Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Apr 1989.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
82 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
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
15 people listed on the 990.
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 15aNo
Programs and updates
Educates about WWII maritime contributions through living history aboard the SS John W. Brown.
Questions for Project Liberty Ship INC
Your first name shows with your question. Project Liberty Ship INC answers here, for everyone.
Preservation of, maintenance of and sailing of the Liberty Ship SS John W. Brown, which is a museum dedicated to the men and women of American industry who built the great Liberty Ship Fleet and to the Merchant Marines and U.S. Navy Armed Guard crews who sailed and defended them during World War II.
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2020 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | FY20 | FY19 | FY18 | FY17 | FY16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End of yearLn 1g | $1.1M | $1.6M | $1.2M | $1.1M | $766K |
| Given inLn 1b | $33K | $265K | $128K | $179K | $112K |
| SpentLn 1d–1f | $641K |
| Line | Start FY20 | End FY20 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $540K | $213K |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $1.4M | $1.1M |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $269K | $910K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $2.3M | $2.6M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $51K | $13K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $2.3M | $2.6M |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1 | $0 | |||
| Grants to domestic individualsLn 2 | $0 | |||
| Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3 | $0 | |||
| Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4 | $0 | |||
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $0 | |||
| Pay of disqualified personsLn 6 | $0 | |||
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $0 | |||
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $0 | |||
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $0 | |||
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $0 | |||
| Management feesLn 11a | $0 | |||
| Legal feesLn 11b | $5K | $5K | ||
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $12K | $12K | ||
| Lobbying feesLn 11d | $0 | |||
| Professional fundraising feesLn 11e | $0 | |||
| Investment management feesLn 11f | $0 | |||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $23K | $20K | $3K | $230 |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $33K | $2K | $22K | $9K |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $8K | $352 | $7K | |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $0 | |||
| RoyaltiesLn 15 | $0 | |||
| OccupancyLn 16 | $11K | $9K | $998 | $998 |
| TravelLn 17 | $0 | |||
| Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18 | $0 | |||
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $0 | |||
| InterestLn 20 | $0 | |||
| Payments to affiliatesLn 21 | $0 | |||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $266K | $266K | ||
| InsuranceLn 23 | $55K | $52K | $3K | |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $259K | $201K | $40K | $18K |
| All other expensesLn 24e | $11K | $10K | $1K | |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $683K | $561K | $95K | $28K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 LatestFiled with the IRS Nov 13, 2025 | $1.4M | $1.0M | $398K | $4.1M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 12, 2024 | $823K | $765K | $58K | $3.7M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 13, 2023 | $1.7M | $771K | $924K | $3.3M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 1, 2022 | $686K | $663K | $23K | $2.7M | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 4, 2021 | $904K | $683K | $221K | $2.6M | 990 PDF |
Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $904,473 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 14 of 14 board members independent, 2 to look at
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $904,473 across 11 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $683,359 across 31 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $2,632,406 assets, 22 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,619,540 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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