Manchester Historic Association
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE MATERIALS RELATING TO THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND TO OPERATE A MUSEUM, RESEARCH CENTER, AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS RELATING TO THIS HISTORY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC.
- Income
- $869,167
- Spending
- $792,779
- Spent on programs
- 69%
- Reserves
- 5.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 55%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 57
- Highest pay
- $85,243, executive di
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 75 out of 100.
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 23% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1569% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 26 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 92 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2520 of 20 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (2)
- $391,445 spent. PROGRAMS AND OUTREACH - THE MANCHESTER HISTORIC ASSOCIATION OPERATES THE MILLYARD MUSEUM AND THE RESEARCH CENTER, WHICH ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. THE MILLYARD MUSEUM DISPLAYS EDUCATIONAL EXHIBITS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER SPANNING PRE-HISTORY (PALEO-INDIANS AND NATIVE AMERICANS) TO THE PRESENT TIME, WITH A MAJOR FOCUS ON THE INDUSTRIAL ERA. THE MUSEUM INCLUDES PERMANENT AND CHANGING EXHIBITS. THE MUSEUM ALSO FUNCTIONS AS AN EDUCATIONAL FACILITY FOR THE ASSOCIATION'S PUBLIC AND SCHOOL PROGRAMS, AND FOR COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS EVENTS. THE ASSOCIATION PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS INCLUDING LECTURES ON HISTORICAL TOPICS; WALKING TOURS OF CITY NEIGHBORHOODS; SCHOOL PROGRAMS (FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH COLLEGE, BOY & GIRLS SCOUT TROOPS, HOME SCHOOLERS, AND ADULT ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS); WORKSHOPS FOR TEACHERS AND RESEARCHERS, AND CONCERTS OF HISTORICAL MUSIC. THE ASSOCIATION PROVIDES LECTURES AND OTHER TYPES OF OUTREACH TO OUTSIDE GROUPS. IT ALSO PUBLISHES ARTICLES ABOUT MANCHESTER HISTORY, AND PROVIDES HISTORICAL INFORMATION AND IMAGES THROUGH ITS WEBSITES, INCLUDING ACCESS TO ITS PHOTOGRAPHIC AND ART COLLECTION ARCHIVES. THE RESEARCH CENTER SERVES STUDENTS, SCHOLARS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC BY PROVIDING DIRECT ACCESS TO THE ORGANIZATION'S COLLECTIONS, AND ALSO BY PROVIDING INFORMATION, PHOTOGRAPHS AND DATA FOR RESEARCHERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PRESENTS SMALL HISTORICAL DISPLAYS IN THE RESEARCH CENTER, AND OCCASIONAL PUBLIC PROGRAMS. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED EACH CALENDAR YEAR THROUGH THE ASSOCIATION'S PROGRAMS IS APPROXIMATELY 11,000 (VISITORSHIP, PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH REQUESTS), PLUS SEVERAL THOUSAND MORE THROUGH PRINT PUBLICATIONS AND ONLINE MEDIA. PROGRAMS AND OUTREACH - THE MANCHESTER HISTORIC ASSOCIATION OPERATES THE MILLYARD MUSEUM AND THE RESEARCH CENTER, WHICH ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. THE MILLYARD MUSEUM DISPLAYS EDUCATIONAL EXHIBITS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER SPANNING PRE-HISTORY (PALEO-INDIANS AND NATIVE AMERICANS) TO THE PRESENT TIME, WITH A MAJOR FOCUS ON THE INDUSTRIAL ERA. THE MUSEUM INCLUDES PERMANENT AND CHANGING EXHIBITS. THE MUSEUM ALSO FUNCTIONS AS AN EDUCATIONAL FACILITY FOR THE ASSOCIATION'S PUBLIC AND SCHOOL PROGRAMS, AND FOR COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS EVENTS. THE ASSOCIATION PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS INCLUDING LECTURES ON HISTORICAL TOPICS; WALKING TOURS OF CITY NEIGHBORHOODS; SCHOOL PROGRAMS (FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH COLLEGE, BOY & GIRLS SCOUT TROOPS, HOME SCHOOLERS, AND ADULT ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS); WORKSHOPS FOR TEACHERS AND RESEARCHERS, AND CONCERTS OF HISTORICAL MUSIC. THE ASSOCIATION PROVIDES LECTURES AND OTHER TYPES OF OUTREACH TO OUTSIDE GROUPS. IT ALSO PUBLISHES ARTICLES ABOUT MANCHESTER HISTORY, AND PROVIDES HISTORICAL INFORMATION AND IMAGES THROUGH ITS WEBSITES, INCLUDING ACCESS TO ITS PHOTOGRAPHIC AND ART COLLECTION ARCHIVES. THE RESEARCH CENTER SERVES STUDENTS, SCHOLARS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC BY PROVIDING DIRECT ACCESS TO THE ORGANIZATION'S COLLECTIONS, AND ALSO BY PROVIDING INFORMATION, PHOTOGRAPHS AND DATA FOR RESEARCHERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PRESENTS SMALL HISTORICAL DISPLAYS IN THE RESEARCH CENTER, AND OCCASIONAL PUBLIC PROGRAMS. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED EACH CALENDAR YEAR THROUGH THE ASSOCIATION'S PROGRAMS IS APPROXIMATELY 11,000 (VISITORSHIP, PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH REQUESTS), PLUS SEVERAL THOUSAND MORE THROUGH PRINT PUBLICATIONS AND ONLINE MEDIA.
- $155,652 spent. MUSEUM - THE MUSEUM FUNCTION ENCOMPASSES THE COLLECTING, STORAGE, CARE AND DISPLAY OF HISTORICAL OBJECTS AND ARTIFACTS THAT RELATE TO THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER. THE ORGANIZATION DISPLAYS A SELECTION OF THESE MATERIALS IN THE MILLYARD MUSEUM AND IN THE RESEARCH CENTER, AND OTHERWISE STORES THE OBJECTS AND ARTIFACTS. THE STORED ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR STUDY PURPOSES, AND ARE ALSO MADE AVAILABLE FOR LOAN TO OTHER MUSEUMS. THE ASSOCIATION OCCASIONALLY BORROWS HISTORICAL OBJECTS AND ARTIFACTS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, INCLUDING FOR PUBLIC DISPLAY. LIBRARY - THIS FUNCTION ENCOMPASSES THE COLLECTING, STORAGE, CARE AND DISPLAY OF HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, BOOKS AND EPHEMERA THAT RELATE TO THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER. THE ORGANIZATION DISPLAYS A SELECTION OF THESE MATERIALS IN THE MILLYARD MUSEUM, AND OTHERWISE STORES THE ITEMS. THE STORED ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR STUDY PURPOSES, AND ARE ALSO MADE AVAILABLE FOR LOAN TO OTHER MUSEUMS. THE ASSOCIATION OCCASIONALLY BORROWS HISTORICAL MATERIALS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, INCLUDING FOR PUBLIC DISPLAY. MUSEUM - THE MUSEUM FUNCTION ENCOMPASSES THE COLLECTING, STORAGE, CARE AND DISPLAY OF HISTORICAL OBJECTS AND ARTIFACTS THAT RELATE TO THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER. THE ORGANIZATION DISPLAYS A SELECTION OF THESE MATERIALS IN THE MILLYARD MUSEUM AND IN THE RESEARCH CENTER, AND OTHERWISE STORES THE OBJECTS AND ARTIFACTS. THE STORED ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR STUDY PURPOSES, AND ARE ALSO MADE AVAILABLE FOR LOAN TO OTHER MUSEUMS. THE ASSOCIATION OCCASIONALLY BORROWS HISTORICAL OBJECTS AND ARTIFACTS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, INCLUDING FOR PUBLIC DISPLAY. LIBRARY - THIS FUNCTION ENCOMPASSES THE COLLECTING, STORAGE, CARE AND DISPLAY OF HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, BOOKS AND EPHEMERA THAT RELATE TO THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER. THE ORGANIZATION DISPLAYS A SELECTION OF THESE MATERIALS IN THE MILLYARD MUSEUM, AND OTHERWISE STORES THE ITEMS. THE STORED ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR STUDY PURPOSES, AND ARE ALSO MADE AVAILABLE FOR LOAN TO OTHER MUSEUMS. THE ASSOCIATION OCCASIONALLY BORROWS HISTORICAL MATERIALS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, INCLUDING FOR PUBLIC DISPLAY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 1945.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.