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Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts
Also known as Artswave
Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts reported $14.0 million in revenue and $15.6 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $79.40 went to program services, $9.31 to management and general costs and $11.29 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 86.4% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $345,568 (President & CEO). 7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 4% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $16MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $14MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 79.4% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 9.3% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 11.3% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.15 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 86.4% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.5% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $345,568 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.22% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 63.6 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 49 of 49 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseGrantmaking: Management of annual community campaign for the arts to provide the resources used to make distributions of financial grants to organizations throughout the Greater Cincinnati Region. These grants help them create a vital arts scene and all the communitywide benefits that come with it, including economic vitality and a greater sense of connectedness for the people of the region. Distributions support a wide variety of arts and culture groups that reflect and benefit the community in all its diversity
Marketing the Impact of the Arts: Organization of several days of free samplings of visual and performing arts at multiple venues across the Regional Community. Organization of Community engagement events that connect people through the arts. Development and execution of marketing and public relations strategy that builds broad support for the arts by focusing on the community impact of arts organizations
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President & CEO Officer, 50.0 hrs/week | $323,600 | $0 | $21,968 | $345,568 |
| Chief Operating Officer Officer, 50.0 hrs/week | $169,439 | $0 | $29,348 | $198,787 |
| VP, Comm. Campaign Highest compensated employee, 50.0 hrs/week | $143,408 | $0 | $18,129 | $161,537 |
| Chief Financial Officer Officer, 50.0 hrs/week | $139,042 | $0 | $18,160 | $157,202 |
| VP of New Products & Initiatives Highest compensated employee, 50.0 hrs/week | $139,736 | $0 | $12,854 | $152,590 |
| VP, Community Investments Highest compensated employee, 50.0 hrs/week | $124,062 | $0 | $16,690 | $140,752 |
| Director, Gift Planning Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $103,197 | $0 | $15,200 | $118,397 |
7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $702K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b49 · 49 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 532
- Volunteers Part I, line 6879
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Atomic Robot App Development | $837,788 |
| AGAR LLC Marketing and Communications | $182,960 |
| Artsopolis LLC App Hosting and Integration | $105,568 |
| Hale Justis LLC Rental Property | $102,245 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 4 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
12 private foundations reported grants to Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts totaling $916K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts spent in FY2025, $79.40 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Nasher Sculpture CenterDallas, TX · revenue $14M · programs 50.3% · FY2025
- Museum of the American RevolutionPhiladelphia, PA · revenue $14M · programs 74.8% · FY2025
- Columbus Museum of ArtColumbus, OH · revenue $14M · programs 83.3% · FY2025
- The Tech InteractiveSan Jose, CA · revenue $14M · programs 77.2% · FY2025
- Flint Cultural Center CorporationFlint, MI · revenue $14M · programs 75.0% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Ohio
Questions people ask
How much of Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts reported that 79.4% of its $15.6 million in expenses went to program services, 9.3% to management and general and 11.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $345,568, for the role of President & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts get its money?
Of $14.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 86.4% came from contributions and grants and 0.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 31-0537138 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, object 202601889349301655 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202521969349300632 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202441979349300614 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202341959349300839 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202231579349300818 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202111959349302011 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 31-0537138: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.