Historic Kansas City Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
HKC protects, promotes, and preserves greater KC's historic places. Through advocacy and education, we bring people and organizations together to influence the future of KC's historic buildings and neighborhoods.
- Income
- $139,085
- Spending
- $141,739
- Reserves
- 15.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 78%
- Highest pay
- $89,800, executive director
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 90 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 15.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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, 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 (2)
- $41,706 spent. EDUCATION - * ANNUAL MEMBER MEETING - The Annual Meeting is one of the many ways HKC engages with our membership. It's also the time we use to report on the performance of HKC and hold Board of Director elections. In celebration of HKC's 50th Anniversary, the annual meeting was held at the El Torreon, 3101 Gillham Plaza, on May 9th. Guest authors Bruce Mathews & Stephen Mitchell presented their new publication Janssen Place: A Unique Kansas City Neighborhood. (40 + attendees). * HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARDS - The Historic Preservation Awards took place in the Century Club Ballroom at The Mark on Tuesday, November 12th at 6:30 pm. Through this awards program, Historic Kansas City congratulates our award recipients and thanks them for their contribution to preserving Kansas City's architectural heritage. Finalists were selected from nominations received from preservation supporters, prior award recipients, community leaders, and leadership from Historic Kansas City. The awards were announced before a live audience. The event showcased fifteen award-winning projects that honored our past. (203 + attendees) * THE GILDED AGE GARDEN PARTY - On Saturday, September 28th, 2024, we celebrated Historic Kansas City's 50th Anniversary at the Stevens House. An engaging VIP tour of the House brought the Gilded Age alive. From the soaring front columns that greet you at the House to the lavish garden, attendees immersed themselves in this social and architectural landmark by learning about the stories of people who lived in this grand house and family lore about a small feud with their famous neighbor. Garden Party attendees experienced the magic of the Stevens' House from a unique and panoramic perspective set amidst the Stevens garden. They mingled with friends beneath the stars and inside a beautifully adorned tent, including delicious cuisine and captivating music. (163 + attendees) * OUTREACH AND EDUCATION RESOURCES - HKC has pivoted our outreach, education, and advocacy efforts to great effect using our virtual platforms. HKC's Annual "reach" for 2024 totaled 651,910. An increase of 82.6% over the previous year. HKC's virtual engagement offerings share a wealth of content to educate and engage the public. Offerings include news issues of the day and a broad range of preservation issues and thematic series including Black History Month, Womens History Month, Authenticity, Past Present, Preservation Month, Endangered NO More, Greenest Buildings, Library History, Historic Preservation Awards, KC Folklore/History, Mindful Monday, Modern Monday, Building Tech Tuesday, Westport Wednesday, Window Wednesday, Throwback Thursday, Find it Friday, and more. HKC shares local, regional, and national preservation-related news and upcoming events through our quarterly e-newsletter the gazette; and sends gazette alerts when action from members and interested parties is urgently needed. (Daily posts) * STEPTOE LIVES - HKC hosts Steptoe Lives, a coalition of groups that came together to keep the memory of Steptoe alive. Steptoe Lives continued its efforts to commemorate the former African American neighborhood that stood south of Westport. The group is a coalition that includes the former Steptoe residents, area organizations, and others interested in the history of the area. Major accomplishments this past year include, the Mellon Foundation awarded the UMKC $4 million to help fund projects across Kansas City. Steptoe Lives will benefit from two projects 1) Steptoe Lives is documenting the historic neighborhood's history and ensure there are tools to keep Steptoe's story alive in the future, and 2) the City in partnership with the UMKC Center for Neighborhoods, will install public art and interpretive signage in the historic Steptoe Neighborhood. The group is also working on plans to enhance the Dr. Jeremiah Cameron Park near the northwest corner of Broadway and W. 43rd Street as a memorial to the Penn School, the first school west of the Mississippi entirely devoted to educating the children of ex-slaves, which stood nearby. * VIRTUAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH - HKC's Historic Preservation Month program provides 30 days of educational content about historic resources and architecture through our online community. * RESEARCH & NOMINATIONS - Recognizing landmarks and historic districts by advancing the implementation of existing legal protections by identifying important historic resources and helping citizen groups initiate their designation as landmarks or historic districts.
- $51,788 spent. ADVOCACY -* THE CARMEN BUILDING - HKC learned in February 2024, that the Carmen Building, at 101 W. Linwood Blvd, was threatened with demolition. HKC issued a Call to Action and worked in partnership with the Old Hyde Park Historic District Neighborhood to save it. On July 25th, the City Council APPROVED, by unanimous vote, the historic designation of the CARMEN BUILDING. The application also received the unanimous support of the Historic Preservation Commission, the City Planning Commission, and city staff. * MAIN STREET FORUM OF HISTORIC STREETCAR NEIGHBORHOODS - Historic Kansas City hosts quarterly meetings of the Main Street Forum of Historic Streetcar Neighborhoods (MSFSN), an alliance of midtown neighborhoods working to coordinate discussion and planning as the streetcar line extension is developed. In 2024, the MSFSN group worked together on multiple issues, the demolitions by the demolitions such as demolitions by KC Life within the Valentine Neighborhood, Sunflower proposal in Union Hill, rezoning of 4438-4450 Washington, 31st and Main, 4526 Warwick, designation of the Carmen Building at 111 W. Linwood, KCMO Public Engagement Study, Midtown traffic and parking issues, Neighborhood Empowerment grants, area plan compliance, illegal dumping, gentrification and displacement risk, Demolition Review Delay Ordinance, STR's. * CHAPTER 88 AMENDMENTS - Ordinance No. 231047, related to certain Chapter 88 amendments, was introduced in December 2023. This included modifications to major amendments to a development plan. HKC's concern is that modifications increase the risk of Pandora effect if development plans carefully put in place are not followed and allowed to be unilaterally modified by the Director of City Planning negotiating directly with developers. Once a serious deviation is approved, every developer after that will replicate it and go even higher. It could lead to a collapse of overlay ordinances in Kansas City neighborhoods and is a threat to area planning. For over a year, HKC worked with staff to minimize damage. Ordinance No. 241093 was approved by the City Council on January 9th. * 4627 MADISON - Developers applied for a rezoning and approval of a development plan for the property located at 4627 Madison. The development plan is for a new ten-story, multi-family structure, with a garage structure adjacent to the historic Plaza Center (formerly John Hancock Life Insurance Company) designed by architecture firm Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill. HKC attended several meetings with the developer and neighborhood representatives resulting in a compromise all parties could support. * THE RIALTO BUILDING - HKC met with representatives of the Ozark building at 906 Grand (Rialto Building) to discuss a range of issues including a special-use permit for the conversion of the historic Rialto Building as an AC Hotel by Marriott - the AC Rialto, and a meeting with the National Trust Community Investment Corporation to discuss the Federal and State Historic Tax Credit portion of the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse. * THE COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA In 2024, the Country Club Plaza was sold to HP Village Partners. The Dallas-based team, is tackling infrastructure challenges while shaping long-term development and merchandising plans. This is a challenging time for retail, adding complexity to the Plaza's transformation. Meanwhile, the team in Dallas is carefully curating the next mix of tenants. HKC continues to meet with the new ownership group of the Country Club Plaza as advocate for the Plaza area. * PLAZA TENNIS COURTS - In 2024, the city issued a request for proposals (RFP) to solicit project plans for the 14-court complex at 4747 Mill Creek Parkway. The city will favor submissions that include higher apartment counts, have commercial uses, and deploy design elements reflecting the Plaza's historic character. Proposals were due November 18th, 2024. No details have been released. HKC representatives met with the Planning Director in November to discuss HKC's concerns regarding the Plaza Tennis Courts RFP. * 4526 WARWICK BLVD - The Southmoreland Neighborhood, with the support of HKC, secured the local designation of the house at 4526 Warwick Blvd to the Kansas City Register of Historic Places in 2023. The victory was short-lived. In 2024, the owners filed an application with the Historic Preservation Commission to demolish the historic home and garage. The commission refused to grant the property owners request to demolish their 110-year-old mansion. They aim to tear down the house and possibly sell the nearly 1-acre lot so that apartments can be built on it. The owners then filed a second application with the Commission claiming "economic hardship" claiming the cost to renovate it is far beyond its worth. The Commission denied their request. HKC testified in opposition every step of the way. In March of 2024, the owners filed a civil lawsuit against the City and the Commission. * LEWER BLOCK - Overland Park-based EPC Real Estate Group LLC filed plans for a 278-unit community on 2 acres southwest of 45th Terrace and Wornall Road. The complex will be built with five residential stories above a two-level, partially underground 296-space parking garage. A Sounding Board has been established including Historic Kansas City, Parkway Towers, the Plaza Westport Neighborhood Association, and 4646 Broadway Condominiums, to refine the development of a final plan.
Source: Form 990EZ 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 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 2024.
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 November 1974.
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.