Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART SAN FRANCISCO (ICA SF) IS A FREE, NON-COLLECTING CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM. ICA SF OFFERS ARTISTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUSH BOUNDARIES, EXPERIMENT WITH NEW IDEAS, AND TAKE RISKS. THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH ARTISTS AND COLLABORATORS, ICA SF SEEKS TO EXPLORE THE MOST CRITICAL SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND CULTURAL ISSUES HAPPENING IN THE WORLD AROUND US THROUGH THE LENS OF ARTISTIC PRACTICE AND IS COMMITTED TO EXPANDING THE FUTURE CANON OF ARTISTS SHOWN IN INSTITUTIONS. BUILDING UPON THE LESSONS LEARNED IN THE FIRST "START UP" YEARS, ICA SF REMAINS CONTINUOUSLY "UNDER CONSTRUCTION," COMMITTING TO A NIMBLENESS RARELY FOUND IN ART INSTITUTIONS. ICA SF SEEKS TO MAKE CONTEMPORARY ART RELEVANT AND MEANINGFUL FOR ALL AUDIENCES.
- Income
- $2.5 million
- Spending
- $2.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 68%
- Reserves
- 1.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
- Employees
- 12
- Volunteers
- 13
- Highest pay
- $212,330, president, kreiger family
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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 54% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 14% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1568% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 56% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 14 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
0 of 7Reports no 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, 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)
- $1.5 million spent. THE INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART SAN FRANCISCO IS A NON-COLLECTING ART MUSEUM THAT OFFERS ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUSH BOUNDARIES, EXPERIMENT WITH NEW IDEAS, AND TAKE RISKS. WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF ART TO EXPLORE THE MOST CRITICAL SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND CULTURAL QUESTIONS OF OUR TIME AND ARE COMMITTED TO EXPANDING THE ART HISTORICAL CANON OF THE FUTURE. BUILDING UPON THE LESSONS LEARNED IN OUR EARLY START-UP YEARS, ICA SF REMAINS CONTINUOUSLY "UNDER CONSTRUCTION," EMBRACING A NIMBLENESS RARELY FOUND IN ART INSTITUTIONS. THIS APPROACH ALLOWS US TO RESPOND DYNAMICALLY TO THE CITY'S EVOLVING NEEDS AND TO GENERATE CULTURAL MOMENTUM THAT CATALYZES POSITIVE LASTING CHANGE IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES. WE SEEK TO MAKE CONTEMPORARY ART RELEVANT AND MEANINGFUL FOR ALL AUDIENCES. ADMISSION IS ALWAYS FREE.
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 April 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.
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.