool bridging science technology engineering and the arts for sensory- and non-sensory impaired students.
  3. $12,855 spent. Tales of the Boat is an Opus 1 Foundation immersive multi-sensory installation developed in collaboration with Indonesian artist Jan Stanlav. Set against the backdrop of Indonesias cultural landscape the installation explores themes of unity environmental stewardship and shared humanity through the lens of Austronesian culture deploying captivating visuals evocative soundscapes and interactive experiences to transport audiences into a world where past and present converge. In 2025 the installation was presented at the Concordia Annual Summit in New York City engaging an international audience of leaders across business government and social impact sectors.
  4. $9,574 spent. Next PAGE is a trauma-informed creative writing workshop that provides a safe space for incarcerated youth to build community shape self-identity and open up about past struggles. Giving kids in the system the tools to tell their own narratives youth are encouraged to glance backward in order to focus on the future looking ahead to transitioning back into society. The program is designed to encourage a love of writing and the arts enhancing communication and behavioral skills and in the long-term helping rectify abysmal literacy rates amongst incarcerated teens in New York.
  5. $425 spent. The Art of Impact Virtual Summit is an annual public-facing educational convening produced by Opus 1 Foundation bringing together global leaders in philanthropy finance and the arts to explore how creative capital can solve systemic challenges. During the Spring 2025 Summit sessions examined topics ranging from legal frameworks for regenerative investment to the power of storytelling in policy change challenging participants to think expansively and act with purpose. The Summit engaged an international audience of artists cultural workers nonprofit leaders funders and impact-oriented professionals serving as a platform for knowledge exchange cross-sector collaboration and the amplification of arts-powered solutions to pressing global issues. The Art of Impact Virtual Summit advances Opus 1 Foundations mission by positioning creative capital as a catalyst for systemic social economic and environmental change.

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 April 2021.

    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.