Jamestown Yorktown Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE JAMESTOWN-YORKTOWN FOUNDATION, INC. IS A NONPROFIT 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION THAT PURSUES PRIVATE FUNDS TO STRENGTHEN AND MAINTAIN MUSEUM PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, ASSISTS WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MUSEUM COLLECTION, AND OVERSEES THE ENDOWMENT. THE JAMESTOWN-YORKTOWN FOUNDATION, AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, SHALL FOSTER THROUGH ITS LIVING-HISTORY MUSEUMS - JAMESTOWN SETTLEMENT AND AMERICAN REVOLUTION MUSEUM - AN AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE EARLY HISTORY, SETTLEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNITED STATES THROUGH THE CONVERGENCE OF AMERICAN INDIAN, EUROPEAN AND AFRICAN CULTURES AND THE ENDURING LEGACIES BEQUEATHED TO THE NATION.
- Income
- $3.7 million
- Spending
- $2.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 59%
- Reserves
- 70.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 69%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 20
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 70.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 23% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 66% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1559% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 20 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2520 of 20 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
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
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 June 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 (4)
- $1.0 million spent. VISITOR EXPERIENCE - JAMESTOWN YORKTOWN FOUNDATION'S MUSEUMSJAMESTOWN SETTLEMENT AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION MUSEUM AT YORKTOWN WELCOMED 421,882 PAID VISITORS IN FISCAL YEAR 2025. IN ADDITION TO PARTIAL OPERATING SUPPORT FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA AND EARNED INCOME THROUGH MUSEUM ADMISSION, RETAIL, AND CONCESSIONS, FUNDRAISING TOTALING $2.7 MILLION SUPPORTED JYF'S ABILITY TO ENGAGE VISITORS FROM ACROSS THE NATION IN 17TH AND 18TH-CENTURY VIRGINIA AND AMERICAN HISTORY THROUGH LIVING-HISTORY AREAS, PERMANENT GALLERIES, SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS, AND ANNUAL AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS.THE SPECIAL EXHIBITION "PATRONS AND PATRIOTS: THE LEGACY OF NICK AND MARY MATHEWS," CELEBRATING THE LIVES AND PHILANTHROPY OF NICK AND MARY MATHEWS, BELOVED YORKTOWN RESTAURANTEURS WHO DONATED THE LAND FOR THE YORKTOWN VICTORY CENTER, OPENED AT THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION MUSEUM AT YORKTOWN IN FY25. THE FOUNDATION ALSO SECURED SUPPORT FOR TWO UPCOMING SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS. "FRESH VIEWS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION," A SPECIAL EXHIBITION SHOWCASING ART FROM THE 1976 BICENTENNIAL WILL ENCOURAGE VISITORS, STUDENTS, AND THE COMMUNITY TO EXPLORE EVOLVING PERSPECTIVES ON THE LEGACIES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. THE "FOLLOWING THE DRAGON: CHINESE MING PORCELAIN IN EARLY JAMESTOWN" SPECIAL EXHIBITION WILL SHOWCASE PORCELAIN FOUND AT JAMESTOWN. A TOTAL OF 31 VESSELS RECOVERED DURING JAMESTOWN EXCAVATIONS WILL BE PAIRED WITH INTACT PARALLELS FROM ENGLISH, DUTCH AND AMERICAN MUSEUMS, AS WELL AS PRIVATE COLLECTIONS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE.JYF CONTINUED TO HOLD LONG-STANDING ANNUAL PROGRAMS, WITH MILITARY THROUGH THE AGES CELEBRATING ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY, AND GROW RECENTLY CREATED EVENTS, WITH THE BLACK ARTIST SHOWCASE EXPANDING TO A MONTH-LONG EXHIBITION. THESE PROGRAMS ALLOW JYF TO CONNECT WITH LOCAL PERFORMERS, ARTISTS, AND HISTORIANS AND FOSTER KEY MUNICIPAL AND STATE PARTNERSHIPS. ANNUAL PROGRAMS HELD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AT BOTH MUSEUMS INCLUDE: LIBERTY CELEBRATION, AN INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION; FIRST AFRICANS COMMEMORATION, WHICH HONORS THE LEGACY OF THE FIRST RECORDED AFRICANS BROUGHT TO VIRGINIA IN 1619; YORKTOWN VICTORY CELEBRATION, WHICH COMMEMORATES THE SIEGE OF YORKTOWN; FAMILY FRIGHTS, A FAMILY-FRIENDLY HALLOWEEN EVENT; FOODS & FEASTS OF COLONIAL VIRGINIA, WHICH EDUCATES VISITORS ABOUT CULINARY PRACTICES AND COOKING TECHNIQUES IN EARLY VIRGINIA; CHRISTMASTIDE IN VIRGINIA; AFTER ANGELO, A CELEBRATION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE AND HERITAGE NAMED FOR ONE OF THE FIRST RECORDED AFRICAN WOMEN AT JAMESTOWN; THE BLACK ARTIST SHOWCASE, AN ANNUAL SHOWCASE OF VIRGINIA ARTISTS DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH; MILITARY THROUGH THE AGES, AN ANNUAL GATHERING OF MILITARY RE-ENACTORS FROM ANCIENT TO MODERN HISTORY; INDIGENOUS ARTS DAY, A CELEBRATION OF FEATURING INDIGENOUS ARTISTS, CRAFTSPEOPLE, MUSICIANS, AND DANCERS; JAMESTOWN DAY, MARKING THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF JAMESTOWN; JUNETEENTH; AND CIVIC SEASON, A PERIOD BETWEEN JUNETEENTH AND INDEPENDENCE DAY THAT PROMOTES CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, JYF HOSTS THE TALKING HISTORY SERIES AND DIRECTOR'S SERIES, WHICH INVITE A RANGE OF SCHOLARS, ARTISTS, INTERPRETERS, AND OTHER EXPERTS TO SHARE THEIR WORK WITH THE PUBLIC.
- $186,351 spent. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS - JYF CONTINUED TO CARRY OUT ITS MISSION AS THE LARGEST PROVIDER OF MUSEUM EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN THE COMMONWEALTH, PROVIDING ONSITE, IN-PERSON OUTREACH, AND VIRTUAL OUTREACH EDUCATION TO NEARLY EVERY CITY AND COUNTY IN VIRGINIA. IN FY25, JYF EDUCATED 198,173 STUDENTS, INCLUDING 5,497 UNDER-RESOURCED STUDENTS FROM 29 TITLE I SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN VIRGINIA. TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ALSO HAD AN EXTENSIVE REACH. IN FY25, WITH 226 TEACHERS FROM 25 VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICTS PARTICIPATING IN VIRTUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS. THE SUMMER TEACHER INSTITUTE FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS WELCOMED 19 TEACHERS FROM 13 VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND 183 TEACHERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY ATTENDED 24 VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS. AS AN EDUCATIONAL AGENCY OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, ALL JYF EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ARE ROOTED IN THE VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING FOR HISTORY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE (SOL). JYF CONTINUES TO CULTIVATE LOCAL AND REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS IN SUPPORTING THESE PROGRAMS.
- $503,858 spent. COLLECTIONS - THE FOUNDATION COLLECTION IS COMPRISED OF APPROXIMATELY 210,892 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND NON-ARCHEOLOGICAL ARTIFACTS RELATING TO HISTORICAL THEMES AT THE MUSEUMS, INCLUDING 17TH- AND 18TH-CNTURY PORTRAITS, DOCUMENTS, FURNISHINGS, TOYS, CEREMONIAL AND DECORATIVE OBJECTS, TOOLS AND IMPLEMENTS, WEAPONRY, MILITARY EQUIPMENT, NAUTICAL OBJECTS, CLOTHING, PERSONAL EFFECTS AND HOUSEHOLD OBJECTS. THE FOUNDATION CONTINUES TO BUILD ITS COLLECTION BY ACQUIRING ARTIFACTS TO EXHIBIT AT BOTH MUSEUMS TO SUPPORT ITS EDUCATIONAL MISSION. THE FOUNDATION'S COLLECTIONS POLICY REFLECTS AN EMPHASIS ON PUBLIC EDUCATION AND EXHIBITION BY ACQUIRING OBJECTS THAT ARE CENTRAL TO A DYNAMIC EXHIBITS PROGRAM. PERIOD ARTIFACTS ADD ANOTHER DIMENSION TO THE FULFILLMENT OF THE AGENCY'S EDUCATIONAL MISSION, ALLOWING HISTORICAL THEMES AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO BE MORE EFFECTIVELY ILLUSTRATED. ALL ARTIFACTS IN OUR COLLECTION ARE GIVEN A HIGH STANDARD OF CARE. OUR CONSERVATION FACILITIES GIVE US THE CAPACITY TO CARRY OUT THE FULL RANGE OF COLLECTION CARE THAT IS EXPECTED AND REQUIRED OF A FULLY ACCREDITED INSTITUTION.
- ANNUAL FUND - IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, THE ANNUAL FUND RAISED $857,945 FROM 1,793 DONORS. GIFTS TO THE ANNUAL FUND PROVIDE UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT THAT SUSTAINS THE FOUNDATION'S MUSEUMS AND PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING ARTIFACT ACQUISITIONS AND COLLECTIONS CARE; LIVING-HISTORY INTERPRETATION; PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND EVENTS; EDUCATION PROGRAMMING FOR K-12 STUDENTS; VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION; AND MARITIME EDUCATION. ENDOWMENT - THE JAMESTOWN-YORKTOWN FOUNDATION, INC. HAS INVESTMENT OVERSIGHT OVER ALL THE FOUNDATION'S ENDOWED ASSETS, WHICH AS OF JULY 1, 2025, AMOUNTED TO $22.6 MILLION. FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025, THE ENDOWMENTS' EXPENDABLE EARNINGS WERE USED TO SUPPORT CORE PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND EDUCATION PROGRAM AREAS INCLUDING LIVING-HISTORY INTERPRETATION, MARITIME EDUCATION, OUTREACH EDUCATION, SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS, AND ARTIFACT ACQUISITION.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 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 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 June 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 March 1999.
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.
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