Half-Shire Historical Society
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Half-Shire's mission is to "Preserve, protect and promote the history, genealogy and cultural heritage of the eleven towns of northern Oswego County along with the Lewis County Towns of Osceola and Montague and the Oneida County Towns of Camden and Florence."
- Income
- $98,678
- Spending
- $68,180
- Reserves
- 6.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 76%
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 90 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 31% of income.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.
Source: Form 990EZ 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 (3)
- $35,546 spent. 'Community Connections' involves celebrating current and past milestones in the lives of our communities and people (examples include quarterly newsletters and literary reviews, school and family reunions, celebrations of life (births, deaths, marriages) and social media posts). Through these events and venues we document and promote the fascinating rich cultural and community history of our region which often leads to donations of artifacts and materials, increasing our collections as well as allowing us to share these photographs and historical documents with the public. In 2025 we held ~35 significant community celebrations (reunions, wakes, weddings, DAR and SAR events) and received artifacts from 1 major estate as well as several minor collections. In 2025 Half Shire published 3 of their own newsletters and literary reviews, and helped 8 other local non-profit orgs with their newsletter publishing.
- $14,050 spent. 'Genealogy and Historical Research' - Half-Shire Historical Society was open in 2025 ~ 50 hours weekly supported by a team of 16 volunteers (on and off site) who interact with the public - in person, via the phone, social media and email, researching and responding to requests for information on people, places and things (artifacts) - estimate > 350 unique interactions for the year (from quick phone calls to in-depth research). These volunteers also catalog and maintain our growing collection of genealogy, artifacts and community histories.
- $18,599 spent. 'Restoration & Collection of Historical Material' includes the building (a 1926 4 class room brick schoolhouse located in the Hamlet of Richland NY) as well as countless significant artifacts (paintings, furniture, antique Bibles and other books, 5 pianos (1 at the Oswego County Fairgrounds), 2 organs and a vast collection of photography spanning 180 years). In 2024 we continued following the 2015 Condition Assessment Report's recommendations for capital improvements of the building and improving the exterior and surrounding 2.5 acre grounds. Following our mission to maintain and improve the condition of our artifact collection we completed the restoration of over 28 family Bibles, rebound 7 county histories and atlases and tuned the 5 pianos. We continued to improve the former classrooms, which are used for exhibits, by constructing 10 new hardwood book cases, added a porch on the back of our schoolhouse (360 sq ft) and expanded the two story barn (used for exhibits and storage) by 144 sq feet. We were gifted a 1907 16 x 40 Railroad station that was moved to our town from Camden in 1965. We are raising money to move it to our campus to house our Railroad history collection. An additional building lot was donated, and the sale of this will help with the move.
Source: Form 990EZ 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 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 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 1978.
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.
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.