To preserve and share the horticulture, history and beauty of Blithewold as an authentic 'country place era' waterfront estate with the founding family's distinctive arboretum, gardens, mansion and collections.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
77¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 50 volunteers and 52 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $538K a year · 21% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
77%
of spending
Looks good: 77% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$161K
to officers and key staff · 6% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 6% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
15
named funders · $279K
Looks good: 15 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$657K
4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 4% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
22
of 22 voting members
Looks good: 22 of 22 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.4M
+8% vs prior year
Spent
$2.8M
To programs
77%
Net assets
$14.7M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$3.4M
FY2025▲ +8%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$1.6M
FY2022$2.6M
FY2023$2.4M
FY2024$3.1M
FY2025$3.4M
Expenses
$2.8M
FY2025▲ +25%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$1.2M
FY2022$1.9M
FY2023$2.1M
FY2024$2.3M
FY2025$2.8M
Net assets
$14.7M
FY2025▲ +8%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$12.2M
FY2022$13.1M
FY2023$12.5M
FY2024$13.6M
FY2025$14.7M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending February 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jan 2000.

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

Where the money goes

77 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 77% · $2.2M Management & general 18% · $500K Fundraising 6% · $161K

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

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Who runs it and what they're paid

24 people listed on the 990; $161K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$161,047Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice-Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Karen Binder’s $161K as Executive Director is at the 71st percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $1–10M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Karen Binder$161,047$156,959$152,592$123,610$112,542

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 Blithewold INC executive salaries →

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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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Preserves and shares a historic waterfront estate's horticulture, history, and beauty.

Questions for Blithewold INC

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $2.2M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Member & visitor services-offer tours and sponsor events for the enjoyment of members and general public in order to further an understanding of the estate's cultural and historical heritage. Cultivate memberships for blithewold. Blithewold mansion, gardens & arboretum has 1,400 members, 35,000 visitors (estimated) annually.

$1.1Mprogram expense
02

Preservation

To preserve and maintain the historical mansion and outbuildings, arboretum and grounds. Properties are open to the general public, and a balance is maintained between the site use and preservation efforts.

$932Kprogram expense
03

Education Programs

Various educational classes are offered to members and the general public year round. Topics are based on the science of horticulture, garden maintenance, landscape and garden design principles, and environmental science.

$106Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 15 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.0M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$918K
Other incomeLn 4–11$895K
Money outPt IX
$2.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.2M
Managementcol C$500K
Fundraisingcol D$161K
Owns and owesPt X
$14.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$781K
Total assetsLn 16$15.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$657K
PeoplePt VI, VII
24
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a22
IndependentVI 1b22
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.0M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$319K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$918K
Investment incomeLn 3$526K
Other incomeLn 4–11$895K
Gains on assetsLn 7$206K
Total revenueLn 12$3.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$116K
SavingsLn 2$665K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$781K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$10.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$3.0M
Other assetsLn 15$1.1M
Total assetsLn 16$15.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$657K
Net assetsLn 32$14.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 552
VolunteersI 650
Fiscal year endsHeaderFebruary
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$365K$781K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$9.5M$10.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$3.1M$3.0M
Total assetsLn 16$14.2M$15.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$631K$657K
Net assetsLn 32$13.6M$14.7M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$179K$14K$55K$110K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$990K$915K$71K$4K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$33K$25K$7K$1K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$97K$80K$18K
Payroll taxesLn 10$90K$72K$9K$9K
Legal feesLn 11b$2K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$35K$35K
Investment management feesLn 11f$80K$80K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$3K$3K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$99K$99K
Office expensesLn 13$127K$725$94K$33K
Information technologyLn 14$11K$11K
OccupancyLn 16$197K$134K$62K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$22K$22K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$136K$131K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$729K$700K$25K$4K
All other expensesLn 24e$3K$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.8M$2.2M$500K$161K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $3.4M$2.8M$523K$14.7M 990 PDF
FY2024 $3.1M$2.3M$859K$13.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.4M$2.1M$252K$12.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.6M$1.9M$671K$13.1M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.6M$1.2M$385K$12.2M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $3,354,345 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $483,747$1,014,853
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $759,127$918,183
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,188,879$525,821
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $686,325$895,488
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,118,078$3,354,345
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,104,587$1,389,792
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,154,953$1,441,549
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,259,540$2,831,341
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $858,538$523,004
Part VI · Governance 22 of 22 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body22
VI-1b Independent voting members22
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
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $3,354,345 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $97,421 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1b Membership dues$218,026
VIII-1c Fundraising events$319,070
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$477,757
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,014,853
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $918,183$918,183
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $319,984$319,984
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $846,240$846,240
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $205,837$205,837
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$48,173−$48,173
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $918,183 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,421,309$3,354,345
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,831,341 across 17 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $14,066 · Management $54,996 · Fundraising $110,010$179,072
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $914,954 · Management $71,141 · Fundraising $3,984$990,079
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $24,856 · Management $6,772 · Fundraising $1,456$33,084
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $79,674 · Management $17,690$97,364
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $72,134 · Management $9,225 · Fundraising $8,834$90,193
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $1,513$1,513
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $34,695$34,695
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $79,861$79,861
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $2,781$2,781
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $98,630$98,630
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $725 · Management $93,862 · Fundraising $32,785$127,372
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $10,874$10,874
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $134,249 · Management $62,427$196,676
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $21,795$21,795
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $130,944 · Management $5,119$136,063
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $699,996 · Management $24,837 · Fundraising $3,936$728,769
IX-24e All other expensesManagement $2,520$2,520
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,170,228 · Management $500,108 · Fundraising $161,005$2,831,341
Part X · Balance sheet $15,329,215 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $7,335$116,167
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $357,830$664,772
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $61,726$89,470
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $101,035$99,705
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $3,064,719$2,985,178
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $9,488,126$10,231,759
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,124,412$1,142,164
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $14,208,009$15,329,215
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $56,050$130,304
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $570,543$521,790
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $631,193$656,694
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $10,045,006$10,641,927
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $3,531,810$4,030,594
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $13,576,816$14,672,521
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $14,208,009$15,329,215
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $14,672,521 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,354,345
XI-2 Total expenses$2,831,341
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$523,004
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$13,576,816
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$554,949
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$17,752
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$14,672,521

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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