Association of Architecture Organizations Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
452174550
IRS 990-EZ coverage
2021–2025
Forms available
Form 990-EZ 2025, Form 990-N 2010
Location
Chicago, IL, USA
Phone
3125612118
Rating
35
Verdict
REVIEW
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Educational Services and Schools - Other

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,200
Expenses
$14,623
Assets
$117,183
Liabilities
$0

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

5 people listed

People named in this filing

  • Sarah Herda (Board Chair)
  • Benjamin Prosky (Vice Chair)
  • Michael Monti (Board Treasurer)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The Association of Architecture Organizations (AAO) is a member-based service organization that connects not-for-profit architectural organizations and cultural institutions around the world dedicated to enhancing public dialogue about architecture and the built environment. Its programs serve over 110 members across 42 U.S. cities and 7 countries, including Canada, Czechia, Denmark, France, India, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Through online resources and discussion groups, as well as conferences and other learning events, AAO seeks to increase the management efficiency of its member organizations; cultivate a shared sense of purpose among its members; and promote greater public understanding and appreciation for architecture and design.

What it reported doing in 2025

The Association of Architecture Organizations (AAO) provides a complement of Member Services year-round. Major activities include the management of AAO Network Groups, distinct knowledge communities comprised of AAO members who convene to share management insights in specific program areas (e.g., architectural tours, exhibitions, K-12 outreach). In 2025, AAO entered in a staffing transition and organizational restructuring period. There were no AAO Network meetings in 2025.

Operating model

Revenue model
Membership-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from membership dues.
Distribution model
No current program activity. The filing reports no program spending for the current year.

The verdict

REVIEW - The filed numbers largely add up. 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: 0
  • Transparency & Controls: 82
  • Sustainability: 42
  • Growth: 0

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 0%; rating input score 0
  • Program expense ratio: 0%; rating input score 0

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Limited

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -1,118.6%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 8.01; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -19.3% per year; rating input score 0; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -38.4% per year; rating input score 0; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -18.5% per year; rating input score 0; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 0% of revenue deployed · 0% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: Filed governance answers
  • Accomplishments: 2 filed program accomplishments
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 5 people listed
  • Consistency: 9 of 9 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 2 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 5 filing years from 2021 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • 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.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 0/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 2/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 56/100.