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Japanese Garden Society of Oregon

EIN 93-0511171 · Portland, OR

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair58 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

INSPIRING HARMONY AND PEACE.

Income
$13.1 million
Spending
$13.9 million
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
0.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 52%
Employees
160
Volunteers
258
Highest pay
$434,960, chief exec. officer (thru dec. '24)

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: 58 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 9% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 3% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 28 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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 13% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    24 of 24 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

    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 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)
  1. $8.5 million spent. ADMISSIONS/VISITATION/DISPLAY OF VARIOUS STYLES OF JAPANESE GARDENS: IN 2024, WE REALIZED ATTENDANCE FROM NEARLY 408,000 VISITORS, MEMBERS, AND GUESTS, PROVIDING TO THEM A SENSE OF HARMONY AND PEACE, WITHIN THE CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF JAPANESE GARDENS AND RELATED PROGRAMMING.
  2. $1.7 million spent. CULTURE, ART, AND EDUCATION: WE CONDUCTED TRAININGS IN JAPANESE-STYLE GARDENING TECHNIQUES, PRODUCED AND DISPLAYED WORLD-CLASS EXHIBITIONS, AND CONDUCTED LECTURES, WORKSHOPS, SYMPOSIA, AND PERFORMANCES TO ENHANCE CROSS-CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION.
  3. $572,057 spent. MEMBERSHIP: WE SERVED OVER 29,000 MEMBERS, AND PROVIDED THEM WITH ADMISSION TO THE GARDEN, MANY CULTURAL EVENTS, INFORMATIVE NEWSLETTERS, AND VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.

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 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 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 November 1963.

    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.