Museums Moving Forward Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
933237098
IRS 990 coverage
2024–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2023
Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Phone
8778295500
Rating
54
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Research Institutes and/or Public Policy Analysis

Reported finances

Revenue
$407,680
Expenses
$304,128
Assets
$136,880
Liabilities
$3,328

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

Leadership & pay

10 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • VANESSA MIA LOCKS (DIRECTOR & P): $75,217 total reported compensation
  • MAKEDA BEST (TREASURER): $1,000 total reported compensation
  • CONNIE BUTLER (BOARD MEMBER): $1,000 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Mmf is an independent, limited-life organization devoted to envisioning and creating a more just museum sector by 2030. Together with a diverse network of museums, cultural workers, and philanthropists across the us, mmf drives urgent conversations about the most effective ways to make and measure real change inside museum workplaces. Through data, discourse, and empowerment, mmf is committed to the evolution of museums toward equity by improving the working conditions and lives of cultural workers.

What it reported doing in 2024

2024-25 study groups mmf: study groups gather a small, dedicated group of colleagues to dig deeply into an issue and, through shared learning and discussion, to co- design an actionable recommendation or resource for the benefit of the field. Study groups were a new programmatic offering by mmf that began in fall 2024 with an open call for participation. Study group topics were proposed and led by workers who have a stake in addressing a particular issue. Study groups members were selected based on a demonstration of personal experience, motivation, and/or insight into the specific topic. While each study group took on a different issue, each is committed to a deliverable that will be shared, workshopped, and put into practice. These deliverables may inform new modes of research and can be further discussed and analyzed in future mmf publications and study groups. The 2024-25 deliverables are still in progress. The 2024-25 study groups topics are: 1: emotionally intelligent leaders 2: museum union contracts & equity 3: reimagining career advancement in art museums

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% 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.

The verdict

MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of voting board members are independent.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 40
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 38
  • Sustainability: 50
  • Growth: NotEnoughData

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 37%; rating input score 37
  • Program expense ratio: 49.6%; rating input score 50
  • Fundraising efficiency: $5.41 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th 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: 18.2%; rating input score 18; 14th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 6 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 67
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 25.4%; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.45; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 26.7%; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: Limited
  • Revenue growth: Limited
  • Asset growth: Limited

Details

  • Where the money goes: 37% of revenue deployed · 49.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 2 of 11 board members independent · 6 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $151K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $75K · 10 people listed
  • Consistency: 24 of 24 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 7 filed money-flow records
  • 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 37/100.
  • High — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 18/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 50/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 24/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 22/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 13/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 38/100.