Nebraska Humanities Council FY2020 filing

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Humanities Nebraska helps nebraskans explore what connects US and makes US human.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
79¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$100K 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

FY2020 · 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
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $25K a year · 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
79%
of spending
Looks good: 79% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$100K
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
Looks good: 4.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
5
named funders · $955K
Looks good: 5 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$517K
52% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 52% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
19
of 19 voting members
Looks good: 19 of 19 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.7M
Spent
$2.2M
To programs
79%
Net assets
$478K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$2.7M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.7M
FY2021$1.7M
FY2022$2.6M
FY2023$2.1M
FY2024$2.2M
FY2025$2.5M
Expenses
$2.2M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.2M
FY2021$2.1M
FY2022$2.4M
FY2023$2.1M
FY2024$2.2M
FY2025$2.7M
Net assets
$478K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$478K
FY2021$126K
FY2022$381K
FY2023$395K
FY2024$400K
FY2025$177K

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending October 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Mar 1974.

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

Where the money goes

79 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 79% · $1.7M Management & general 15% · $328K Fundraising 7% · $146K

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

20 people listed on the 990; $100K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$99,959Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2022FY2021FY2020
Christopher Sommerich$145,923$116,273$103,000$110,003$99,959

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 Nebraska Humanities Council 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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Funds and delivers public education programs, including grants, exhibits, and literacy initiatives, to help Nebraskans explore history, culture, and civic participation.

Questions for Nebraska Humanities Council

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1 program · $1.7M · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

Supports and provides educational public humanities programs in Nebraska communities through grants, speakers, traveling exhibits, reading and discussion programs, community forums, lectures, workshops, and electronic media projects.

$1.7Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 5 funders$955K
See all 5 funders →
Grants paid · 203 grants · $3.2M · 2019–2024
Nebraska Wesleyan UniversityNE · FY2024$15,000
African Culture ConnectionNE · FY2024$15,000
Vision Maker MediaNE · FY2024$13,800
Omaha Performing ArtsFY2024$12,400
The Durham MuseumNE · FY2024$10,000
The Willa Cather FoundationNE · FY2024$8,770
Lincoln Crossroads FestivalNE · FY2024$7,500
Nebraska Writers CollectiveNE · FY2024$7,000
El Museo LatinoNE · FY2024$5,950
See all 203 grants →

Federal money

Single Audit · Federal Audit Clearinghouse · money spent from federal programs
Year ending Oct 2024 · $1.0M federal money spent
Promotion of the Humanities Federal/State PartnershipNational Endowments for the Arts and Humanities · ALN 45.129 · Direct$1.0M

The auditor reported no findings.

Year ending Oct 2023 · $1.0M federal money spent
Promotion of the Humanities_federal/State PartnershipNational Endowments for the Arts and Humanities · ALN 45.129 · Direct$1.0M

The auditor reported no findings.

Year ending Oct 2022 · $1.5M federal money spent
Promotion of the Humanities_federal/State PartnershipNational Endowments for the Arts and Humanities · ALN 45.129 · Direct$1.5M

The auditor reported no findings.

Year ending Oct 2021 · $764K federal money spent
Promotion of the Humanities_federal/State PartnershipNational Endowments for the Arts and Humanities · ALN 45.129 · Direct$764K

The auditor reported no findings.

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.7M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.5M
Other incomeLn 4–11$137K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$13K
Money outPt IX
$2.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.7M
Managementcol C$328K
Fundraisingcol D$146K
Owns and owesPt X
$478K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$819K
Total assetsLn 16$995K
LiabilitiesLn 26$517K
PeoplePt VI, VII
20
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a19
IndependentVI 1b19
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.5M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.2M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$60K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$13K
Investment incomeLn 3$1K
Other incomeLn 4–11$137K
Total revenueLn 12$2.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$819K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$819K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$20K
Total assetsLn 16$995K
LiabilitiesLn 26$517K
Net assetsLn 32$478K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 514
VolunteersI 689
Fiscal year endsHeaderOctober
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$178K$819K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K$20K
Total assetsLn 16$200K$995K
LiabilitiesLn 26$172K$517K
Net assetsLn 32$29K$478K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$985K$985K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$109K$38K$54K$16K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$416K$226K$112K$78K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$112K$63K$38K$12K
Payroll taxesLn 10$36K$18K$11K$7K
Accounting feesLn 11c$77K$10K$65K$3K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$6K$6K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$14K$7K$4K$3K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$3K$3K
Office expensesLn 13$2K$1K$100
Information technologyLn 14$11K$8K$2K$1K
OccupancyLn 16$34K$19K$9K$7K
TravelLn 17$70K$64K$4K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$5K$3K$1K$926
InsuranceLn 23$4K$809$3K$601
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$289K$268K$9K$11K
All other expensesLn 24e$37K$22K$9K$6K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.2M$1.7M$328K$146K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 LatestFiled with the IRS May 4, 2026 $2.5M$2.7M−$223K$177K 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Feb 18, 2025 $2.2M$2.2M$5K$400K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Mar 15, 2024 $2.1M$2.1M$15K$395K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Sep 15, 2023 $2.6M$2.4M$254K$381K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Mar 15, 2022 $1.7M$2.1M−$351K$126K 990 PDF
FY2020 ViewingFiled with the IRS Mar 23, 2021 $2.7M$2.2M$449K$478K 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 FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,655,838 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,560,173$2,505,002
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $29,995$12,830
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $2,110$1,005
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $19,978$137,001
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,612,256$2,655,838
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $304,429$984,972
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $660,612$672,355
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $675,594$549,789
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,640,635$2,207,116
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$28,379$448,722
Part VI · Governance 19 of 19 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body19
VI-1b Independent voting members19
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 $2,655,838 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$59,825
VIII-1d Related organizations$150,000
VIII-1e Government grants$1,183,767
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,111,410
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,505,002
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $12,830$12,830
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,005$1,005
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $2,101$2,101
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $134,900$134,900
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $12,830 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $138,006$2,655,838
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,207,116 across 17 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $984,972$984,972
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $38,105 · Management $54,436 · Fundraising $16,331$108,872
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $226,250 · Management $112,092 · Fundraising $77,594$415,936
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $62,716 · Management $37,502 · Fundraising $11,808$112,026
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $17,673 · Management $11,111 · Fundraising $6,737$35,521
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $9,756 · Management $64,553 · Fundraising $2,588$76,897
IX-11d Lobbying feesManagement $5,517$5,517
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $7,361 · Management $3,628 · Fundraising $2,631$13,620
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,513$2,513
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $1,406 · Fundraising $100$1,506
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $7,509 · Management $2,005 · Fundraising $1,035$10,549
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $18,512 · Management $9,081 · Fundraising $6,636$34,229
IX-17 TravelPrograms $64,055 · Management $3,928 · Fundraising $2,268$70,251
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $2,583 · Management $1,267 · Fundraising $926$4,776
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $809 · Management $3,008 · Fundraising $601$4,418
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $268,222 · Management $9,330 · Fundraising $11,151$288,703
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $22,007 · Management $9,219 · Fundraising $5,584$36,810
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,733,043 · Management $328,083 · Fundraising $145,990$2,207,116
Part X · Balance sheet $994,651 assets, 13 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $178,253$818,554
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$149,963
X-4 Accounts receivable$872
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $20,514$5,679
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,596$19,583
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $200,363$994,651
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $147,128$493,579
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $24,406$23,521
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $171,534$517,100
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $6,345$402,973
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $22,484$74,578
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $28,829$477,551
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $200,363$994,651
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $477,551 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,655,838
XI-2 Total expenses$2,207,116
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$448,722
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$28,829
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$477,551

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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