Hobart Ames Foundation FY2021 filing

Tax-deductible

Boston, MA501(c)(3)Since 1949Unclassified EIN 04-6009940Revenue $2.8M in FY2021Latest return filed Nov 7, 2025

On file with the IRSNorthern Tr 125 Summer St Ste 140, 02110-0000 · Boston, MATax-exempt since Jul 1953Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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The Ames plantation located near grand junction, tennessee is operated for scientific & educational purposes under a cooperative program planned & approved by the trustees and the university of tennessee.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
90¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$142K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2021 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $4.4M a year · 58% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
90%
of spending
Looks good: 90% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$142K
to officers and key staff · 5% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 5% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $9.1M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 4.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$339K
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.8M
+26% vs prior year
Spent
$2.9M
To programs
90%
Net assets
$14.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$2.8M
FY2021▲ +26%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.2M
FY2021$2.8M
FY2022$2.2M
FY2023$5.9M
FY2024$24.6M
Expenses
$2.9M
FY2021▲ +4%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.8M
FY2021$2.9M
FY2022$3.2M
FY2023$3.5M
FY2024$3.3M
Net assets
$14.1M
FY2021-0.5%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$14.2M
FY2021$14.1M
FY2022$13.2M
FY2023$16.4M
FY2024$38.4M

From the FY2021 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

990 PDF Claim
You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jul 1953.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

90 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 90% · $2.6M Management & general 10% · $279K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

5 people listed on the 990; $142K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Co-Trustee
$114,724Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Trustee
$8,101Pt VII · Sec A
$8,101Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Trustee
$8,101Pt VII · Sec A
$3,000Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 6 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Bank of America——$106,937$114,724$101,970
Robert H Frey$6,952$4,595$7,557$8,101$7,213
Mr Oliver a Spaulding$6,952$4,595$7,557$8,101$7,213
Augusta Haydock$6,952$4,595$7,557$8,101$7,213
Matthew Backus$3,000————
Rick Carlise—$3,000$3,000$3,000$3,000

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Hobart Ames Foundation executive salaries →

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Operates a plantation for scientific and educational purposes.

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1 program · $2.6M · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

See schedule o

$2.6Mprogram expense

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.8M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$896K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$213K
Money outPt IX
$2.9M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.6M
Managementcol C$279K
Owns and owesPt X
$14.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.1M
Total assetsLn 16$14.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$339K
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A5
Voting boardVI 1a0
IndependentVI 1b0
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$213K
Government grantsLn 1e$18K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$896K
Other incomeLn 4–11$46K
Gains on assetsLn 7$556K
Total revenueLn 12$2.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$1.1M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.1M
Accounts receivableLn 4$152K
Inventories for sale or useLn 8$310K
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$100K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$3.5M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$9.1M
Other assetsLn 15$194K
Total assetsLn 16$14.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$339K
Net assetsLn 32$14.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 63
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.1M$1.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$9.1M$9.1M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$3.7M$3.5M
Total assetsLn 16$14.5M$14.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$386K$339K
Net assetsLn 32$14.2M$14.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$142K$57K$85K
Legal feesLn 11b$475$475
Accounting feesLn 11c$24K$24K
Investment management feesLn 11f$9K$9K
InsuranceLn 23$22K$22K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2.7M$2.5M$190K
All other expensesLn 24e$6K$1K$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.9M$2.6M$279K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 LatestFiled with the IRS Nov 7, 2025 $24.6M$3.3M$21.3M$38.4M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Sep 26, 2024 $5.9M$3.5M$2.5M$16.4M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 2, 2023 $2.2M$3.2M−$1.0M$13.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 ViewingFiled with the IRS Aug 1, 2022 $2.8M$2.9M−$115K$14.1M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Jun 23, 2021 $2.2M$2.8M−$576K$14.2M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,790,265 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $255,178$213,036
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,392,833$1,635,513
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $556,313$895,669
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $14,155$46,047
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,218,479$2,790,265
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $126,308$142,026
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,667,785$2,763,110
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,794,093$2,905,136
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$575,614−$114,871
Part VI · Governance 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body0
VI-1b Independent voting members0
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $2,790,265 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$18,012
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$195,024
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$213,036
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,635,513$1,635,513
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $339,431$339,431
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $556,238$556,238
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $46,047$46,047
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,237,798 · Excluded from tax $339,431$2,790,265
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,905,136 across 7 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $56,810 · Management $85,216$142,026
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $475$475
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $24,200$24,200
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $9,390$9,390
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $22,329$22,329
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,511,468 · Management $189,670$2,701,138
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $1,350 · Management $4,228$5,578
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,626,022 · Management $279,114 · Fundraising $0$2,905,136
Part X · Balance sheet $14,431,174 assets, 16 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,053,230$1,066,251
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $181,922$151,688
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $238,180$310,221
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $86,882$99,734
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $3,674,246$3,548,098
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $9,143,846$9,061,102
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $169,734$194,080
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $14,548,040$14,431,174
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $147,267$163,951
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $43,295$38,655
X-23 Secured mortgages and notes payableStart of year $195,218$136,623
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $385,780$339,229
X-29 Capital stock or trust principalStart of year $10,082,954$9,964,556
X-31 Retained earnings or endowmentStart of year $4,079,306$4,127,389
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $14,162,260$14,091,945
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $14,548,040$14,431,174
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $14,091,945 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,790,265
XI-2 Total expenses$2,905,136
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$114,871
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$14,162,260
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$44,556
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$14,091,945

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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