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Society for the History of Technology

EIN 34-6556108 · Kirksville, MO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong95 out of 100GovernanceWeak48 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The Society for the History of Technology is dedicated to the historical study of technology and its relations with politics, economics, labor, business, the environment, public policy, science, and the arts.

Income
$462,401
Spending
$358,097
Spent on programs
94%
Reserves
106 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 65%
Employees
0
Volunteers
100

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: 95 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 106.0 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 23% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 4% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    94% 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

Weak: 48 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 15 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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 (3)
  1. $198,556 spent. Academic Research Journal Publication. Published four issues of our academic journal (regularly since the 1950s), the leading international publication in our discipline of the history of technology, containing the latest peer-reviewed scholarship in our field, plus book reviews, essays, visual material, and more.
  2. $81,766 spent. Annual Research Conference. Held our regularly-scheduled annual conference (meeting for the first time ever in South America), organizing and running six days of meetings in Vina del Mar, Chile, where members presented research papers and discussed teaching; where members had a chance to hear about and inspect the latest books and other publications in our field; where students and new scholars met with senior colleagues and got feedback on their work.
  3. $55,919 spent. Awards for Disciplinary Excellence. Selected winners of SHOT's fourteen regular awards, prizes, and fellowships for excellence in research; awarded several dozen travel grants to US and international scholars to support their presentations of their research at our conference; hosted other programs to encourage and recognize good work in our discipline.

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

  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 October 13, 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 December 2024.

    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 February 1960.

    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 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.