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Milwaukee Art Museum
Milwaukee Art Museum reported $29.8 million in revenue and $24.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $71.59 went to program services, $18.01 to management and general costs and $10.40 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 61.4% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $565,495 (DONNA & DONALD BAUMGARTNER DIRECTOR). 11 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 75% 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 $25MFor 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 $30MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 71.6% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 18.0% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 10.4% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.14 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 61.4% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 1.9% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 9.4% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $565,495 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.28% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 11 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 78.2 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 35 of 35 | 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 expensePresentation and curatorial: special exhibits during fiscal year 2025 included erin shirreff; permanent drafts; the brilliance of the spanish world: el greco, velasquez, zurbaran; reviving the dance of death; farm to frame; winter series: meadow; true story: photography, journalism and media; robert longo: the acceleration of history; light and shadow: john constable's english landscapes in print: currents39: latoya m. Hobbs, carving out time; and 2025 scholastic art awards: wisconsin exhibition
Audience, communication, and member development: admissions and tours for fiscal year 2025 totaled 243,116. 593 volunteers assisted in activities
Business operations and acquisition of art: expenses incurred in operation of the museum's cafe and gift shop as well as expenditures associated with acquiring new pieces for the permanent collection
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DONNA & DONALD BAUMGARTNER DIRECTOR Officer, 49.00 hrs/week | $533,191 | $0 | $32,304 | $565,495 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $236,066 | $0 | $14,403 | $250,469 |
| CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $202,181 | $0 | $23,680 | $225,861 |
| CFO & COO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $212,275 | $0 | $12,735 | $225,010 |
| CHIEF OF CURATORIAL AFFAIRS Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $184,782 | $0 | $28,630 | $213,412 |
| CHIEF OF PEOPLE AFFAIRS Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $145,203 | $0 | $23,714 | $168,917 |
| BBL CHIEF OF LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $155,202 | $0 | $11,982 | $167,184 |
| SENIOR CURATOR OF CONTEMPORARY ART Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $144,475 | $0 | $18,097 | $162,572 |
11 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Milwaukee Art Museum (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.7M (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–1b35 · 35 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 2Yes
- 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5280
- Volunteers Part I, line 6631
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| MASTERPIECE INTERNATIONAL LTD Fine art logistics | $329,572 |
| JM BRENNAN INC Mechanical services | $315,678 |
| 4M BUILDING SERVICES INC Custodial services | $274,035 |
| BASIS GLOBAL TECHNOOLOGIES INC Marketing | $241,333 |
| COMMUNITY COUNSELLING SERVICE CO LLC Fundraising consulting | $229,964 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 11 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
70 private foundations reported grants to Milwaukee Art Museum totaling $3.0M 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 Milwaukee Art Museum's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Milwaukee Art Museum, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Milwaukee Art Museum spent in FY2025, $71.59 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- National Minority Supplier Development CouncilNew York, NY · revenue $30M · programs 79.7% · 2024
- The Commemorative Air ForceDallas, TX · revenue $30M · programs 70.8% · 2024
- Greater Austin Performing Arts CenterAustin, TX · revenue $30M · programs 94.8% · FY2025
- KvieSacramento, CA · revenue $30M · programs 59.7% · FY2025
- The Museum of Contemporary ArtLos Angeles, CA · revenue $30M · programs 72.9% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Wisconsin
Questions people ask
How much of Milwaukee Art Museum's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Milwaukee Art Museum reported that 71.6% of its $24.8 million in expenses went to program services, 18.0% to management and general and 10.4% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Milwaukee Art Museum pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Milwaukee Art Museum reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $565,495, for the role of DONNA & DONALD BAUMGARTNER DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Milwaukee Art Museum get its money?
Of $29.8 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 61.4% came from contributions and grants (including 1.9% from government grants) and 9.4% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Milwaukee Art Museum a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 39-0806316 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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 202601959349302050 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202501969349301005 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202411979349301176 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202341989349300524 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202241969349300224 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202101909349300010 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 39-0806316: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.