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Canterbury Shaker Village Inc

EIN 23-7035275 · Canterbury, NH

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood86 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF CANTERBURY SHAKER VILLAGE IS TO PRESERVE AND INTERPRET THE LEGACY OF THE SHAKERS, PROVIDING A PLACE FOR LEARNING, REFLECTION, AND RENEWAL OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT. CANTERBURY SHAKER VILLAGE, INC., AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED NONPROFIT MUSEUM, IS A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK AND MUSEUM WITH 25 PRESERVED ORIGINAL SHAKER BUILDINGS, 4 RECONSTRUCTED SHAKER BUILDINGS, AND 694 ACRES OF FORESTS, FIELDS, GARDENS, NATURE TRAILS, AND MILL PONDS UNDER PERMANENT CONSERVATION EASEMENT. THE VILLAGE'S BOARD, STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND SUPPORTERS ARE DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE SITE AND TO INTERPRETING THE SHAKERS' LEGACY THROUGH A ROBUST CALENDAR OF EXHIBITIONS, PROGRAMS, TOURS, AND EVENTS.

Income
$7.0 million
Spending
$1.6 million
Spent on programs
55%
Reserves
6.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 96%
Employees
33
Volunteers
90
Highest pay
$73,619, executive di

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 76% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 287% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    55% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, 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 25

    21 of 21 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a 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

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • 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 March 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)
  1. $324,502 spent. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING - CANTERBURY SHAKER VILLAGE INTERPRETS THE LIVES AND LEGACY OF THE CANTERBURY SHAKERS THROUGH A VARIETY OF INTERDISCIPLINARY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND OFFERINGS. EXAMPLES INCLUDE PERMANENT AND SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS, INTERPRETER-LED GUIDED TOURS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS, SPECIAL EVENTS, SHAKER-INSPIRED WORKSHOPS, AND LECTURES. EACH ARE DESIGNED TO CONNECT A DIVERSE AUDIENCE WITH THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF THE CANTERBURY SHAKERS.
  2. $265,426 spent. BUILDING AND SITE PRESERVATION- CANTERBURY SHAKER VILLAGE, INC., DOCUMENTS, STUDIES, PRESERVES, AND MAINTAINS THE SITES HISTORIC BUILDINGS, COMPRISING 25 OF THE ORIGINAL 100 STRUCTURES ERECTED BY THE CANTERBURY SHAKERS. THE VILLAGE DOES SO WITH STRICT ADHERENCE TO NATIONAL PRESERVATION STANDARDS AND MANDATES. THE 25 HISTORIC BUILDINGS REPRESENT 200 YEARS OF EVOLVING BUILDING TECHNOLOGY AS WELL AS HISTORICAL SHIFTS IN SHAKER MANUFACTURES, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND LIVING ARRANGEMENTS. THE STRUCTURES DATE FROM 1792 TO 1923 AND DOCUMENT 200 YEARS OF THE SHAKERS' OCCUPANCY OF THE SITE. THESE STRUCTURES' PURPOSES HOUSED AND NOW REPRESENT THE SHAKERS' VARIOUS COMMUNITY PURPOSES: RELIGIOUS WORSHIP, RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE, AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION, MEDICAL CARE, EDUCATION, AND CLEANLINESS. THESE BUILDINGS' INTERIORS RETAIN A HIGH INTEGRITY OF INTACTNESS, WHILE FOUNDATIONS OF MILLS AND OTHER ASSOCIATED STRUCTURES REMAIN ON THE SITE AND HAVE BEEN RECORDED AND MAPPED BY PROFESSIONAL ARCHAEOLOGISTS. BUILDING AND SITE PRESERVATION- CANTERBURY SHAKER VILLAGE, INC., DOCUMENTS, STUDIES, PRESERVES, AND MAINTAINS THE SITES HISTORIC BUILDINGS, COMPRISING 25 OF THE ORIGINAL 100 STRUCTURES ERECTED BY THE CANTERBURY SHAKERS. THE VILLAGE DOES SO WITH STRICT ADHERENCE TO NATIONAL PRESERVATION STANDARDS AND MANDATES. THE 25 HISTORIC BUILDINGS REPRESENT 200 YEARS OF EVOLVING BUILDING TECHNOLOGY AS WELL AS HISTORICAL SHIFTS IN SHAKER MANUFACTURES, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND LIVING ARRANGEMENTS. THE STRUCTURES DATE FROM 1792 TO 1923 AND DOCUMENT 200 YEARS OF THE SHAKERS' OCCUPANCY OF THE SITE. THESE STRUCTURES' PURPOSES HOUSED AND NOW REPRESENT THE SHAKERS' VARIOUS COMMUNITY PURPOSES: RELIGIOUS WORSHIP, RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE, AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION, MEDICAL CARE, EDUCATION, AND CLEANLINESS. THESE BUILDINGS' INTERIORS RETAIN A HIGH INTEGRITY OF INTACTNESS, WHILE FOUNDATIONS OF MILLS AND OTHER ASSOCIATED STRUCTURES REMAIN ON THE SITE AND HAVE BEEN RECORDED AND MAPPED BY PROFESSIONAL ARCHAEOLOGISTS.
  3. $320,765 spent. COLLECTIONS - CANTERBURY SHAKER VILLAGE, INC. PRESERVES THE HISTORIC SHAKERS' CHURCH FAMILY SITE, AN EXEMPLARY PRESERVED BUILT ENVIRONMENT. IN 1993, THE VILLAGE RECEIVED NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK STATUS FOR ITS NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE, ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY, AND HISTORICAL AUTHENTICITY. THE VILLAGE'S NATIONALLY SIGNIFICANT COLLECTIONS CONSTITUTE ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE BODY OF SHAKER-MADE AND SHAKER- USED MATERIAL CULTURE AND RECORDS REMAINING IN AN ORIGINAL SHAKER COMMUNITY. NEARLY 90% OF THE VILLAGE'S 100,000+ OBJECTS, TEXTS, AND IMAGES HAVE NEVER LEFT THE SITE. THESE MATERIAL CULTURE AND ARCHIVAL COLLECTIONS, REPRESENTING 200 YEARS OF THE CANTERBURY SHAKERS' COMMUNAL LIFE, ARE PRESERVED ON THE SITE AT WHICH THIS EVIDENCE WAS PRODUCED AND USED. THE COLLECTIONS' PRE-EMINENT HISTORIC AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE DERIVES FROM THESE MATERIAL AND SPATIAL ASSOCIATIONS, AS WELL AS SERVING AS AND REPRESENTING LINKS WITH OTHER SHAKER COMMUNITIES. THE VILLAGE'S COLLECTIONS ARE OF LOCAL, STATE, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL IMPORTANCE, INFORMING SUCH AREAS AS AMERICAN HISTORY, ART, ARCHITECTURE, RELIGION, TECHNOLOGY, AGRICULTURE, DOMESTIC LIFE, DOMESTIC INDUSTRIES, WOMEN'S STUDIES, AND COMMUNITARIAN AND UTOPIAN STUDIES. COLLECTIONS - CANTERBURY SHAKER VILLAGE, INC. PRESERVES THE HISTORIC SHAKERS' CHURCH FAMILY SITE, AN EXEMPLARY PRESERVED BUILT ENVIRONMENT. IN 1993, THE VILLAGE RECEIVED NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK STATUS FOR ITS NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE, ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY, AND HISTORICAL AUTHENTICITY. THE VILLAGE'S NATIONALLY SIGNIFICANT COLLECTIONS CONSTITUTE ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE BODY OF SHAKER-MADE AND SHAKER- USED MATERIAL CULTURE AND RECORDS REMAINING IN AN ORIGINAL SHAKER COMMUNITY. NEARLY 90% OF THE VILLAGE'S 100,000+ OBJECTS, TEXTS, AND IMAGES HAVE NEVER LEFT THE SITE. THESE MATERIAL CULTURE AND ARCHIVAL COLLECTIONS, REPRESENTING 200 YEARS OF THE CANTERBURY SHAKERS' COMMUNAL LIFE, ARE PRESERVED ON THE SITE AT WHICH THIS EVIDENCE WAS PRODUCED AND USED. THE COLLECTIONS' PRE-EMINENT HISTORIC AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE DERIVES FROM THESE MATERIAL AND SPATIAL ASSOCIATIONS, AS WELL AS SERVING AS AND REPRESENTING LINKS WITH OTHER SHAKER COMMUNITIES. THE VILLAGE'S COLLECTIONS ARE OF LOCAL, STATE, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL IMPORTANCE, INFORMING SUCH AREAS AS AMERICAN HISTORY, ART, ARCHITECTURE, RELIGION, TECHNOLOGY, AGRICULTURE, DOMESTIC LIFE, DOMESTIC INDUSTRIES, WOMEN'S STUDIES, AND COMMUNITARIAN AND UTOPIAN STUDIES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, 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 November 6, 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 March 2025.

    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 October 1990.

    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 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.