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Asian Art Museum Foundation of San Francisco

EIN 94-1704765 · San Francisco, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak30 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE ASIAN ART MUSEUM CELEBRATES, PRESERVES, AND PROMOTES ASIAN AND ASIAN AMERICAN ART AND CULTURES FOR LOCAL AND GLOBAL AUDIENCES. WE PROVIDE A DYNAMIC FORUM FOR EXCHANGING IDEAS, INVITING COLLABORATION, AND FUELING IMAGINATION TO DEEPEN UNDERSTANDING AND EMPATHY AMONG PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS.

Income
$28.1 million
Spending
$39.4 million
Spent on programs
68%
Reserves
-12.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 40%
Employees
155
Volunteers
203
Highest pay
$716,958, director & ceo (thru 04/25)

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

Weak: 30 out of 100. Higher than 2% 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

    10 of 20

    It owes 30% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 40% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 20% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    68% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 12% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    41 of 41 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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 (3)
  1. $24.6 million spent. THE MUSEUM IS ONE OF SAN FRANCISCO'S PREMIER ARTS INSTITUTIONS AND HOME TO A WORLD-RENOWNED COLLECTION OF MORE THAN 18,000 ART TREASURES SPANNING 6,000 YEARS OF HISTORY AND REPRESENTING COUNTRIES AND CULTURES THROUGHOUT ASIA. THE COLLECTION'S SCOPE AND BREADTH ENABLE THE MUSEUM TO INTRODUCE ALL OF THE MAJOR TRADITIONS OF ASIAN ART AND CULTURE, AS WELL AS THE WORK OF MANY ASIAN AMERICAN ARTISTS. MORE THAN 2,500 ARTWORKS FROM THE COLLECTION ARE GENERALLY ON VIEW IN THE MUSEUM'S 33 COLLECTION GALLERIES, WITH ANOTHER 500 OBJECTS REMOVED AND REFRESHED WITH WORKS FROM STORAGE EACH YEAR.
  2. $469,775 spent. THE MUSEUM PROVIDES A BROAD RANGE OF PROGRAMS THAT EXPLORE THE CULTURES REPRESENTED IN THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION AND EXHIBITIONS, AND WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO REACH ALL LEVELS OF EDUCATION (K-12, COLLEGE, AND ADULT) AND AWARENESS OF ART (NOVICE THROUGH EXPERT). FREE DOCENT-LED TOURS OF THE COLLECTION GALLERIES AND SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS ARE CONDUCTED THROUGHOUT THE DAY. THE MUSEUM'S STORYTELLING CORPS OFFERS ENTERTAINING AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS RELATING TO ARTWORKS ON VIEW. SCHOOL PROGRAMS INCLUDE A VARIETY OF INDUSTRY-BASED ACTIVITIES: ALL CLASS TOURS ARE INTERACTIVE AND EMPHASIZE OBSERVATION SKILLS, CRITICAL THINKING, GROUP WORK, AND PEER PRESENTATIONS.
  3. $1.8 million spent. PHOENIX KINGDOMS: THE LAST SPLENDOR OF CHINA'S BRONZE AGEAPR 19, 2024 - JUL 22, 2024RISING FROM THE ASHES OF CONQUEST, TWO BRILLIANT BUT FORGOTTEN CULTURES CLAIM THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACES IN CHINA'S HISTORY. YUAN GOANG-MING: EVERYDAY WARAPR 3, 2025 - AUG 4, 2025A LEADING VIDEO ARTIST OFFERS A DREAMLIKE LOOK AT AN INCREASINGLY UNSETTLING WORLD. HALLYU! THE KOREAN WAVESEP 27, 2024 - JAN 6, 2025DISCOVER WHY THE WORLD CAN'T GET ENOUGH K-POP, KOREAN DRAMAS, AND KIMBAP.

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 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 June 2025.

    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 June 1969.

    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.