Branford Electric Railway Assoc Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The mission of the Branford Electric Railway Association, Inc. doing business as the Shore Line Trolley Museum is to share with a diverse audience the story of the trolley and related forms of public transportation in their historical context.In 1983, the railway, along with the entire museum collection, was recognized as a National Historic District by the National Register of Historic Places. BERA is the organization behind the Shore Line Trolley Museum.
- Income
- $528,110
- Spending
- $717,847
- Spent on programs
- 71%
- Reserves
- -10.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 43%
- Employees
- 6
- Volunteers
- 118
- Highest pay
- $88,067, executive dir.
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
Weak: 36 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 19% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 36% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1571% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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 95% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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 (1)
- $507,045 spent. For the year ended December 31, 2024, BERA operated the following program areas:(i) Curatorial & Exhibits:BERA maintains an extensive collection that preserves the history and heritage of electric street railways and related forms of public transportation. The museum holds over 100 historic transit vehicles, including trolley cars, subway cars, electric freight and maintenance cars, and several motor buses. The collection spans the mid-19th century through the late 20th century and includes both operational and static exhibits.The museums archives include over 30,000 photographic images, more than 4,000 books, maps, manuals, and documents, and nearly 1,000 small artifacts such as tokens, hat badges, and fare equipment. The archive continues to serve as a research resource for educators, students, authors, and transit historians.Significant pieces in the collection include:The oldest surviving horse-drawn streetcar (Central Park, NYC, c.1851)One of only two subway cars to survive the September 11, 2001 attacks (PATH car 745)An 1873 cable car that survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquakeAugust Belmont Jr.s private IRT subway car from 1904And a wide array of one-of-a-kind trolleys and interurbans from Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Canada(ii) Repair & Restoration Shop:BERA operates a full-service restoration and repair shop on site, staffed almost entirely by volunteers. The shop is equipped with industrial lathes, woodworking tools, sheet metal fabrication tools, and a power steam washer. This allows us to carry out historically accurate restorations of antique rolling stock using traditional methods.(iii) Trolley Car Rides & Tours:The museum offers public trolley rides on the historic right-of-way from April through December, with a reduced winter schedule in January, February, and March. Each visit includes a narrated ride on a historic trolley car and access to our interpretive displays and car barns.For private groups, educational institutions, and community organizations, the museum offers customizable charters and behind-the-scenes tours on a year-round basis.BERA also continues to offer Guest Operator experiences during scheduled weekends, where visitors are able to take the controls of a historic trolley under the supervision of a qualified instructor. This continues to be one of BERAs most popular and immersive programs.(iv) Special Programmatic Events:Throughout the year, BERA hosts a wide variety of themed events to engage the public and raise awareness of the museums mission. These events are well attended and help support operational needs while bringing new audiences to the museum. Notable 2024 programs included: Easter Bunny Trolley rides during April Storytime Trolley programs are held throughout summer, encouraging early childhood literacy Museum in Motion, BERAs summer kick-off event where several rarely seen or unique vehicles are operated and displayed Give Back Wednesdays, a summer initiative in which the museum opens its facilities including the railway, visitor center, and grounds to other local nonprofits for the purpose of hosting their own fundraising or community outreach events. In 2024, participating organizations included Havens Harvest, Project ACCESS New Haven, Community Dining Room, and East Haven PRIDE. The program rejects BERAs commitment to building partnerships and using its historic setting to support a wide range of social service, equity, and community-building efforts. Pumpkin Patch Trolley rides for families during October weekends Visits with Santa and Holiday Light Trolley rides throughout December BERA also held a Sensory-Friendly Day designed speci?cally for guests with autism or sensory sensitivities. This initiative is now a regular part of our operating calendar(v) Education & Internships:The museum continues its collaboration with the Railroad Technology Program at Gateway Community College, hosting hands-on portions of the only rail technician training program in New England. Students receive real-world training in signal systems, traction motors, and trackwork, and many have gone on to positions at Metro-North, Amtrak, and CSX.In addition, the museum continues to offer internships for students at Central Connecticut State University, Southern Connecticut State University, and the University of New Haven. Areas of focus include curation and archival work, museum studies, media, and communications. We also work with local high schools to offer limited volunteer and job- shadowing opportunities.In 2024, the Shore Line Trolley Museum expanded its educational mission by partnering with the Sound School, a New Haven-based regional vocational aquaculture center, to host its Urban Water Renewal Program. This partnership introduces high school students to the importance of wetlands conservation, water quality management, and sustainable infrastructure all within the context of the museums historic right-of-way, which runs through the tidal wetlands of the Farm River Estuary.Students participated in field-based learning that included: Monitoring water quality in tidal zones adjacent to the museums track Observing and cataloging biodiversity and habitat changes Studying the impacts of stormwater runoff and sea level rise on historical transportation infrastructure Applying ecological restoration concepts to a real-world coastal environmentThe museum provided supervised access to sections of the trackway for sample collection and environmental observation. This program aligns with our mission to preserve history while engaging the next generation in science, technology, and environmental stewardship. It also reinforces the role of legacy infrastructure in broader ecological systems and supports a growing focus on climate resilience and conservation education.(vi) Volunteer Program:Since its founding, BERA has been a volunteer-powered organization. In 2024, over 500 dues-paying members supported the museum, with nearly 70 volunteers actively
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 September 1955.
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.
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