Nantucket Historical Association
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION PRESERVES AND INTERPRETS THE HISTORY OF NANTUCKET THROUGH ITS PROGRAMS, COLLECTIONS, AND PROPERTIES, IN ORDER TO PROMOTE THE ISLAND'S SIGNIFICANCE AND FOSTER AN APPRECIATION OF IT AMONG ALL AUDIENCES.
- Income
- $14.9 million
- Spending
- $8.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 71%
- Reserves
- 17.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 54%
- Employees
- 83
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $277,679, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 17.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 40% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 92% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1571% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2528 of 28 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
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (3)
- $3.3 million spent. CURATORIAL & COLLECTION CARE - IN ADDITION TO THE NHA'S EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF ARTIFACTS, IT ALSO OWNS AND MAINTAINS 18 HISTORIC PROPERTIES, OF WHICH MANY ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. OVER 100,000 VISITORS ENTER NHA PROPERTIES EACH YEAR TO VIEW ITEMS FROM THE PERMANENT COLLECTION AS WELL AS TRAVELING CHANGING EXHIBITIONS. THE CURATORIAL DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO ACCESSION GIFTS TO THE COLLECTION AND DIGITIZE THE IMAGES OF THE COLLECTION TO MAKE THE DATABASE ACCESSIBLE WORLDWIDE THROUGH THE INTERNET.
- $2.0 million spent. EDUCATION AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS - THE NHA OFFERS A YEAR-ROUND SCHEDULE OF DIVERSE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AT ITS PROPERTIES AND IN LOCAL SCHOOLS. DURING THE SUMMER SEASON, THE NHA OFFERS DAILY EXHIBITION TOURS AND WALKING TOURS OF THE ISLAND, INTERPRETIVE PRESENTATIONS, AND PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE DISCOVERY ROOM, WHICH IS A FAMILY LEARNING CENTER. THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE YEAR, THE NHA ALSO OFFERS A LECTURE SERIES, MANY OF WHICH ARE FREE TO THE PUBLIC. THE 1800 HOUSE, ONE OF THE NHA'S PROPERTIES IS DEDICATED TO CELEBRATING AND REVIVING NANTUCKET'S RICH TRADITION IN HISTORIC DECORATIVE ARTS AND CRAFTS. COURSES RUN FROM MAY THROUGH OCTOBER.
- $1.1 million spent. RESEARCH LIBRARY - THE NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION RESEARCH LIBRARY IS A SPECIAL COLLECTIONS REPOSITORY OF PRIMARY RESOURCES FOCUSING ON NANTUCKET HISTORY. THE COLLECTIONS CONTAIN MORE THAN 5,000 VOLUMES AND 60,000 PHOTOGRAPHS, AS WELL AS ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTS SUCH AS SHIPS' LOGS, ACCOUNT BOOKS, FAMILY PAPERS, AND SCRAPBOOKS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1934.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.