Nelson Gallery Foundation: $10.4M Revenue, $41.7M Expenses

Nelson Gallery Foundation grades an F: the lowest bracket on the efficiency rubric. 20/100 composite, with multiple factors below the national benchmarks — usually a combination of precarious reserves, declining or erratic revenue, and officer compensation that runs high relative to size.

At $10.4M in 2023 revenue, Nelson Gallery Foundation sits in the mid-range of the U.S. nonprofit distribution. Most organizations of this scale operate regionally or focus on a single program area. Reserves are the limiting factor: Nelson Gallery Foundation carries relatively few months of operating expenses on its balance sheet, which can leave an organization exposed if a major funding source pauses.

Revenue has declined meaningfully over the five-year filing window — a pattern that warrants attention to underlying funding sustainability. Nelson Gallery Foundation's 2023 revenue is materially below its earlier filings. Officer compensation runs notably high relative to organizational size: $994,757 against $10.4M in revenue. This is one of the factors driving the efficiency grade down on the rubric. Nelson Gallery Foundation sits in the cultural-nonprofit sector (Arts, Culture & Humanities). Museum, performing-arts, and cultural organizations carry distinctive financial patterns — earned revenue from ticket sales and admissions, plus a heavy reliance on endowment income and major donor cycles.