Arts, Culture & Humanities (A500) IRS Verified DX Registered 990 on File

RENAISSANCE SOCIETY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

EIN: 36-6109822 · CHICAGO, IL 60637-1404 · United States · FY 2025 Data

3 out of 5 52 / 100 Based on 2+ years of filings

Financial strength (30%) 78/100

Reliability (20%) 55/100

Effectiveness (25%) 71/100

Impact (25%) No data yet

Financial data: FY 2025 · Scored 9/13/2026

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Mission Statement

The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago presents contemporary art exhibitions, events, and publications. “The Ren”—as we are known by many—is an independent, non-collecting museum driven by an uncompromising commitment to artists and their ideas. The Ren’s supporters value our independence and dedication to fostering ambitious artistic expression in its many forms. Our members share with us a belief in art’s capacity to reflect, challenge, and inspire contemporary thought.

Financial Overview — FY 2025

$2.1M

Total Revenue

$1.9M

Total Expenses

$10.1M

Net Assets

Employees

Revenue Sources

Expense Breakdown

Program Expense Ratio 73.2%

Fundraising Efficiency 380.0%

Operating Reserve 64.07x

Liability-to-Asset 1.0%

Revenue Diversification 88.1%

Executive Compensation $380K

Compared with Peers

FY 2025

Compared with 2,263 similar organizations (United States, Arts, Culture & Humanities, $1M–$10M in expenses), FY 2025.

This organization Middle half of peers (P25–P75) Peer median

Ratio	This org	Peer median	Position (P10 → P90)
Program expense ratio Program expenses / total expenses · higher is better	73.2%	77.7%	P10P90	Below median
Admin expense ratio Management and general / total expenses · lower is better	14.9%	14.2%	P10P90	Below median
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expenses / total expenses · lower is better	11.9%	5.8%	P10P90	Bottom quarter
Fundraising efficiency Fundraising expenses / gross fundraising income · lower is better	380.0%	288.9%	P10P90	Below median
Operating reserve Months of expenses covered by net assets · higher is better	64.1 mo	15.8 mo	P10P90	Top quarter
Liabilities to assets Total liabilities / total assets · lower is better	1.0%	11.4%	P10P90	Top quarter
Revenue concentration Share of revenue from the largest source · lower is better	88.1%	71.6%	P10P90	Bottom quarter
Revenue growth Year over year revenue growth	93.4%	7.5%	P10P90
Expense growth Year over year expense growth	17.2%	5.6%	P10P90
Surplus margin Surplus as a share of revenue	11.1%	0.9%	P10P90

Financial History

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Net Assets	Program %	Staff
2025	$2.1M	$1.9M	$10.1M	73.2%	17
2024	$1.1M	$1.6M	$9.6M	72.8%	17
2023	$1.3M	$1.8M	$9.6M	73.2%	19
2022	$1.1M	$1.7M	$8.6M	72.9%	15
2021	$1.3M	$1.4M	N/A	—	16

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Organization Details

EIN: 36-6109822
State: IL
City: CHICAGO
ZIP: 60637-1404
Classification: A500
Category: Arts, Culture & Humanities
Rating: 3★
Coverage: A
Last Updated: Aug 2026
IRS Ruling Year: 1915
Foundation Code: 15
Form 990: On File

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CharityAI™ rates charities from 0 to 100 using public filings (IRS Form 990 and the equivalent registries outside the US) together with the information the charity itself provides on DonationX. Ratings are recalculated every quarter, without human bias, and shown as stars.

Four pillars

Financial strength30%

Program expense ratio, fundraising efficiency, operating reserves, liabilities and revenue diversification, compared with similar organizations.

Reliability20%

Standing with the registry, filing history, verification and how complete the profile is.

Effectiveness25%

How much goes to programs and how consistently the organization delivers them.

Impact25%

The outcomes the charity reports on DonationX: people served, cost per service and results.

Stars

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