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Indiana Historical Society

EIN 35-0876384 · Indianapolis, IN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SINCE 1831, THE INDIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAS BEEN INDIANA'S STORYTELLER, CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THE PAST BY COLLECTING, PRESERVING, INTERPRETING, AND DISSEMINATING THE STATE'S HISTORY. A NONPROFIT MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION, THE IHS ALSO PUBLISHES BOOKS AND PERIODICALS; SPONSORS TEACHER WORKSHOPS; PROVIDES YOUTH, ADULT, AND FAMILY PROGRAMMING; PROVIDES SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL MUSEUMS AND HISTORICAL GROUPS; AND MAINTAINS THE NATION'S PREMIER RESEARCH LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES ON THE HISTORY OF INDIANA AND THE OLD NORTHWEST.

Income
$17.5 million
Spending
$9.6 million
Spent on programs
75%
Reserves
108.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 52%
Employees
197
Volunteers
284
Highest pay
$335,635, president & ceo

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

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 108.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 45% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 126% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    75% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    25 of 25 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 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 (4)
  1. $1.8 million spent. INDIANA EXPERIENCE: THE INDIANA EXPERIENCE IS A NUMBER OF GUEST EXPERIENCES AND PROGRAMS AT THE EUGENE AND MARILYN GLICK INDIANA HISTORY CENTER. IN ADDITION TO THE YOU ARE THERE EXPERIENCE SPACES, THERE ARE OTHER PROGRAMMATIC OFFERINGS INCLUDING FESTIVAL OF TREES AND CIRCUS DAY. ALL INDIANA EXPERIENCE SPACES AND OFFERINGS WERE DEVELOPED BY PAN-INSTITUTIONAL TEAMS. 30,440 PEOPLE VISITED THE HISTORY CENTER, INCLUDING 2,603 SCHOOL CHILDREN.
  2. $1.4 million spent. LIBRARYAT THE HEART OF THE INDIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY IS ITS ARCHIVES AND LIBRARY COLLECTIONS, WHICH FEEDS ALL THE OTHER ACTIVITY AREAS OF IHS. WITHOUT OUR SUBSTANTIAL COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS, DOCUMENTS, PERSONAL PAPERS AND OTHER RECORDS FROM THE PAST, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TELL THE STORIES OF OUR RICH HOOSIER HERITAGE. OFTEN, THAT STORYTELLING BECOMES VERY PERSONAL AS OUR STAFF ASSISTS BOTH NOVICE FAMILY HISTORY SEEKERS AND MORE SCHOLARLY RESEARCHERS IN THEIR QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE. THE LIBRARY ASSISTED 2,556 VISITORS AND ANSWERED 3,077 REMOTE REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION. THE MOST POPULAR SUBJECTS INCLUDED FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES, AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY, NOTABLE HOOSIERS, ARCHITECTURE, AND BUSINESSES. 1,727 IMAGES WERE ADDED TO THE IMAGES IN IHS'S DIGITAL ONLINE COLLECTION, BRINGING THE NUMBER OF IMAGES AVAILABLE TO MORE THAN 91,248. 23,655 COLLECTIONS/ITEMS WERE CATALOGED, PROCESSED, AND MADE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. 193 NEW MANUSCRIPT, VISUAL AND PRINTED ITEMS WERE ADDED TO THE COLLECTION. CONSERVATION LAB CONSERVATORS AND VOLUNTEERS TREATED 236 COLLECTION ITEMS. THE HISTORIC DOCUMENT PRESERVATION PROGRAM PROVIDED CONSULTATIONS TO 24 SMALL MUSEUMS AND NON-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE. IN ADDITION TO INDIVIDUAL REFERENCE REQUESTS, COLLECTIONS AND LIBRARY STAFF WROTE ARTICLES FOR BOTH IHS AND EXTERNAL PUBLICATIONS, CONTRIBUTED CONTENT TO IHS AND EXTERNAL EXHIBITIONS, AND CONTINUED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DESTINATION INDIANA HIGH TECHNOLOGY EXHIBIT, ADDING 2 JOURNEY, AS PART OF THE NEW INDIANA EXPERIENCE PROGRAMS, BRINGING THE NUMBER OF JOURNEYS AVAILABLE TO 340 CONTAINING MORE THAN 4,220 IMAGES.
  3. $2.0 million spent. PUBLIC PROGRAMSLOCAL HISTORY SERVICES: AT THE HEART OF IHS'S EMPHASIS TO IMPACT ALL REGIONS OF THE STATE IS THE WORK OF LOCAL HISTORY SERVICES (LHS). ENSURING THE SUCCESS OF OUR PARTNERS IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES, LHS STAFF WORKED WITH 88 COUNTY HISTORIANS AND PROVIDED CONSULTATIONS AND TRAINING TO COUNTY AND LOCAL HISTORICAL ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS IN. IN 2024, LHS MADE 4,995 CONTACTS TRAVELING 18,415 MILES. 84,923 GUESTS VISITED 53 TRAVELING EXHIBITIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.EDUCATION: THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PROVIDES AUDIENCES OF ALL AGES WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGING AND LIFE-LONG LEARNING. THE EDUCATION STAFF WORKS CLOSELY WITH EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS THROUGHOUT IN. 4,505 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE NATIONAL HISTORY DAY IN INDIANA PROGRAM, WITH 58 STATE WINNERS ADVANCING TO THE NATIONAL COMPETITION AND 20 PROJECTS RECEIVING AN AWARD.PROJECTS AND GRANTS: IHS AWARDED 38 HERITAGE SUPPORT GRANTS TOTALING $152,737.
  4. $1.9 million spent. IHS PRESS: WRITES, EDITS, PRINTS AND PUBLICATIONS RELATED TO INDIANA HISTORY.

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 September 1933.

    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.

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