American Mural Project Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
263993911
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2009
Location
Winsted, CT, USA
Phone
8603793006
Rating
71
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Art Museums

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$836,966
Expenses
$926,609
Assets
$7,018,917
Liabilities
$1,191,556

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

12 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Ellen Griesedieck (President)

Highest reported compensation

  • Amy Wynn (Executive Dir.): $84,600 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The American Mural Project (AMP) is a not-for-profit organization established in 2001 whose principal purpose is to celebrate American ingenuity, productivity, and commitment to work. AMP seeks to inspire, to invite collaboration, and to reveal to people of all ages the many contributions they can make to American culture.At the core of AMPs programs and activities is a permanent indoor collaborative artwork so large that one of two former mill buildings owned by AMP has been enlarged and renovated for public display of the artwork. Onsite programs related to the artwork and with the objectives of inspiration and collaboration commenced in 2018. The renovation of the first mill building has been completed, which allowed the exhibit to open to the public with regular hours as of June 2022.AMPs primary activities are connected to its exhibit, education programs and cultural events.

What it reported doing in 2024

Public programmingamp saw over 6,000 people come through its doors in 2024.public programming includes public access to the exhibit on fridays, saturdays and sundays; special exhibit activities; and public events offered as part of the live @amp series, amp talks, and other similar events. 2024 was the second full calendar year during which the exhibit was available to the public. The exhibit was enhanced with the addition of thirteen audio stories available to exhibit visitors to listen to via amps podcasters or theirown mobile phone. We also piloted a monthly family days program and continued successful 2023 initiatives such as the monthly teen art studio program and the happy hour piano series. Exhibit attendance goals were not met for the year, and we assume that was largely due to the discontinuation of the states summer at the museum grant program which supported free admission for families.the live @amp series and the piano series continued to introduce amp to new audiences. We presented four live @amp concerts of various genres, hosted talks by two mural subjects edwind raymond and melissa bennett - and produced a sandra boynton christmas holiday event.the board and executive director acknowledged the need to hire a full time development director and did so in march of 2024. The person in the role of development consultant helped orient the new development director and transitioned to programming consultant. Other staff changes involved the visitor services/education program coordinator shifting to a part time role of education program coorinator, and the hiring of a full time visitors services/membership program coordinator.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 82% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 42
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 43
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 48.6%; rating input score 49
  • Program expense ratio: 42.3%; rating input score 42
  • Fundraising efficiency: $3.33 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -10.7%; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 7.57; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.17; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 9.1%; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 15.7% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 11.2% per year; rating input score 100; 70th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 10.8% per year; rating input score 100; 61st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 48.6% of revenue deployed · 42.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 11 of 11 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $392K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $85K · 12 people listed
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 49/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 42/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 10/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 16/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 34/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 40/100.