Joshua Tree Foundation for Arts & Ecology
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE JOSHUA TREE FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS ENCOURAGES CREATIVITY AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH PERFORMANCES, OUTREACH, ARTIST RESIDENCIES, ECOLOGICAL AWARENESS EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY.
- Income
- $282,533
- Spending
- $281,542
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- 3.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 60%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 40
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
Good: 77 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 0% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1567% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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 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.
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 (3)
- $73,168 spent. OUR ECOLOGY PROGRAM WITH ITS ARTS & ECOLOGY CENTER, IS A DEMONSTRATION SITE FOR SUSTAINABLE DRYLANDS MANAGEMENT, FOOD SECURITY AND ECOLOGY EDUCATION, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE TOURED OUR GROUNDS, AND THOUSANDS HAVE LEARNED ABOUT DRYLANDS ECOLOGY THROUGH TWO FILMFEATURES HIGHLIGHTING OUR EFFORTS. OUR ECOLOGY EDUCATION INCLUDES PERMACULTURE DESIGN WHERE WE HOSTED TWO INTRODUCTORY WEEKEND COURSES FOR OVER 50 PEOPLE PARTICIPATING, HUNDREDS MORETOURED OUR ECOLOGY SITE. 9 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR WE HOST A BI-WEEKLY STEM SCIENCE POD FOR 8-13 YEAR OLDS. WE HOSTED A SEED EXCHANGE, OUR FIRST EVER FARM TO TABLE MEAL FOR 50 PEOPLE AND SEVERAL TIMES MONTHLY VOLUNTEER DAYS THAT ALLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO FOLLOW THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF PLANTING, GROWING AND HARVESTING FOOD. WE ALSO BROUGHT YOUTH FROM THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR FIELD TRIPS.
- $60,505 spent. YOUTH PROGRAM INCLUDES INTERACTING WITH THE MORONGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL FIELD TRIPS TO OUR ARTS AND ECOLOGY CENTER FOR OVER 200 KIDS. WE PROVIDED FORTY-FIVE IN-SCHOOL MUSIC AND CULTURAL ASSEMBLIES WITH PERFORMANCES BY TEN DIFFERENT ARTISTS FOR OVER 9,000 YOUTH AUDIENCE MEMBERS. WE PROVIDED A MUSIC AND A DRAMA TEACHER FOR THE EXTENDED LEARNING SUMMER PROGRAM.
- $12,139 spent. OUR RESIDENCY/PUBLIC PERFORMANCE PROGRAM BRINGS DIVERSE WORLD-CLASS MUSICIANS/ARTISTS FOR RESIDENCIES TO CREATE AND SHARE THEIR WORK THROUGH PUBLIC PERFORMANCES WITHIN OUR RURAL COMMUNITY. BEING AN UNDERSERVED AREA, MOST OF THESE CREATIVE OFFERINGS WOULD NOT OTHERWISE BE AVAILABLE. WE HOSTED 9 ARTISTS FOR RESIDENCIES, 6 WORKSHOPS AND 8 MUSCIAL AND CULTURAL PUBLIC PERFORMANCES WHICH REACHED OVER 600 LIVE AUDIENCE MEMBERS IN ADDITION, TO MANY HUNDREDS MORE THROUGH MEDIA.
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 February 2022.
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.
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