Tom of Finland Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 90 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
TOM OF FINLAND FOUNDATION, INC. (TOFF) IS DEDICATED TO PROTECT, PRESERVE, DOCUMENT AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT EROTIC ART AND EROTIC ARTISTS. TOFF SHALL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THE WORK OF EROTIC VISUAL ARTISTS REGARDLESS OF RACE, CREED, RELIGION, GENDER, SEXUAL IDENTITY, MEDIUM OF EXPRESSION OR ANY OTHER CENSORING CRITERIA.
- Income
- $678,048
- Spending
- $801,161
- Spent on programs
- 65%
- Reserves
- -0.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 76%
- Employees
- 7
- Volunteers
- 60
- Highest pay
- $58,827, ceo
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
Weak: 10 out of 100. Higher than 0% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 120% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 18% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1565% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 90 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: 86 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 11 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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)
- $335,330 spent. PUBLIC EDUCATION:Foundation hosted more than 60 public events in 2024 that includes our Art & Culture Festival ,our longest running educational program that provided a weekend long set of public talks, films, performances and exhibition and were presented in London, Berlin, Palm Springs and Los Angeles. Most foundation events are free or charge or accessible with modest ticketing fees. Foundation presents other public tours of TOM House and of gallery, museum and artist studios.
- $145,518 spent. ARCHIVE, PERMANENT COLLECTIONS AND LIBRARY, EXHIBITIONS:A repository of over a century of LGBTQ+ artmaking and culture, the Foundation stewards rich historical and contemporary collections of more than 11,000 unique artworks created by more than 700+ queer artists many of whose legacies are preserved nowhere else and include archival materials and a reference library. Highlights include creative practices cut short by the AIDS crisis and are open by appointment to students, scholars, researchers, artists.
- $38,999 spent. ARTIST EDUCATION:Selected through a critical vetting process, visiting artists reside at TOM House for 3 months and benefit from the opportunity to engage with the Foundations collection and present their final project as a public program. Nine artists participated in 2023 representing the UK, US, Thailand, China, Poland. Another artist education program is our monthly Life Drawing Sessions.
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
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.
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.
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.
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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1986.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
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.
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.