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Rhode Island Council for the Humanities

EIN 05-0376246 · Providence, RI

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

RHODE ISLAND COUNCIL FOR THE HUMANITIES SEEDS, SUPPORTS, AND STRENGTHENS PUBLIC HISTORY, CULTURAL HERITAGE, CIVIC EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BY AND FOR ALL RHODE ISLANDERS.

Income
$989,225
Spending
$929,057
Spent on programs
71%
Reserves
3.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 55%
Employees
7
Volunteers
31
Highest pay
$149,010, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 75 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 21% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    71% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 91 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    18 of 18 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 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 (1)
  1. $659,187 spent. THE RHODE ISLAND COUNCIL FOR THE HUMANITIES (RI HUMANITIES) MARKED SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING THE 2025 FISCAL YEAR, CONTINUING TO FULFILL ITS MISSION TO SEED, SUPPORT, AND STRENGTHEN PUBLIC HISTORY, CULTURAL HERITAGE, CIVIC EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BY AND FOR ALL RHODE ISLANDERS. RI HUMANITIES WAS SUPPORTED THROUGH FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDS, FOUNDATION GRANTS, INDIVIDUAL GIFTS, AND CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS. RI HUMANITIES' GRANTMAKING PROGRAMS AWARDED $125,665 THROUGH 22 STATE-FUNDED THRIVE GENERAL OPERATING GRANTS FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL HISTORICAL AND PRESERVATION SOCIETIES, AS WELL AS EIGHT FEDERALLY-FUNDED MINI GRANTS. IN APRIL 2025, WE HOSTED A THRIVE AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT EVENT AT THE RHODE ISLAND STATE HOUSE LIBRARY, CELEBRATING CURRENT AND PAST GRANTEES. STAFF MEMBERS ALSO ACTIVATED THE 50+ YEAR OLD GRANTS CATALOGUE BY ADDING SEARCHABLE THEMATIC LABELS TO INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS, INFORMING THE NEWLY LAUNCHED "HUMANITIES IN ACTION" MONTHLY FEATURE OF PAST GRANTEES.THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY, RI HUMANITIES CONTINUED TO PRODUCE RHODE TOUR, A WEBSITE AND SMARTPHONE APP FOR STORIES ABOUT RHODE ISLAND CULTURE AND HISTORY. THE APP AND WEBSITE HOSTED 38,000 ANNUAL USERS AND NOW FEATURES OVER 377 STORIES AND 40 INDIVIDUAL TOURS. RI HUMANITIES CONTINUED TO CIRCULATE ITS BIWEEKLY ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER, HUMANITIES IN CONTEXT, TO 4,500 RECIPIENTS, PROVIDING ENGAGING ARTICLES, INFORMATION, AND EVENT SCHEDULES RELATED TO THE HUMANITIES.AS A KEY PARTNER OF THE RI250 COMMISSION, RI HUMANITIES CO-HOSTED A CULTURAL CONVENING AND FACILITATED WORKSHOP SPARKING CONNECTIONS ACROSS THE CULTURAL SECTOR AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION AHEAD OF COMMEMORATING THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. AT THE BEGINNING OF FISCAL YEAR 2025, RI HUMANITIES OFFICIALLY SERVED AS LOCAL HOST OF THE 2024 NATIONAL HUMANITIES CONFERENCE HELD IN PROVIDENCE IN NOVEMBER, 2024. THE CONFERENCE ATTRACTED NEARLY 900 PARTICIPANTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY THE MOST EVER FOR THIS ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND SHOWCASED THE DEPTH AND INNOVATIVE QUALITIES OF PUBLIC HUMANITIES IN OUR STATE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending October 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1979.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. 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.

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