National Constitution Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The National Constitution Center is America's leading platform for nonpartisan constitutional education and civil dialogue. We bring together people of all ages and perspectives, across America and around the world, to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. The Center fulfills its congressional charter "to disseminate information about the U.S. Constitution on a nonpartisan basis in order to increase awareness and understanding of the Constitution among the American people."
- Income
- $40.5 million
- Spending
- $28.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 19 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 84%
- Employees
- 142
- Volunteers
- 30
- Highest pay
- $956,658, president and ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 85% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 19.0 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.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 80% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1577% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2528 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 September 30, 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)
- $10.6 million spent. Museum-Based Education and Civic Celebration The National Constitution Center operates a public museum and educational facility in Philadelphia dedicated to the U.S. Constitution and inspiring a lifelong commitment to civic learning through interactive exhibits, artifacts, and live performances. During the reporting period, the Center welcomed more than 132,000 in-person visitors, with students and school groups comprising more than 60% of attendance. The Center offered onsite educational activities, including interactive learning experiences focused on Supreme Court cases, separation of powers, and historical storytelling. More than 4,400 student visits were supported through the Center's Young Citizens Scholarship Program for low-income students and schools. The Center hosted free public programs, sensory-friendly days, and civic holiday celebrations throughout the year, including Constitution Day, which engaged nearly 8,000 participants in person and virtually and included educational programming and a naturalization ceremony for new citizens. The Center also continued development of new permanent exhibitions on the American founding and the separation of powers, scheduled to open in 2026
- $8.0 million spent. Civic Learning and Education The National Constitution Center advanced public understanding of America's founding documents and principles through nonpartisan educational programs serving students, educators, and the general public nationwide. During the reporting period, the Center reached more than 5.4 million students and engaged over 87,000 educators through online courses, classroom resources, and professional learning programs. In 2025, the Center also launched the America at 250 Civic Toolkit, an online educational platform providing multimedia resources, lesson materials, and activities related to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The Toolkit is anchored by the Interactive Declaration of Independence, which offers expert annotations, essays, audio narration, and original document images to support civic learning. Since launch, the Toolkit has generated more than 150,000 visits, and the Center's Interactive Constitution has received more than 100 million visits since inception. Virtual student programs, including live Scholar Exchanges and artifact-based learning sessions, engaged students from across the country. The Center also expanded professional learning opportunities for educators through weekend workshops, summer institutes, fellowships, and virtual programs, providing free training in constitutional content and instructional strategies to educators from across the United States.
- $2.9 million spent. Public Dialogue and Civic Debate The Center provided a national forum for civil discourse and constitutional debate through public programs, digital media, and community engagement initiatives. During the year, the Center hosted more than 80 in-person and virtual convenings, including its America's Town Hall series, which featured discussions among scholars, judges, journalists, and public leaders representing diverse viewpoints on constitutional issues of public importance. These programs reached audiences both onsite and online, with average virtual attendance exceeding 750 participants per event. The Center produced and distributed nonpartisan podcasts and digital content focused on constitutional interpretation and current events, including the weekly We the People podcast and a special limited series on civic virtue. These programs collectively generated more than 800,000 annual podcast listens and reached millions of users through the Center's website, YouTube channel, and social media platforms. In addition, the Center's leadership and invited speakers participated in community conversations at universities, cultural institutions, and civic organizations across the United States and internationally, fostering public understanding of constitutional principles and encouraging informed civic engagement. The Center's annual Liberty Medal ceremony, which honors individuals and institutions of courage and conviction, honored Hamilton the musical and Ron Chernow for inspiring millions to engage with America's founding ideals.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 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 September 2025.
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 March 1987.
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.
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.