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Museums Moving Forward Inc

EIN 93-3237098 · Los Angeles, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair65 out of 100GovernanceGood71 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 50% of its spending went to programs.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

MMF IS AN INDEPENDENT, LIMITED-LIFE ORGANIZATION DEVOTED TO ENVISIONING AND CREATING A MORE JUST MUSEUM SECTOR BY 2030. TOGETHER WITH A DIVERSE NETWORK OF MUSEUMS, CULTURAL WORKERS, AND PHILANTHROPISTS ACROSS THE US, MMF DRIVES URGENT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO MAKE AND MEASURE REAL CHANGE INSIDE MUSEUM WORKPLACES. THROUGH DATA, DISCOURSE, AND EMPOWERMENT, MMF IS COMMITTED TO THE EVOLUTION OF MUSEUMS TOWARD EQUITY BY IMPROVING THE WORKING CONDITIONS AND LIVES OF CULTURAL WORKERS.

Income
$407,680
Spending
$304,128
Spent on programs
50%
Reserves
5.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
2
Highest pay
$75,217, director & p

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: 65 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 25% of income.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    50% 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

Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    2 of 11 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

    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 (5)
  1. $120,913 spent. 2024-25 DATA STUDY THE BIANNUAL DATA STUDY AND REPORT ON WORKPLACE EQUITY AND ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE IN US ART MUSEUMS IS THE CORE OF MMF'S DATA PROGRAM. IN 2024, MMF LAUNCHED THE SECOND ROUND OF DATA COLLECTION FOLLOWING THE INAUGURAL STUDY (2022-23) AND REPORT (2023). THE 2024-25 DATA STUDY OPENED TO SURVEY PARTICIPANTS ON OCTOBER 15TH AND DATA COLLECTION RAN THROUGH FEBRUARY 15TH, 2025. IN 2024 SURVEY PARTICIPATION GREW BY 70% FROM 54 MUSEUM PARTNERS TO 91 ACROSS 31 STATES AND PUERTO RICO. MMF'S DATA STUDY IS THE ONLY STUDY ON TRENDS, ISSUES, AND DATA-INFORMED SOLUTIONS TO EQUITY IN THE MUSEUM WORKPLACE. THE REPORT ON THE 2024-25 DATA STUDY WILL BE PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 2025.
  2. $5,150 spent. 2024-25 PUBLICATIONS MMF: PUBLICATIONS IS A COLLABORATIVE WEB PLATFORM THAT NARRATIVIZES THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE BETWEEN DATA AND CHANGE-MAKING THROUGH WRITINGS THAT DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF MUSEUM WORK AND HOW WE CAN MOVE THE FIELD FORWARD. MMF: PUBLICATIONS LAUNCHED WITH AN OPEN CALL IN FALL 2023 THAT YIELDED TWO MULTI-CHAPTER PIECES PUBLISHED ON MMF'S WEBSITE DURING SUMMER 2024: -"THE POWER-SHIFTING POTENTIAL OF COLLECTIVISM IN US ART MUSEUMS" WITH CONTRIBUTIONS AND A CONVERSATION FROM OLICIA DOWDLE AND AMANDA TOBIN RIPLEY; FOREWORD BY LIZ LEVINE. -"BUILDING A CULTURE OF CARE IN US ART MUSEUMS" WITH CONTRIBUTIONS AND A CONVERSATION BY BREA HEIDELBERG AND AN ANONYMOUS MUSEUM WORKER; FOREWORD BY LIZ LEVINE. 2024-25 PUBLICATIONS MMF: PUBLICATIONS IS A COLLABORATIVE WEB PLATFORM THAT NARRATIVIZES THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE BETWEEN DATA AND CHANGE-MAKING THROUGH WRITINGS THAT DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF MUSEUM WORK AND HOW WE CAN MOVE THE FIELD FORWARD. MMF: PUBLICATIONS LAUNCHED WITH AN OPEN CALL IN FALL 2023 THAT YIELDED TWO MULTI-CHAPTER PIECES PUBLISHED ON MMF'S WEBSITE DURING SUMMER 2024: -"THE POWER-SHIFTING POTENTIAL OF COLLECTIVISM IN US ART MUSEUMS" WITH CONTRIBUTIONS AND A CONVERSATION FROM OLICIA DOWDLE AND AMANDA TOBIN RIPLEY; FOREWORD BY LIZ LEVINE. -"BUILDING A CULTURE OF CARE IN US ART MUSEUMS" WITH CONTRIBUTIONS AND A CONVERSATION BY BREA HEIDELBERG AND AN ANONYMOUS MUSEUM WORKER; FOREWORD BY LIZ LEVINE.
  3. $7,448 spent. 2024 CONVENINGS DURING THE SPRING OF 2024, MMF STAFF HELD IN-PERSON CONVENINGS WITH ART MUSEUM WORKERS IN THE BAY AREA (FEBRUARY), HOUSTON (MARCH), BOSTON (MAY), AND NYC (MAY) TO DISCUSS THE TOPIC OF CAREER ADVANCEMENT IN US ART MUSEUMS. GROUNDED IN THE DATA THAT EMERGED FROM MMF'S FIRST FIELD-WIDE STUDY, THE CONVENINGS WERE OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT IN PERSON AND CO-CREATE POTENTIAL ROADMAPS FOR MEANINGFUL CHANGE. THE 2024 CYCLE OF CONVENINGS YIELDED A PUBLISHED SET OF TAKEAWAYS WHICH INCLUDE: 10 BARRIERS TO CAREER ADVANCEMENT AND 10 OPPORTUNITIES TO TRANSFORM CAREER ADVANCEMENT IN US ART MUSEUMS
  4. $17,213 spent. 2024-25 STUDY GROUPS MMF: STUDY GROUPS GATHER A SMALL, DEDICATED GROUP OF COLLEAGUES TO DIG DEEPLY INTO AN ISSUE AND, THROUGH SHARED LEARNING AND DISCUSSION, TO CO- DESIGN AN ACTIONABLE RECOMMENDATION OR RESOURCE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FIELD. STUDY GROUPS WERE A NEW PROGRAMMATIC OFFERING BY MMF THAT BEGAN IN FALL 2024 WITH AN OPEN CALL FOR PARTICIPATION. STUDY GROUP TOPICS WERE PROPOSED AND LED BY WORKERS WHO HAVE A STAKE IN ADDRESSING A PARTICULAR ISSUE. STUDY GROUPS MEMBERS WERE SELECTED BASED ON A DEMONSTRATION OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, MOTIVATION, AND/OR INSIGHT INTO THE SPECIFIC TOPIC. WHILE EACH STUDY GROUP TOOK ON A DIFFERENT ISSUE, EACH IS COMMITTED TO A DELIVERABLE THAT WILL BE SHARED, WORKSHOPPED, AND PUT INTO PRACTICE. THESE DELIVERABLES MAY INFORM NEW MODES OF RESEARCH AND CAN BE FURTHER DISCUSSED AND ANALYZED IN FUTURE MMF PUBLICATIONS AND STUDY GROUPS. THE 2024-25 DELIVERABLES ARE STILL IN PROGRESS. THE 2024-25 STUDY GROUPS TOPICS ARE: 1: EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT LEADERS 2: MUSEUM UNION CONTRACTS & EQUITY 3: REIMAGINING CAREER ADVANCEMENT IN ART MUSEUMS
  5. 2024-25 STUDY GROUPS MMF: STUDY GROUPS GATHER A SMALL, DEDICATED GROUP OF COLLEAGUES TO DIG DEEPLY INTO AN ISSUE AND, THROUGH SHARED LEARNING AND DISCUSSION, TO CO- DESIGN AN ACTIONABLE RECOMMENDATION OR RESOURCE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FIELD. STUDY GROUPS WERE A NEW PROGRAMMATIC OFFERING BY MMF THAT BEGAN IN FALL 2024 WITH AN OPEN CALL FOR PARTICIPATION. STUDY GROUP TOPICS WERE PROPOSED AND LED BY WORKERS WHO HAVE A STAKE IN ADDRESSING A PARTICULAR ISSUE. STUDY GROUPS MEMBERS WERE SELECTED BASED ON A DEMONSTRATION OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, MOTIVATION, AND/OR INSIGHT INTO THE SPECIFIC TOPIC. WHILE EACH STUDY GROUP TOOK ON A DIFFERENT ISSUE, EACH IS COMMITTED TO A DELIVERABLE THAT WILL BE SHARED, WORKSHOPPED, AND PUT INTO PRACTICE. THESE DELIVERABLES MAY INFORM NEW MODES OF RESEARCH AND CAN BE FURTHER DISCUSSED AND ANALYZED IN FUTURE MMF PUBLICATIONS AND STUDY GROUPS. THE 2024-25 DELIVERABLES ARE STILL IN PROGRESS. THE 2024-25 STUDY GROUPS TOPICS ARE: 1: EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT LEADERS 2: MUSEUM UNION CONTRACTS & EQUITY 3: REIMAGINING CAREER ADVANCEMENT IN ART MUSEUMS

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 January 2024.

    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.