Morris County Historical Society
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE MORRIS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF A COUNTY WITH AN EXCITING AND UNIQUE PLACE IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, IS TO DISCOVER, PRESERVE AND MAKE KNOWN THE HISTORY OF MORRIS COUNTY THROUGH EXHIBITS, PROGRAMS, PUBLICATIONS, AND PRESERVATION ADVOCACY.
- Income
- $1.0 million
- Spending
- $434,519
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 80.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 73%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 29
- Highest pay
- $90,447, executive di
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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 80.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 58% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 186% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
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)
- $352,891 spent. THE SOCIETY PRESERVES AND PROMOTES MORRIS COUNTY HISTORY BY ACTIVELY COLLECTING ARTIFACTS, DOCUMENTS, AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF LOCAL HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE. THE 33,000 OBJECTS IN OUR COLLECTION SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR ROTATING EXHIBITS, PROGRAMS, LECTURES, BLOGS, RESEARCH REQUESTS, AND LOANS (SHORT-TERM, LONG-TERM, AND PERMANENT) TO OTHER SIMILARLY-MISSIONED ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT MORRIS COUNTY AND NJ. THE SOCIETY'S IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL PUBLIC OFFERINGS ATTRACT VISITORS, ATTENDEES, AND ENGAGEMENTS FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. THE MOST OUTWARDLY APPARENT WAYS THE ORGANIZATION EMBODIES ITS MISSION IS THROUGH THE ACTIVE PRESERVATION, RESTORATION, AND INTERPRETATION OF ACORN HALL (1853), ITS CARRIAGE HOUSE, AND ASSOCIATED 6-ACRE LANDSCAPE. SINCE 1971, WHEN THE ACORN HALL PROPERTY BECAME PART OF THE SOCIETY'S COLLECTION, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS HAVE PROVIDED TOURS OF THE BUILDING, WHICH IS RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF NJ'S BEST PRESERVED HISTORIC HOUSE MUSEUMS. AS A LEADING HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN NJ, THE SOCIETY SERVES IN A LEADERSHIP CAPACITY COORDINATING, PUBLICIZING, AND SUPPORTING EVENTS, PROGRAMS, AND INITIATIVES WITH ALL OF MORRIS COUNTY'S HISTORY ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE PREPARATIONS FOR THE SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL. THE SOCIETY ALSO WORKS CLOSELY WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS LOCAL COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, AND ACADEMIC RESEARCHERS, IN THE COMPLETION OF RESEARCH-DRIVEN, COUNTY-WIDE HISTORY INITIATIVES, LIKE MORRIS COUNTY'S FIRST COUNTY-WIDE SURVEY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY & HISTORIC SITES. A MEMBER-SUPPORTED NON-PROFIT, THE SOCIETY REMAINS ONE OF THE FEW HISTORY ORGANIZATIONS IN NJ THAT OWNS ITS HISTORIC RESOURCES AND IS UNSUPPORTED BY ANY GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY, PRIVATE FOUNDATION, OR PARENT ORGANIZATION EXCEPT THROUGH COMPETITIVE GRANTING PROCESSES. THE SOCIETY PRESERVES AND PROMOTES MORRIS COUNTY HISTORY BY ACTIVELY COLLECTING ARTIFACTS, DOCUMENTS, AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF LOCAL HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE. THE 33,000 OBJECTS IN OUR COLLECTION SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR ROTATING EXHIBITS, PROGRAMS, LECTURES, BLOGS, RESEARCH REQUESTS, AND LOANS (SHORT-TERM, LONG-TERM, AND PERMANENT) TO OTHER SIMILARLY-MISSIONED ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT MORRIS COUNTY AND NJ. THE SOCIETY'S IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL PUBLIC OFFERINGS ATTRACT VISITORS, ATTENDEES, AND ENGAGEMENTS FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. THE MOST OUTWARDLY APPARENT WAYS THE ORGANIZATION EMBODIES ITS MISSION IS THROUGH THE ACTIVE PRESERVATION, RESTORATION, AND INTERPRETATION OF ACORN HALL (1853), ITS CARRIAGE HOUSE, AND ASSOCIATED 6-ACRE LANDSCAPE. SINCE 1971, WHEN THE ACORN HALL PROPERTY BECAME PART OF THE SOCIETY'S COLLECTION, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS HAVE PROVIDED TOURS OF THE BUILDING, WHICH IS RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF NJ'S BEST PRESERVED HISTORIC HOUSE MUSEUMS. AS A LEADING HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN NJ, THE SOCIETY SERVES IN A LEADERSHIP CAPACITY COORDINATING, PUBLICIZING, AND SUPPORTING EVENTS, PROGRAMS, AND INITIATIVES WITH ALL OF MORRIS COUNTY'S HISTORY ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE PREPARATIONS FOR THE SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL. THE SOCIETY ALSO WORKS CLOSELY WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS LOCAL COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, AND ACADEMIC RESEARCHERS, IN THE COMPLETION OF RESEARCH-DRIVEN, COUNTY-WIDE HISTORY INITIATIVES, LIKE MORRIS COUNTY'S FIRST COUNTY-WIDE SURVEY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY & HISTORIC SITES. A MEMBER-SUPPORTED NON-PROFIT, THE SOCIETY REMAINS ONE OF THE FEW HISTORY ORGANIZATIONS IN NJ THAT OWNS ITS HISTORIC RESOURCES AND IS UNSUPPORTED BY ANY GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY, PRIVATE FOUNDATION, OR PARENT ORGANIZATION EXCEPT THROUGH COMPETITIVE GRANTING PROCESSES.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1965.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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