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Portland Art Museum

EIN 93-0391604 · Portland, OR

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair55 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF THE PORTLAND ART MUSEUM IS TO ENGAGE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES THROUGH ART AND FILM OF ENDURING QUALITY, AND TO COLLECT, PRESERVE AND EDUCATE FOR THE ENRICHMENT OF PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.

Income
$31.3 million
Spending
$27.7 million
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
-33.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 66%
Employees
227
Volunteers
70
Highest pay
$597,030, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 11% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 17% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 25

    54 of 56 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.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 June 30, 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 (4)
  1. $15.2 million spent. MORE THAN 53,750 OBJECTS AND WORKS OF ART COMPRISE THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTIONS, INCLUDING WORKS OF EUROPEAN PAINTING AND SCULPTURE, AMERICAN PAINTING AND SCULPTURE, SILVER, ASIAN ART, NATIVE AMERICAN ART, PRE-COLUMBIAN ART, CAMEROON AND OTHER AFRICAN ART, CONTEMPORARY ART, SCULPTURE, PRINTS AND DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHY, AND FILM.
  2. $2.8 million spent. DURING 2024, THE PORTLAND ART MUSEUM AND SITE SANTA FE, IN COOPERATION WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE'S BUREAU OF EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS, WERE SELECTED TO PRESENT JEFFREY GIBSON AS THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE UNITED STATES AT THE 60TH INTERNATIONAL ART EXHIBITION OF LA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA (VENICE BIENNALE). ON VIEW APRIL 20 THROUGH NOVEMBER 24, 2024, "JEFFREY GIBSON: THE SPACE IN WHICH TO PLACE ME" PROVIDED INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCES WITH THE FIRST MAJOR OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE GIBSON'S WORK OUTSIDE OF THE U.S.
  3. $2.6 million spent. THE MUSEUM'S CENTER FOR AN UNTOLD TOMORROW IS A YEAR-ROUND ORGANIZATION AND SPACE WHERE ARTISTS AND AUDIENCES EXPLORE OUR REGION AND THE WORLD THROUGH CINEMA AND CINEMATIC STORYTELLING IN ALL ITS FORMS. ITS MISSION IS TO EXPAND THE REACH OF CINEMA AS AN ART FORM AND CHALLENGE FOR WHOM, BY WHOM AND HOW STORIES CAN BE TOLD. THROUGH ITS NON-TRADITIONAL, UNBOUND FESTIVALS, SCREENINGS, EVENTS, CO:LABORATORY ADULT AND YOUTH CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS, AUDIENCES AND ARTISTS FORM CONNECTIONS THAT BIND OUR COMMUNITY AND ENCOURAGE A MORE VIBRANT, ACCESSIBLE, AND DIVERSE MEDIA-ARTS ECOSYSTEM.
  4. $695,016 spent. THE LEARNING AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TEAM AT THE PORTLAND ART MUSEUM WORKS TO OFFER A FULL SPECTRUM OF PROGRAMS AND OUTREACH INITIATIVES THAT PROMOTE LIFELONG LEARNING AND BUILD CONNECTIONS TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY. THROUGH PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND COMMUNITY ADVISORY PROCESSES, THE MUSEUM STRIVES TO BE MORE THAN JUST A COLLECTION OF OBJECTS AND ARTWORK, BUT ALSO TO BE A PLACE WHERE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND US TAKE PLACE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1938.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.

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