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Chatham Marconi Maritime Center Inc

EIN 37-1445768 · North Chatham, MA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CHATHAM MARCONI MARITIME CENTER PRESERVES THE HISTORY OF CHATHAM RADIO/WCC AND CELEBRATES 20TH CENTURY MARITIME COMMUNICATION THROUGH INTERPRETIVE MUSEUM EXHIBITS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

Income
$286,175
Spending
$241,004
Spent on programs
64%
Reserves
33 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 47%
Employees
5
Volunteers
15

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

Financial health

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 33.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 30% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    64% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 20 cents.

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

Governance

Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 of 16 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.

  • 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, 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. $131,315 spent. THE MARCONI-RCA WIRELESS MUSEUM IS THE CORE OF THE CENTER'S MISSION AND OPERATIONS, PRESERVING THE UNIQUE HISTORY OF MARITIME WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY WHICH BEGAN WHEN IN 1914 RADIO PIONEER GUGLIELMO MARCONI'S COMPANY BUILT A TRANSATLANTIC WIRELESS RECEIVING STATION IN NORTH CHATHAM, MASSACHUSETTS. THE MUSEUM CURATES EXHIBITS ON MARCONI'S CAPE COD LEGACY; ON SHIP-TO-SHORE WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY AS EMPLOYED THE RADIO CORPORATION OF AMERICA FOR MOST OF THE 20TH CENTURY OPERATING AS CHATHAM RADIO/WCC; AND ON THE SITE'S WWII WARTIME ROLE AS THE US NAVY'S "STATION C" WHICH EAVESDROPPED ON GERMAN U- BOAT RADIO TRANSMISSIONS. IN 2025, THE CENTER INVESTED IN A MAJOR PROFESSIONALLY-PRODUCED INTERPRETIVE EXHIBIT ABOUT LIFE IN CHATHAM DURING WWII. THE MUSEUM SERVED 4,000 VISITORS AND STUDENTS IN 2025. MUSEUM OPERATIONS ARE FUNDED BY A COMBINATION OF VISITOR ADMISSION FEES, DESIGNATED DONATIONS AND GRANTS RECEIVED, MEMBER DUES AND MERCHANDISE SALES. THE MARCONI-RCA WIRELESS MUSEUM IS THE CORE OF THE CENTER'S MISSION AND OPERATIONS, PRESERVING THE UNIQUE HISTORY OF MARITIME WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY WHICH BEGAN WHEN IN 1914 RADIO PIONEER GUGLIELMO MARCONI'S COMPANY BUILT A TRANSATLANTIC WIRELESS RECEIVING STATION IN NORTH CHATHAM, MASSACHUSETTS. THE MUSEUM CURATES EXHIBITS ON MARCONI'S CAPE COD LEGACY; ON SHIP-TO-SHORE WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY AS EMPLOYED THE RADIO CORPORATION OF AMERICA FOR MOST OF THE 20TH CENTURY OPERATING AS CHATHAM RADIO/WCC; AND ON THE SITE'S WWII WARTIME ROLE AS THE US NAVY'S "STATION C" WHICH EAVESDROPPED ON GERMAN U- BOAT RADIO TRANSMISSIONS. IN 2025, THE CENTER INVESTED IN A MAJOR PROFESSIONALLY-PRODUCED INTERPRETIVE EXHIBIT ABOUT LIFE IN CHATHAM DURING WWII. THE MUSEUM SERVED 4,000 VISITORS AND STUDENTS IN 2025. MUSEUM OPERATIONS ARE FUNDED BY A COMBINATION OF VISITOR ADMISSION FEES, DESIGNATED DONATIONS AND GRANTS RECEIVED, MEMBER DUES AND MERCHANDISE SALES.
  2. $15,030 spent. IN ITS FOURTH YEAR OF CONNECTING CHILDREN WITH THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE TECHNOLOGY OF THEIR WIRELESS WORLD, CHATHAM MARCONI TECHSMART IS A CLASSROOM-BASED STEM ENRICHMENT PROGRAM DESIGNED TO AUGMENT THE MASSACHUSETTS' FOURTH-GRADE SCIENCE CURRICULUM STANDARDS WITH COMMUNICATION SCIENCE STEM LESSONS TAUGHT BY CHATHAM MARCONI'S EDUCATION SPECIALIST. THE LESSONS WERE SUPPLEMENTED BY A FIELD TRIP TO THE CENTER'S CAMPUS FOR ADDITIONAL HANDS-ON EXPERIMENTS AND A MUSEUM TOUR. SEVEN CAPE COD ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM, WHICH SERVES APPROXIMATELY 400 FOURTH-GRADE STUDENTS EACH YEAR BY EXPANDING THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCIENCE BEHIND MODERN COMMUNICATIONS. IT IS FUNDED THROUGH DESIGNATED GRANTS AND PRIVATE DONATIONS.
  3. $7,203 spent. CHATHAM MARCONI SUMMER STEM INSPIRES CHILDREN IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE NINE TO EXPLORE CONCEPTS AND THEORIES THROUGH HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO PROMOTE A LOVE OF STEM LEARNING. LOCATED IN THE EDUCATION CENTER ON THE CHATHAM MARCONI CAMPUS, THIS PROGRAM OFFERS FAMILIES A SELECTION OF MULTI-DAY, THREE-HOUR CLASSES DURING JULY AND AUGUST AND HIGHLIGHTS COMMUNICATIONS SCIENCE, ALIGNING WITH THE CENTER'S MISSION TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY OF MARITIME WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY. EACH SUMMER THE PROGRAM SERVES APPROXIMATELY 100 ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILDREN WHO LIVE ON OR ARE VISITING CAPE COD. SUMMER STEM IS FUNDED THROUGH TUITION FEES THAT MAY BE SUPPLEMENTED, WHEN NECESSARY, BY DESIGNATED EDUCATION DONATIONS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 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 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 February 2003.

    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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