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Riverside Art Museum

EIN 95-1904692 · Riverside, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE UPLIFT DIVERSE ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL VOICES, CULTIVATE INCLUSIVE EXHIBITIONS, COLLECTIONS AND PROGRAMMING, ENGAGE IN TRANSFORMATIVE CONVERSATIONS, AND FOSTER STRONG COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS.

Income
$4.1 million
Spending
$4.7 million
Spent on programs
71%
Reserves
4.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 40%
Employees
59
Volunteers
150
Highest pay
$190,892, executive director (thru 8/2025)

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 14% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 16% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    71% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 25 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    29 of 29 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 August 31, 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. $2.1 million spent. EXHIBITIONS, CURATORIAL, AND COLLECTIONS - RIVERSIDE ART MUSEUM (RAM) PRESENTS, ON AVERAGE, TWENTY EXHIBITS A YEAR AT ITS TWO LOCATIONS, THE RIVERSIDE ART MUSEUM AND THE CHEECH MARIN CENTER FOR CHICANO ART & CULTURE OF THE RIVERSIDE ART MUSEUM. RAM STEWARDS APPROXIMATELY 2,000 OBJECTS IN ITS PERMANENT COLLECTION OF PRINT WORKS (LITHOGRAPHS, SERIGRAPHS, INTAGLIO, MONOTYPE, RELIEF, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND POSTERS), MIXED MEDIA WORKS, AND PAINTINGS AND WATERCOLORS.
  2. $709,462 spent. EDUCATION - RAM OFFERS CLASSES AND SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN FROM AGES 3 TO 18 YEARS. ADDITIONALLY, RAM GIVES CURRICULUM-BASED ART LESSONS AT LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT CLASSROOMS THROUGH ITS ART-TO-GO PROGRAM AND BRINGS STUDENTS TO ITS TWO MUSEUM SITES FOR WALK & WONDER TOURS. THROUGH ITS CREATIVE HORIZONS PROGRAM, RAM PROVIDES ART EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES TO AT-PROMISE TEENS, YOUTH IN GANG PREVENTION PROGRAMS, AND OTHER JUSTICE-INVOLVED YOUTH. ANNUALLY, ABOUT FIFTY JUSTICE-INVOLVED YOUTH PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL ARTISTS, RAM OFFERS ADULT CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS, AND HOLDS EXHIBIT-RELATED LECTURES, SYMPOSIUMS, AND TOURS. THE ART-MAKE "52 PROJECT" ENGAGES ADULTS IN A SELF-DIRECTED, GROUP-ENCOURAGED, YEAR-LONG EXPLORATION AND COMMITMENT TO INDIVIDUAL CREATIVITY SUPPORTED BY MUSEUM-BASED GET-TOGETHERS, CULMINATING IN OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXHIBITION AT RAM.
  3. $441,283 spent. COMMUNITY OUTREACH - RAM PROVIDES ARTS ACTIVITIES AT LOCAL FESTIVALS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS (ESPECIALLY IN RIVERSIDE'S EASTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD). RAM COLLABORATES WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND RIVERSIDE RESIDENTS TO PAINT MURALS AT NEIGHBORHOOD SITES. RAM ALSO WORKS WITH THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND A LOCAL HOUSING AUTHORITY TO PLACE AN ARTIST IN AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNIT ADJACENT TO LINCOLN PARK IN RIVERSIDE; THIS ARTIST, CONTRACTED BY RAM, PROVIDES ARTS ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND AT RAM'S TWO MUSEUMS. MOST RECENTLY, RAM COLLABORATED WITH ARTISTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS TO CREATIVELY REVITALIZE VARIOUS RIVERSIDE-BASED STOREFRONTS. RAM PROVIDES FREE COMMUNITY ART PROGRAMS THROUGH ITS FIRST SUNDAYS AND ARTS WALK PROGRAMS. RAM IS ALSO PART OF THE MUSEUM FOR ALL PROGRAM WITH $1 ADMISSION FOR FAMILIES WITH SNAP-EBT CARDS. RAM ADMITS CHILDREN UNDER 12 YEARS AND MILITARY FAMILIES TO ITS TWO MUSEUMS FREE OF CHARGE.
  4. $150,842 spent. MUSEUM STORES - RAM HAS A STORE IN EACH OF ITS TWO MUSEUM LOCATIONS THAT PROMOTE AWARENESS OF LOCAL ARTISTS AND PROVIDE VENUES FOR SALES OF THEIR WORKS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 August 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 April 1959.

    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.