To educate the public about the heritage and history of the people, places, and events that shaped our region, the commonwealth of pennsylvania, and the united states of america.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
67¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$355K 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

FY2023 · 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
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.2M a year · 32% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
67%
of spending
Fine: 67% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$355K
to officers and key staff · 14% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 14% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $7.0M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 5.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
12
named funders · $1.0M
Looks good: 12 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$792K
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
$5.1M
+60% vs prior year
Spent
$2.6M
To programs
67%
Net assets
$19.9M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$5.1M
FY2023▲ +60%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.6M
FY2021$1.9M
FY2022$3.2M
FY2023$5.1M
FY2024$6.7M
Expenses
$2.6M
FY2023▼ -12%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.6M
FY2021$2.3M
FY2022$2.9M
FY2023$2.6M
FY2024$3.0M
Net assets
$19.9M
FY2023▲ +18%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$19.2M
FY2021$19.7M
FY2022$16.8M
FY2023$19.9M
FY2024$23.7M

From the FY2023 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 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 1924.

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

Where the money goes

67 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 67% · $1.7M Management & general 24% · $622K Fundraising 9% · $235K

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; $355K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President and CEO
$231,843Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$123,592Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair (starting 01/01/23)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer/Asst. Secretary-
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary (starting 01/01/23)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Trustee (starting 01/01/23)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Thomas Ryan PHD’s $222K as President and CEO is at the 89th 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Thomas Ryan PHD$221,570$231,843$205,080$200,335$185,080
Robin Sarratt$127,365$123,592$123,211$110,370$113,000

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 Lancasterhistory Org 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Educates the public about the heritage and history that shaped Pennsylvania and the USA.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $1.7M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

The organization carries on various programs and events that support their mission to educate the public about the heritage and history of the people, places, and events that shaped our region, the commonwealth of pennsylvania, and the united states of AMERICA.OUTREACH to approximately 2,400 members and general public through our journal…

$1.7Mprogram 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 12 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$5.1M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$466K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$163K
Money outPt IX
$2.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.7M
Managementcol C$622K
Fundraisingcol D$235K
Owns and owesPt X
$19.9M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.2M
Total assetsLn 16$20.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$792K
PeoplePt VI, VII
24
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a22
IndependentVI 1b22
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$149K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$273K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$75K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$163K
Investment incomeLn 3$466K
Other incomeLn 4–11$53K
Gains on assetsLn 7$295K
Total revenueLn 12$5.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.2M
SavingsLn 2$80K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.2M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$7.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$11.4M
Other assetsLn 15$1.1M
Total assetsLn 16$20.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$792K
Net assetsLn 32$19.9M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 521
VolunteersI 6375
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$62K$1.2M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$7.1M$7.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$9.9M$11.4M
Total assetsLn 16$18.1M$20.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.3M$792K
Net assetsLn 32$16.8M$19.9M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$373K$31K$157K$185K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$928K$805K$106K$17K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$27K$9K$18K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$40K$12K$27K
Payroll taxesLn 10$108K$70K$22K$16K
Legal feesLn 11b$3K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$33K$33K
Investment management feesLn 11f$47K$47K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$33K$33K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$42K$42K
Office expensesLn 13$45K$24K$16K$6K
Information technologyLn 14$53K$38K$10K$5K
OccupancyLn 16$146K$130K$16K
TravelLn 17$2K$1K$206$206
InterestLn 20$59K$59K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$278K$278K
InsuranceLn 23$51K$30K$19K$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$263K$208K$53K$2K
All other expensesLn 24e$48K$41K$3K$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.6M$1.7M$622K$235K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $6.7M$3.0M$3.7M$23.7M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $5.1M$2.6M$2.5M$19.9M 990 PDF
FY2022 $3.2M$2.9M$259K$16.8M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.9M$2.3M−$331K$19.7M 990 PDF
FY2020 $2.6M$2.6M$70K$19.2M 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 M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $5,087,618 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,751,025$4,406,201
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $133,491$162,757
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,246,756$465,649
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $40,514$53,011
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,171,786$5,087,618
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 $1,274,123$1,475,179
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,638,861$1,100,262
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,912,984$2,575,441
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $258,802$2,512,177
Part VI · Governance 22 of 22 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body22
VI-1b Independent voting members22
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $5,087,618 across 12 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $54,343 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$75,230
VIII-1e Government grants$149,454
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$4,181,517
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$272,579
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$4,406,201
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $162,757$162,757
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $170,942$170,942
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $13,217$13,217
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $294,707$294,707
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$28,264−$28,264
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $13,715$13,715
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $217,100 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $464,317$5,087,618
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,575,441 across 19 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $30,564 · Management $157,409 · Fundraising $185,041$373,014
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $804,587 · Management $105,985 · Fundraising $16,994$927,566
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $9,105 · Management $18,061$27,166
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $12,237 · Management $27,321$39,558
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $70,119 · Management $21,575 · Fundraising $16,181$107,875
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $2,686$2,686
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $33,170$33,170
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $47,226$47,226
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $32,508$32,508
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $41,507$41,507
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $23,697 · Management $15,523 · Fundraising $5,836$45,056
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $37,878 · Management $10,337 · Fundraising $4,652$52,867
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $129,648 · Management $16,337$145,985
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,240 · Management $206 · Fundraising $206$1,652
IX-20 InterestManagement $59,108$59,108
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $277,523$277,523
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $30,430 · Management $19,272 · Fundraising $1,015$50,717
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $208,377 · Management $52,522 · Fundraising $1,756$262,655
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $41,471 · Management $3,135 · Fundraising $2,996$47,602
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,718,383 · Management $622,381 · Fundraising $234,677$2,575,441
Part X · Balance sheet $20,652,558 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $3,079$1,156,021
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $58,760$79,841
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $9,927,236$11,406,522
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $7,149,106$6,958,576
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $981,637$1,051,598
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $18,119,818$20,652,558
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $6,322$5,999
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $33,326$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,319,853$792,025
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $11,702,820$13,102,280
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $5,097,145$6,758,253
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $16,799,965$19,860,533
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $18,119,818$20,652,558
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $19,860,533 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$5,087,618
XI-2 Total expenses$2,575,441
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$2,512,177
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$16,799,965
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$463,915
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$84,476
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$19,860,533

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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