Providence Preservation Society
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SINCE 1956, THE PROVIDENCE PRESERVATION SOCIETY HAS WORKED TO IMPROVE PROVIDENCE BY ADVOCATING FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE CITY'S UNIQUE CHARACTER THROUGH THOUGHTFUL DESIGN AND PLANNING.
- Income
- $1.4 million
- Spending
- $823,859
- Spent on programs
- 50%
- Reserves
- 11.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 55%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $106,696, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 11.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 42% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 81% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1550% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 44 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 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, 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 (4)
- $77,038 spent. PPS ADVOCATES FOR THE PRESERVATION OF CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT BUILDINGS, LANDSCAPES AND NEIGHBORHOODS AND HAS ACTIVE CAMPAIGNS RELATED TO THE CRANSTON STREET ARMORY, THE INDUSTRIAL TRUST BUILDING, PROVIDENCE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND NEIGHBORHOODS FACING REDEVELOPMENT INCLUDING ELMHURST, MOUNT PLEASANT, WANSKUCK AND UPPER SOUTH PROVIDENCE.IN 2024, PPS LAUNCHED A NEW WEEKLY NEWSLETTER, THE PROVIDENCE POST TO HELP FILL THE GAP IN LOCAL NEWS REPORTING. EACH WEEKLY EDITION CONTAINS 2-3 REPORTED STORIES ON THE PEOPLE, PLACES, AND POLICIES THAT SHAPE THE CITY WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION TO HERITAGE, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, ARCHITECTURE, GENTRIFICATION, NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE, AND PROVIDENCE'S HISTORY. THE PROVIDENCE POST HAS 5,500 SUBSCRIBERS AND PUBLISHES ABOUT 100 REPORTED STORIES EACH YEAR.
- $313,735 spent. PROVIDENCE PRESERVATION SOCIETY (PPS) WAS FOUNDED IN 1956. OVER THE LAST 70 YEARS, WE HAVE EVOLVED INTO A MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION WORKING AT THE INTERSECTION OF HERITAGE POLICY, COMMUNITY-CENTERED PLANNING, AND SUSTAINABLE DESIGN. WE ARE PROVIDENCE'S STRONGEST ADVOCATE FOR THE ADAPTIVE REUSE OF OUR CITY'S BUILDING STOCK AND HAVE TAUGHT SKILL-BUILDING WORKSHOPS IN THE PRESERVATION TRADES AND SUSTAINABLE BUILDING PRACTICES SINCE 2022. IT IS THE LARGEST CITYWIDE ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION IN RHODE ISLAND, WITH APPROXIMATELY 500 MEMBER HOUSEHOLDS.IN 2025, PPS LAUNCHED A NEW VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE CALLED PROVIDENCE PRESERVATION CORPS (PPC), WHICH ASSISTS UNDERRESOURCED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WITH ADAPTIVE REUSE OR RESTORATION PROJECTS. PPC HAS INITIATED A FIRST VOLUNTEER PROJECTS TO ASSIST A RESOURCE-CHALLENGED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WITH PRESERVATION VISIONING AND PLANNING FOR THEIR HISTORIC BUILDING: GOSPEL TABERNACLE OUTREACH MINISTRIES (DESIGNED IN 1954 BY ARCHITECT DOMENIC THOMAS RUSSILLO, FORMERLY A CONSERVATIVE JEWISH TEMPLE). THIS ORGANIZATION SERVES BLACK, HISPANIC AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES IN SMITH HILL. PPC WILL PROVIDE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS THROUGH THREE SITE VISITS AND PARTNER MEETINGS, AND A PRESERVATION PLAN THAT CAN BE USED BY THE ORGANIZATION TO WRITE GRANTS AND RAISE FUNDS.IN 2022, WE ESTABLISHED BUILDING WORKS, WHICH ENCOMPASSES BOTH WORKFORCE TRAINING AND HOMEOWNER TRAINING PROGRAMS, HOLDING MONTHLY OR BI-MONTHLY WORKSHOPS ON TOPICS SUCH AS WOODEN WINDOW REPAIR AND REHABILITATION, WATER MANAGEMENT, WEATHERIZATION, PLASTER REPAIR, PRESERVATION CARPENTRY AND MASONRY, HISTORIC BUILDING DECONSTRUCTION, AND OTHER SUSTAINABLE BUILDING PRACTICES.
- $16,878 spent. THROUGH ITS HISTORIC PROPERTY MARKER PROGRAM, PPS RECOGNIZES BUILDINGS IN THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE THAT CONTRIBUTE IN A POSITIVE WAY TO THE APPRECIATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF PROVIDENCE'S UNIQUE ARCHITECTURAL, HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE. THERE ARE MORE THAN 1,600 PROPERTY MARKERS ON BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE, EACH MOUNTED ON BUILDINGS IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS PUBLIC VIEWING. EACH BUILDING THAT IS GIVEN A MARKER IS ALSO PROVIDED WITH A BUILDING HISTORY. THESE HISTORIES ARE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE AND TOGETHER SERVE AS THE RECOGNIZED REFERENCE RESOURCE ON PROVIDENCE'S ARCHITECTURE. THE ONLINE GUIDE TO PROVIDENCE ARCHITECTURE HAS ABOUT 51,000 USERS EACH YEAR.
- $7,289 spent. PPS IS THE OWNER OF ONE OF THE CITY'S MOST SIGNIFICANT COLONIAL-ERA BUILDINGS. WE UTILIZE BEST PRACTICES IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION STEWARDSHIP. IN MID-2023, WE COMPLETED A MAJOR RENOVATION PROJECT TO MAKE THE OLD BRICK SCHOOL HOUSE FULLY ACCESSIBLE AND CODE COMPLIANT, WHILE ADDRESSING STRUCTURAL, HVAC, AND SYSTEMS ISSUES, MODELING THE SYNTHESIS OF GREEN ENERGY UPDATES WITHIN HISTORIC LANDMARK STRUCTURES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 December 1958.
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.