COMMON MAPS
Map version new-york activity top-down
Main site Contact
Menu
↑ parent activity group ·
research dossier

ORIGAMI USA INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 133051447 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A200 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · origamiusa.org
revenue
$337K
expenses
$340K
net assets
$272K
employees
2
volunteers
200
program ratio
63%
mission · from form 990

TO SHARE THE JOY AND APPRECIATION OF PAPERFOLDING, PRESERVE ITS HISTORY, NURTURE ITS GROWTH, BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY AMONG PAPERFOLDERS.

profile · synthesized from sources

Origami USA promotes the art and appreciation of paperfolding through educational programs, publications, and community events. The organization produces two magazines, hosts in-person and online classes, and organizes regional and national conventions. It fosters a global community of paperfolders by offering instructional content, preserving origami history, and encouraging cultural exchange through folding practices.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $0
    ORIGAMIUSA PRODUCES TWO REGULAR PUBLICATIONS FOR ITS MEMBERS. ONE IS A 32 -PAGE GLOSSY PRINT MAGAZINE THAT COMES OUT THREE OR FOUR TIMES A YEAR CALLED THE PAPER. THE OTHER IS AN ONLINE MAGAZINE CALLED THE FOLD, WHICH PRODUCES SIX ISSUES A YEAR. THE CONTENT OF THESE PUBLICATIONS IS SEPARATE AND DISTINCT. BOTH PUBLICATIONS INCLUDE ARTICLES OF INTEREST TO THE ORIGAMI COMMUNITY INCLUDING THE USES OF ORIGAMI IN MATH, SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, THERAPY AND EDUCATION. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT ORIGAMI EXHIBITS IN ART MUSEUMS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES, THERAPEUTIC BREAKTHROUGHS, AND STORIES OF ORIGAMI GATHERINGS AROUND THE WORLD. BOTH PUBLICATIONS INCLUDE INSTRUCTIONAL ORIGAMI DIAGRAMS AND THE FOLD ALSO INCLUDES INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS.
  2. #2 $0
    ORIGAMIUSA IS HOUSED AUTONOMOUSLY IN THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY(AMNH). OUR OFFICE IN THE MUSEUM HOUSES A LARGE LIBRARY OF ORIGAMI BOOKS. WE REGULARLY HOLD IN-PERSON ORIGAMI CLASSES (CALLED SPECIAL SESSIONS) AT THE AMNH, AS WELL AS, FREE FOLDING SESSIONS (FOLDING SUNDAYS) FOR OUR MEMBERS. AS PART OF OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AMNH ORIGAMIUSA PRODUCES A FABULOUS HOLIDAY TREE THAT IS DECORATED WITH ORIGAMI MODELS AND AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR SEVEN WEEKS. WE ALSO HOLD REGULAR ONLINE CLASSES CALLED ORIGAMI CONNECT. WE ALSO OCCASIONALLY HOLD OTHER ONLINE EVENTS SUCH AS FOLDFEST IN APRIL AND WORLD ORIGAMI DAYS (OCT. 24 - NOV. 11). ORIGAMIUSA HAS AN EXTENSIVE WEBSITE THAT INCLUDES DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF ALL OUR ACTIVITIES: HTTP://ORIGAMIUSA.ORG.
named programs · 8 · from sources

What they call their work

Chicago OrigamiUSA Convention (COcon)
Biennial regional convention in Chicago offering workshops and community-building activities for paperfolders
FoldFest
25-hour global online folding event connecting participants across time zones through continuous origami activities
Origami Café / Gather and Fold
Informal, always-open virtual space for folding and socializing using Gather.town platform
Origami Connect
Online class program offering live instruction to participants worldwide, featuring expert folders and themed sessions
OrigamiUSA Annual Convention
Annual multi-day event in New York City featuring classes, lectures, and exhibitions for origami enthusiasts of all levels
Pacific Coast OrigamiUSA Conference (PCOC)
Biennial regional convention on the West Coast of North America, organized in partnership with local groups
The Paper and The Fold
Two distinct publications: a print magazine published 3–4 times per year and an online magazine with six annual issues, both featuring instructional diagrams, cultural highlights, and interdisciplinary applications of origami
World Origami Days
19-day international celebration from October 24 to November 11 featuring online classes and special events
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Photography and Creative Arts Competitions 1 activity
    • Administers origami competitions for children
      Organizes the annual "Origami by Children" competition and publishes a winners' gallery, promoting youth creativity and participation in origami art.
  • Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
    • Hosts public origami art displays and installations
      Creates and displays a holiday tree decorated with origami models at the American Museum of Natural History annually for seven weeks, offering public access to large-scale origami art.
  • Archival Digitization and Preservation 1 activity
    • Maintains digital archives of past origami events
      Makes recordings of past events such as World Origami Days and FoldFest available for purchase and provides access to members through the Video Vault, preserving event content for ongoing learning and engagement.
  • Nonprofit Retail and Merchandise Sales 1 activity
    • Operates an online store for origami supplies and resources
      Sells origami books, downloadable instructional diagrams, papers, and supplies through an online store, ships in-stock items within 1–2 days via USPS Priority Mail, and uses HTTPS encryption to secure transactions without storing full credit card details.
  • Local High School Scholarship Programs 1 activity
    • Runs a scholarship program for youth participation in origami conventions
      Has awarded scholarships since 2017 to at least two young people annually, covering full convention fees, housing, food, travel reimbursement up to $500, one-year membership, and mentorship opportunities for recipients and their accompanying parent/guardian to attend the OrigamiUSA Annual Convention or Pacific Coast Origami Convention.
  • Uncategorized 5 activities
    • Offers in-person and online origami classes and events
      Provides regular in-person classes (Special Sessions) and free folding sessions (Folding Sundays) at the American Museum of Natural History, along with online classes (Origami Connect), Origami University led by the Junior Board, and large-scale international online events including FoldFest and World Origami Days held annually from October 24 to November 11.
    • Organizes and hosts annual and regional origami conventions
      Plans and runs the annual OrigamiUSA Convention in New York City each summer, the Pacific Coast OrigamiUSA Conference (PCOC) in odd-numbered years, and the biannual Chicago OrigamiUSA Convention (COcon) since 2022. These events include classes, exhibits, sales, auctions, and special activities for participants of all skill levels.
    • Produces print and online origami publications
      Publishes a print magazine, The Paper, three to four times per year, and an online magazine, The Fold, six times per year, featuring instructional diagrams, articles, and educational content on origami’s applications in math, science, engineering, therapy, and education.
    • Provides registration services for external origami events
      Offers online registration processing for conventions organized by other groups, charging a small fee to cover administrative and processing costs.
    • Supports origami community engagement through virtual spaces
      Operates Origami Café, a free, always-open virtual folding space using Gather.town, enabling global origami enthusiasts to connect and fold together in real time.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$337K
Contributions & grants$123K37%
Program service revenue$164K49%
Investment income$7K2%
Other revenue$43K
expenses
Total expenses$340K
Program expenses63%
Admin / overhead37%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$93K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$328K
Cash$89K
Investments$151K
Liabilities$56K
Net assets$272K
Liquid reserves8.5 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +0.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
WENDY ZEICHNER PRESIDENT 35 $30K
KATHLEEN SHERIDAN SECRETARY 12 $1K
board members · 10
  • ALEX MATTHEWS — MEMBER
  • DAVID KANDEL — MEMBER
  • EDITH KORT — MEMBER
  • JASON KU — CHAIR
  • JASON SCHNEIDER — MEMBER
  • MARC KIRSCHENBAUM — MEMBER
  • MELANIE SAWYER — MEMBER
  • MICHAEL MONTEBELLO — TREASURER
  • PATRICIA GRODNER — VICE CHAIR
  • ROWEN PIERICK — MEMBER
relationships · 8

Who they work with

  • American Museum of Natural History Partner — Hosts ORIGAMI USA INC's office, collaborates on public origami programming including the holiday tree display, and provides space for in-person classes and events.
  • Carmine's Restaurant Partner — Hosts the celebration dinner for OrigamiUSA Convention 2026.
  • Origami Heaven Partner — OrigamiUSA hosted online registration for Origami Heaven conventions from 2014 to 2017.
  • Pacific Coast Origami Convention Partner — Collaborates with PCOC to provide scholarship recipients access to its events.
  • Robert Neale Partner — Honors and teaches designs by Robert Neale, a founding member of OrigamiUSA, in multiple Origami Connect classes.
  • Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel Partner — Host venue for the OrigamiUSA Annual Convention 2026.
  • The Fifth International Conference on Origami in Science, Mathematics, and Education Partner — OrigamiUSA hosted online registration for the Fifth International Conference on Origami in Science, Mathematics, and Education in 2010.
  • USPS Partner — Uses USPS Priority Mail for shipping all domestic and international orders.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Digital and Inclusive Access Model
    methodology: digital_accessibility
    By offering online classes and continuous virtual communities, we increase equitable participation in origami because removing geographic and membership barriers enables global access and sustained involvement.
  • Leadership Development Through Community Involvement
    methodology: leadership_development
    By identifying and supporting young enthusiasts with demonstrated community involvement, we cultivate future leaders because early investment in responsible participation strengthens long-term organizational resilience and cultural continuity.
  • Member-Supported Resource Ecosystem
    methodology: member_supported_ecosystem
    By curating and selling origami-related materials—prioritizing member contributions and rare works—we sustain organizational capacity and community investment because reinvesting profits into programming creates a self-reinforcing cycle of access and participation.
  • Peer-Driven Learning and Community Engagement
    methodology: peer_to_peer_learning
    By facilitating peer-to-peer teaching in in-person and virtual folding sessions, we strengthen learning and community cohesion because shared practice fosters deeper engagement and sustains participation across skill levels and geographies.
  • Youth Engagement Through Creative Competition
    methodology: arts_education_through_competition
    By hosting an annual origami competition and gallery exhibition for children, we cultivate early interest and artistic development because public recognition and creative challenge motivate sustained involvement in the art form.