Olana Partnership
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO INSPIRE THE PUBLIC BY PRESERVING AND INTERPRETING OLANA, FREDERIC CHURCH'S ARTISTIC MASTERPIECE.
- Income
- $4.0 million
- Spending
- $4.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- 0 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 67%
- Employees
- 62
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $202,008, president
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
Fair: 56 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 23% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1567% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 22 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 67% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2530 of 30 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 (6)
- $583,488 spent. EDUCATION / PUBLIC PROGRAMMING: THE OLANA PARTNERSHIP'S EDUCATION AND PUBLIC PROGRAMMING STAFF DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT DIVERSE PROGRAMMING FOR ALL AUDIENCES. ROOTED IN PLACE-BASED EDUCATION PRINCIPALS, CORE ELEMENTS OF OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS INCLUDE: K-12 ONSITE, CURRICULUM-BASED FIELD TRIPS; FAMILY PROGRAMS DESIGNED FOR INTERGENERATIONAL AUDIENCES; COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING TO MAKE THE SITE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL; OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM WITH COLUMBIA-GREENE COMMUNITY COLLEGE; PANORAMA ART + NATURE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM; WEBINARS AND LECTURES WITH SCHOLARS AND ARTISTS, AND WORKSHOPS FOR LIFELONG LEARNERS. IN 2025, THE OLANA PARTNERSHIP EXPANDED THE REACH OF OUR ONSITE PROGRAMMING BY 20% AND OFFSITE PROGRAMS BY 44%. A NEWLY CREATED STAFF POSITION IN THE EDUCATION TEAM, THE EDUCATION ASSISTANT, HELPED MEET THE CHALLENGE OF INCREASED DEMAND FOR ONSITE PROGRAMS WHILE CONTINUING OUTREACH THROUGH OFFSITE INITIATIVES AND PARTNERSHIPS. IN 2025, OVER 1,100 PEOPLE WERE SERVED OFFSITE THROUGH EDUCATIONAL ENGAGEMENTS AT REGIONAL FARMERS MARKETS, COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND REGIONAL SCHOOL EVENTS. GROWING THE EDUCATION TEAM THROUGH THIS ADDITIONAL POSITION HAS HELPED INCREASE CAPACITY, ENABLING EDUCATION TO OFFER AN ADDITIONAL WEEK OF THE POPULAR PANORAMA ART + NATURE YOUTH PROGRAM, EXPANDED REGULAR FREE MONTHLY FAMILY PROGRAMS, AND LARGE-SCALE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS LIKE OLANA'S THIRD THURSDAYS AND THE ANNUAL WINTER SOLSTICE EVENT WHICH NOW DRAWS OVER 1,000 PEOPLE TO THE SITE. THIS INCREASED STAFF CAPACITY HAS LED TO MARKED GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED THROUGH FREE PROGRAMMING, MAKING OLANA AND ITS EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS EVEN MORE ACCESSIBLE. IN ADDITION TO THESE PROGRAMS, IN 2025 TOP PROVIDED A ROBUST SELECTION OF OTHER INTERDISCIPLINARY OFFERINGS, PROVIDING OVER 200 PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT CONNECT THE PUBLIC WITH ARTMAKING, ECOLOGY, HISTORY, PERFORMANCE, AND CONTEMPORARY ART.
- $792,665 spent. COLLECTIONS / EXHIBITIONS: TOP'S CURATORIAL DEPARTMENT CONTINUED WORK TO IMPLEMENT AN AMBITIOUS EXHIBITION, PUBLICATION, AND A SUITE OF NATIONAL MUSEUM ACTIVATIONS THAT WILL TAKE PLACE IN 2026 IN SUPPORT OF THE CHURCH 200 INITIATIVE, THE BICENTENNIAL OF FREDERIC CHURCH'S BIRTH. LED BY DR. ELIZABETH KORNHAUSER, CURATOR EMERITA OF THE AMERICAN WING AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, AND SENIOR CONSULTING CURATOR FOR THE OLANA PARTNERSHIP, THE INITIATIVE WILL FEATURE OVER 50 INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE GLOBE PLANNING EXHIBITIONS AND INSTALLATIONS PLACING CHURCH'S WORK AND LEGACY IN A NEW LIGHT. ART. THE TOP TEAM FACILITATED SEVERAL LOANS FROM THE OLANA COLLECTION TO EXTERNAL EXHIBITIONS ORGANIZED IN RECOGNITION OF CHURCH 200, INCLUDING THOSE AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, THE ALBANY INSTITUTE OF HISTORY AND ART, AND MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE MUSEUM OF ART. THE EXHIBITION FREDERIC CHURCH: GLOBAL ARTIST, TO OPEN MAY 2026 AT OLANA STATE HISTORIC SITE, IS CURATED BY DR. KORNHAUSER WITH CO-CURATORS DR. TIMOTHY BARRINGER, AND DR. JENNIFER RAAB, AND IS ACCOMPANIED BY A PUBLICATION FROM YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS, FEATURING CONTRIBUTIONS FROM 14 EMERGING AND UNDERREPRESENTED VOICES IN THE FIELD OF AMERICAN ART. TOP WILL ALSO RELEASE ANOTHER NEW PUBLICATION IN 2026 TITLED OLANA: FREDERIC CHURCH'S VISION OF LANDSCAPE AND ART WITH RIZZOLI ELECTA, WITH RESEARCH AND EDITORIAL SUPPORT FROM THE CURATORIAL TEAM. BEGINNING JUNE 2025 TOP PRESENTED THE EXHIBITION WHAT'S MISSING? ARTWORKS IN THE OLANA LANDSCAPE, FEATURING SITE-SPECIFIC OUTDOOR ART INSTALLATIONS BY ELLEN HARVEY AND GABRIELA SALAZAR. BOTH ARTISTS DEVELOPED INSTALLATION PROJECTS THAT RESPONDED TO "MISSING" ELEMENTS OF THE OLANA LANDSCAPE, WITH SALAZAR'S 2-PART SCULPTURE SITUATED IN OLANA'S HISTORIC FARM COMPLEX, AND HARVEY'S INTERACTIVE "SUMMER HOUSE" LOCATED ON A SITE NEAR THE MAIN HOUSE WHERE A SIMILAR HISTORIC STRUCTURE IS THOUGHT TO HAVE STOOD. BOTH ARTWORKS WILL REMAIN ON VIEW AT OLANA THROUGH OCTOBER 2026. TOP ALSO CONTINUED TO OFFER A COLLECTIONS-BASED PROGRAMMATIC SERIES A CLOSER LOOK, AIMED AT FOSTERING CONVERSATIONAL "CLOSE LOOKING" SESSIONS CENTERED AROUND UNDERSEEN ARTWORKS FROM THE OLANA COLLECTION. IN JUNE 2025 A DEDICATED DIGITIZATION SPECIALIST WAS HIRED TO BEGIN A 2-YEAR CONTRACT DIGITIZING AND CREATING AN ONLINE CATALOGUE OF WORKS BY FREDERIC CHURCH IN THE OLANA COLLECTION. THIS EXCITING PROJECT IS ONGOING AND ANTICIPATED TO BEGIN ROLLOUT IN 2026 AND IS SUPPORTED BY A $300,000 GRANT FROM THE HENRY LUCE FOUNDATION. OTHER ONGOING COLLECTION-FOCUSED PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY, WITH TOP RECEIVING A $15,000 GRANT FROM THE CYNTHIA WOODS MITCHELL FUND FOR HISTORIC INTERIORS AWARDED BY THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION TO SUPPORT INTERPRETIVE LIGHTING IMPROVEMENTS TO OLANA'S HISTORIC HOUSE INTERIORS.
- $971,755 spent. VISITOR SERVICES / ENGAGEMENT: TOP'S VISITOR SERVICES (VS) TEAM ENJOYED A SUCCESSFUL 2025, WELCOMING OVER 33,000 GUESTS ON PUBLIC TOURS. TOUR ATTENDANCE HAS REMAINED RELATIVELY CONSISTENT OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, AND 22% OF PARK VISITORS AT OLANA ENJOYED A TICKETED TOUR WITH TOP THIS YEAR. GROUP TOUR BOOKINGS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY, INCREASING REVENUE IN THIS AREA BY 46%. TOP CONTINUES TO EXPAND FREE AND DISCOUNTED TOUR ACCESS THROUGH LIBRARY PASSES, SNAP/EBT, AND MORE, RESULTING IN $55,000 IN ADULT PUBLIC TICKET SAVINGS. NOTABLY, TOP'S LIBRARY PASS PROGRAM CONTINUED TO GROW. USE OF THESE PASSES INCREASED 10% OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR, ALLOWING AN EVEN GREATER NUMBER OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACCESS TO FREE LANDSCAPE AND HOUSE TOURS. THE TWO-HOUR COMBINATION TOUR (WHICH INCLUDES A ONE-HOUR LANDSCAPE TOUR) CONTINUED TO BE A VISITOR FAVORITE, SUPPORTING TOP'S EFFORTS AROUND WHOLE-SITE INTERPRETATION. OVER 4,000 GUESTS PARTICIPATED IN A WALKING LANDSCAPE TOUR IN 2025, AN INCREASE OF 8% OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR. ONE OF SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES IN 2025 WAS THE LAUNCH OF TOP'S BLOOMBERG CONNECTS APP, A FREE DIGITAL APP THAT ALLOWS VISITORS ACCESS TO INFORMATION, VIDEO, AUDIO, AND OTHER RESOURCES SUPPORTING SELF-GUIDED EXPLORATION OF OLANA'S LANDSCAPE AND HISTORY. THE APP IS DESIGNED WITH A VARIETY OF BUILT-IN ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES INCLUDING VOICE OVER, CAPTIONS AND AUDIO TRANSCRIPTS, AND TRANSLATION INTO OVER 40 LANGUAGES. OVER 500 UNIQUE VISITORS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE APP DURING THE FIRST THREE MONTHS AFTER LAUNCH, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BUILDING OUT THE AVAILABLE CONTENT AND PROMOTING USE IN THE COMING YEAR. TOP ALSO CONTINUED ITS FREE THIRD THURSDAY / TERCER JUEVES INITIATIVE, FUNDED BY THE ART BRIDGES FOUNDATION'S ACCESS FOR ALL PROGRAM. AS PART OF THIS INITIATIVE, VISITOR SERVICES OFFERS A FULL DAY OF FREE PUBLIC TOURS EVERY MONTH. 2025 MARKED THE FIRST FULL YEAR OF OPERATIONS AT THE FREDERIC CHURCH CENTER FOR ART AND LANDSCAPE (FCC), WITH OVER 46,000 GUESTS VISITING THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART WELCOME AND ORIENTATION FACILITY. FIRST-TIME GUESTS AND LONG-TIME VISITORS ALIKE ARE THRILLED TO EXPERIENCE THE BUILDING AND DISCUSS ITS SITING, CONCEPT, AND SUSTAINABILITY STORY WITH STAFF. VISITORS ARE ENCOURAGED THROUGH WAYFINDING SIGNAGE TO MAKE THE FCC THEIR FIRST STOP UPON ARRIVAL, AND 80% OF ON-SITE TICKETING NOW OCCURS AT THIS KEY ORIENTATION SITE. ELECTRIC VEHICLE TOURS AND TOP'S NEW FARM AND LAKE ROAD TOUR BEGAN AND ENDED AT THE FCC, ALLOWING VISITORS OPPORTUNITIES TO FOCUS THEIR VISIT ON FREDERIC CHURCH'S DESIGNED LANDSCAPE.
- $30,287 spent. CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT: TOP WORKS COLLABORATIVELY WITH OPRHP ON ALL CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AT OLANA STATE HISTORIC SITE. THE TWO ENTITIES MEET QUARTERLY TO REVIEW AND PRIORITIZE PROJECTS. IN 2025, TOP AND OPRHP AGREED TO PRIORITIZE THE REHABILITATION OF THE NORTH ROAD ENTRANCE ADJACENT TO ROUTE 23, WHICH SERVES AS THE ENTRY FOR THE HUDSON RIVER SKYWALK PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE PATH INTO OLANA. TOP APPLIED FOR AND WAS A AWARDED A NYS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FUND HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAM GRANT OF $360,000. TOP WILL PROVIDE THE REQUIRED $120,000 IN PRIVATE MATCHING FUNDS AND IS WORKING WITH OPRHP TO SCHEDULE THE BIDDING AND CONSTRUCTION FOR THIS PROJECT, ANTICIPATED IN LATER 2026. WITH THE FREDERIC CHURCH CENTER FOR ART & LANDSCAPE (FCC) COMPLETED IN 2024. TOP CLOSED OUT ITS CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR THE FACILITY IN 2025.
- $45,773 spent. LANDSCAPE / VIEWSHED: THE ORGANIZATION WORKS TO RESTORE AND MAINTAIN OLANA STATE HISTORIC SITE'S 250 ACRE HISTORIC LANDSCAPE AND ITS INTEGRAL VIEWSHED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE NYS OPRHP. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROJECT, AND THE ORGANIZATION'S VIEWSHED WORK INVOLVES COLLABORATION WITH A BROAD RANGE OF STATEWIDE AND REGIONAL NON-PROFITS, PARTICULARLY SCENIC HUDSON, AND GOVERNMENT ENTITIES.
- $216,440 spent. OLANA SHOP: THE ORGANIZATION OPERATES THE OLANA SHOP AT OLANA STATE HISTORIC SITE WITH THE GOAL OF PROVIDING VISITORS WITH A FULL RANGE OF MERCHANDISE THAT ENABLES THEM TO FURTHER THEIR LEARNING ABOUT OLANA, FREDERIC CHURCH AND AMERICAN ART AND LANDSCAPE ASS WELL AS CONTINUE THEIR CONNECTION WITH THE SITE THROUGH TH EPURCHASE OF SOUVENIRS AND DECORATIVE OBJECTS AND CLOTHING ITEMS. THE OLANA SHOP ALSO OFFERS FOOD AND DRINK FOR PURCHASE THROUGH ITS AFFILIATION WITH THE TASTE NY PROGRAM OF THE NYS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, WHICH PROMOTES PRODUCTS MADE OR DISTRIBUTED BY NEW YORK STATE BUSINESSES.
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 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 November 6, 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 2025.
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 2001.
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 November 4, 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.