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Christ Church Preservation Trust

EIN 20-0252106 · Philadelphia, PA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair54 out of 100GovernanceGood72 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO ENSURE THE PRESERVATION AND STRENGTHEN THE MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES THAT USE HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH'S PROPERTIES AS A PLACE FOR COMMUNITY BUILDING, PERSONAL GROWTH, EDUCATION AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION.

Income
$952,543
Spending
$1.1 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
-0.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 57%
Employees
31
Volunteers
14
Highest pay
$55,812, 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

Fair: 54 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 14% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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

Good: 72 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 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)
  1. $250,526 spent. EDUCATION/INTERPRETATION CHRIST CHURCH AND THE CHRIST CHURCH BURIAL GROUND ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR EDUCATIONAL TOURS EVERY DAY. EACH YEAR, 250,000 STUDENTS AND ADULTS ARE EDUCATED AND INFORMED BY THEIR VISIT TO HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH AND THE CHRIST CHURCH BURIAL GROUND. THE CHRIST CHURCH PRESERVATION TRUST ALSO OVERSEES THE CHRIST CHURCH HISTORIC ARCHIVES, WHICH SPAN ITS 325 YEAR HISTORY. THESE RECORDS DATE TO 1695, COVER 324 LINEAR FEET AND DOCUMENT SIGNIFICANT ERAS AND EVENTS NOT ONLY IN AMERICA'S HISTORY INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, BUT ALSO THE INTERSECTION OF POLITICS AND RELIGION, AND SOCIAL HISTORY OF THE CITY'S NEIGHBORHOODS. THE CHURCH'S ARCHIVES ARE USED HEAVILY BY RESEARCHERS AND STUDENTS BOTH ONLINE AND ONSITE.
  2. $162,384 spent. PRESERVATION AND MAINTENANCE AN ESSENTIAL PROGRAM OF THE CHRIST CHURCH PRESERVATION TRUST IS THE PRESERVATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS THAT ARE A PART OF THE CHRIST CHURCH CAMPUS: CHRIST CHURCH, THE CHRIST CHURCH BURIAL GROUND AND THE CHRIST CHURCH NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE. THESE PROPERTIES, RECOGNIZED AS NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS, ARE KEY SITES IN THE NATION'S REVOLUTIONARY, GOVERNMENTAL, AND RELIGIOUS HISTORIES. IN THE PAST 11 YEARS, THE CHRIST CHURCH PRESERVATION TRUST HAS RAISED OVER $21 MILLION TO CONDUCT PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION PROJECTS. THESE PROPERTIES ARE PART OF INDEPENDENCE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK, ALTHOUGH THEY RECEIVE NO FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT; ALL FUNDING IS RAISED PRIVATELY BY THE CHRIST CHURCH PRESERVATION TRUST.
  3. $435,102 spent. NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE PROGRAM BUILT BY THE CHRIST CHURCH PARISH TO SERVE THE LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS OF OLD CITY, NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE OPENED ITS DOORS IN 1915. IN 2010, THE TRUST COMPLETED A $10 MILLION CAPITAL CAMPAIGN, ENABLING A SIGNIFICANT RENOVATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE, INCLUDING AN ELEVATOR, AN HVAC SYSTEM, AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE BUILDING'S FOURTH FLOOR, INITIALLY A GYMNASIUM, INTO A FLEXIBLE "BRICK-BOX" THEATER. AND IN 2012, WILLIAM PENN FOUNDATION MADE A TRANSFORMATIONAL THREE-YEAR INVESTMENT IN THAT SPACE BY FUNDING LIGHTING, SOUND, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT, AS WELL AS SALARY AND OVERHEAD SUPPORT FOR PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM STAFF. THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE PROGRAM NOW ADMINISTERS ONE OF THE BUSIEST STAGES IN PHILADELPHIA, SERVING INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS, ENSEMBLES, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH LOW-COST PERFORMANCE, EVENT, AND REHEARSAL RENTALS.

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

  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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. 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.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since November 2004.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.