Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Spanish Colonial Arts Society Inc

EIN 85-6011544 · Santa Fe, NM

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair63 out of 100GovernanceFair61 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF THE SPANISH COLONIAL ARTS SOCIETY IS TO PRESERVE THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF HISPANIC NEW MEXICO AND ITS LIVING TRADITIONS.

Income
$329,069
Spending
$568,163
Spent on programs
59%
Reserves
32.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 65%
Employees
5
Volunteers
25
Highest pay
$81,668, executive di

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: 63 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 32.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 73% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 63% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    59% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 20 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

Fair: 61 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a 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.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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, 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 (1)
  1. $333,165 spent. AS PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WE TRANSITIONED ORGANIZATIONAL STEWARDSHIP OF TRADITIONAL SPANISH MARKET TO THE ATRISCO HERITAGE FOUNDATION. AFTER HOSTING SPANISH MARKET FOR 70 YEARS, WE WERE PLEASED THAT ATRISCO SUCCESSFULLY HOSTED THE 71ST MARKET ON THE SANTA FE PLAZA, WHICH THEY CONTINUED TO OFFER FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. IN OUR ONGOING EFFORT TO SERVE AS A RESOURCE FOR THE PUBLIC, WE INSTITUTED A POLICY OF YEAR-ROUND FREE ADMISSION TO OUR MUSEUM FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. WE CONTINUED TO OFFER TOURS OF OUR MUSEUM AND OUR COLLECTION AND CONTINUED TO HOLD VARIOUS ARTS CLASSES AND DEMONSTRATIONS WITH A FOCUS ON TRADITIONAL NEW MEXICAN ART FORMS. WE CHANGED THE NAME OF OUR MUSEUM TO BETTER REFLECT THE CONTENTS OF OUR COLLECTION: NUEVO MEXICANO HERITAGE ARTS MUSEUM. VISITATION HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY AS TOURISTS AND THE PUBLIC ALIKE ARE CURIOUS ABOUT AND ATTRACTED TO THE NEW NAME. THE NAME OF OUR ORGANIZATION, THE SPANISH COLONIAL ARTS SOCIETY, REMAINS THE SAME. AS PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WE TRANSITIONED ORGANIZATIONAL STEWARDSHIP OF TRADITIONAL SPANISH MARKET TO THE ATRISCO HERITAGE FOUNDATION. AFTER HOSTING SPANISH MARKET FOR 70 YEARS, WE WERE PLEASED THAT ATRISCO SUCCESSFULLY HOSTED THE 71ST MARKET ON THE SANTA FE PLAZA, WHICH THEY CONTINUED TO OFFER FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. IN OUR ONGOING EFFORT TO SERVE AS A RESOURCE FOR THE PUBLIC, WE INSTITUTED A POLICY OF YEAR-ROUND FREE ADMISSION TO OUR MUSEUM FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. WE CONTINUED TO OFFER TOURS OF OUR MUSEUM AND OUR COLLECTION AND CONTINUED TO HOLD VARIOUS ARTS CLASSES AND DEMONSTRATIONS WITH A FOCUS ON TRADITIONAL NEW MEXICAN ART FORMS. WE CHANGED THE NAME OF OUR MUSEUM TO BETTER REFLECT THE CONTENTS OF OUR COLLECTION: NUEVO MEXICANO HERITAGE ARTS MUSEUM. VISITATION HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY AS TOURISTS AND THE PUBLIC ALIKE ARE CURIOUS ABOUT AND ATTRACTED TO THE NEW NAME. THE NAME OF OUR ORGANIZATION, THE SPANISH COLONIAL ARTS SOCIETY, REMAINS THE SAME.

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

  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 October 13, 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 2024.

    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 September 1954.

    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 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.