American Sign Museum

Analysis

American Sign Museum is a registered charity in United States, based in Cincinnati, OH. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in December 1999, 27 years ago. Its declared purposes cover arts, culture and humanities, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (donations from the general public) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, American Sign Museum reported income of $1.7m and spending of $1.1m, leaving 38% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income fell from $2.0m to $1.7m (-14%), an average of -3.8% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 82%. Over the whole period it spent 55% of the income it received.

Among 45,478 United States charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, American Sign Museum sits at the 90th percentile: it is larger than about 90% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 85th percentile, and in the 85th percentile within OH. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Corporation for Jeffersons Poplar Forest ($1.7m), New England Center for Circus Artsinc ($1.7m) and Center for Humans and Nature NFP ($1.7m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 50% and program service revenue 36% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $110k (10% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $287k. At year end it held assets of $7.7m against liabilities of $567k, net assets of $7.1m. It reported 15 employees.