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Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal

EIN 38-3443798 · Mecosta, MI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair59 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE CENTER'S MISSION IS TO STRENGTHEN THE CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, AND PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION AND THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE WITHIN IT. OUR PROGRAMS CELEBRATE AND DEFEND THOSE PERMANENT THINGS THAT CONSERVE A TRADITION OF ORDER, JUSTICE AND FREEDOM.

Income
$845,936
Spending
$1.0 million
Spent on programs
66%
Reserves
7.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 93%
Employees
7
Volunteers
10
Highest pay
$110,000, exec. direct

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

Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 16% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 20% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 33% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    66% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 81% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 9 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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 (5)
  1. $292,609 spent. I. SEMINARS: FOR STUDENTS, SCHOLARS, TEACHERS, AND THE PUBLIC ARE HELD AT THE RUSSELL KIRK CENTER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. PARTICIPANTS COME FROM THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD. IN ADDITION, THE KIRK CENTER CO- SPONSORS SEMINARS WITH PUBLIC NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING THE INTERCOLLEGIATE STUDIES INSTITUTE, THE LIBERTY FUND, THE MCCONNELL CENTER, THE EDMUND BURKE SOCIETY, AND THE SOCIETY FOR LAW & CULTURE. WE ALSO COLLABORATE WITH HOPE COLLEGE, HILLSDALE COLLEGE, THE GERALD R. FORD PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION, CALVIN UNIVERSITY, THE FUND FOR AMERICAN STUDIES, AND NORTHWOOD UNIVERSITY. BETWEEN 300-500 PEOPLE ATTEND WEEKEND OR DAY EVENTS AT THE CENTER WHILE HUNDREDS MORE ATTEND EVENTS AT THE UNIVERSITIES WITH WHOM WE COOPERATE.
  2. $49,292 spent. II. FELLOWSHIPS: RESIDENT FELLOWS CONDUCT RESEARCH FOR THEIR THESES, DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS, OR WRITING PROJECTS WHILE STAYING IN ONE OF FIVE HOUSES NEXT TO THE KIRK CENTER LIBRARY DURING THE FALL, SPRING, OR SUMMER SEMESTERS. WHILE IN RESIDENCE, THEY GIVE PRESENTATIONS ON THE PROGRESS OF THEIR WORK AND PARTICIPATE IN THE SEMINARS HELD AT THE CENTER. THE CENTER'S AIM IS TO FOSTER A COMMUNITY OF SCHOLARS WHO CARRY THIS EXPERIENCE INTO THEIR FUTURE PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC COMMUNITIES. VISITING KIRK SCHOLARS COME FOR A WEEK OR TWO FOR RESEARCH AND LECTURE PURPOSES. THE CENTER ALSO HAS AN ACTIVE GROUP OF EIGHT SENIOR FELLOWS THAT PUBLISH AND OTHERWISE REPRESENT THE CENTER IN PRINT AND AT CONFERENCES.
  3. $31,752 spent. III. LIBRARY AND ARCHIVE: THE KIRK CENTER LIBRARY CONSISTS OF TWELVE THOUSAND VOLUMES AND DOZENS OF PERIODICALS; A MASTER FILE OF KIRK'S ARTICLES, ESSAYS, REVIEWS, AND COLUMNS; A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF ALL OF KIRK'S WRITINGS; AND AN EXTENSIVE ARCHIVE OF KIRK'S CORRESPONDENCE WITH PRESIDENTS, POETS, PUBLISHERS, PHILOSOPHERS, HISTORIANS, AND LITERARY FIGURES. KIRK CENTER PERSONNEL ASSIST STUDENTS, SCHOLARS, AND JOURNALISTS IN FINDING MATERIAL FOR THEIR ARTICLES, DISSERTATIONS, OR BOOKS. THE LIBRARY IS A UNIQUE BUILDING WITH CONFERENCE ROOMS AND AN EXTENSIVE ARCHIVE. IT IS OPEN AND AVAILABLE TO THE FELLOWS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. COMMUNITY AND COLLEGE ORGANIZATIONS HOLD MEETINGS AND EVENTS IN THE LIBRARY ON A REGULAR BASIS.
  4. $302,134 spent. IV. PUBLICATIONS: "THE UNIVERSITY BOOKMAN" WAS FOUNDED AS A BOOK REVIEW QUARTERLY BY RUSSELL KIRK IN 1960, AND IS NOW AN ONLINE JOURNAL WHICH PUBLISHES WEEKLY. IT POSTS MORE THAN 100 REVIEWS, ESSAYS, AND INTERVIEWS ANNUALLY AND ATTRACTS A GROWING NATIONAL AUDIENCE. "STUDIES IN BURKE & HIS TIME" IS A JOURNAL DEDICATED TO THE STUDY, INTERPRETATION, AND APPLICATION OF THE LIFE AND THOUGHT OF THE STATESMAN EDMUND BURKE. "PERMANENT THINGS" IS THE KIRK CENTER'S BIANNUAL NEWSLETTER. THE KIRK CENTER WEBSITE CONTAINS INFORMATION ABOUT KIRK AND HIS WRITINGS AND ANNOUNCES NEWS OF THE CENTER'S UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND FELLOWSHIPS. ALL JOURNALS AND VIDEOS ARE POSTED FREE-OF-CHARGE ON THE RUSSELL KIRK CENTER WEBSITE, AND ARE VIEWED BY THOUSANDS. IN ADDITION, THE CENTER ARRANGES FOR THE PUBLICATION AND TRANSLATION OF KIRK'S BOOKS IN THIS COUNTRY AND ABROAD.
  5. IV. PUBLICATIONS: "THE UNIVERSITY BOOKMAN" WAS FOUNDED AS A BOOK REVIEW QUARTERLY BY RUSSELL KIRK IN 1960, AND IS NOW AN ONLINE JOURNAL WHICH PUBLISHES WEEKLY. IT POSTS MORE THAN 100 REVIEWS, ESSAYS, AND INTERVIEWS ANNUALLY AND ATTRACTS A GROWING NATIONAL AUDIENCE. "STUDIES IN BURKE & HIS TIME" IS A JOURNAL DEDICATED TO THE STUDY, INTERPRETATION, AND APPLICATION OF THE LIFE AND THOUGHT OF THE STATESMAN EDMUND BURKE. "PERMANENT THINGS" IS THE KIRK CENTER'S BIANNUAL NEWSLETTER. THE KIRK CENTER WEBSITE CONTAINS INFORMATION ABOUT KIRK AND HIS WRITINGS AND ANNOUNCES NEWS OF THE CENTER'S UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND FELLOWSHIPS. ALL JOURNALS AND VIDEOS ARE POSTED FREE-OF-CHARGE ON THE RUSSELL KIRK CENTER WEBSITE, AND ARE VIEWED BY THOUSANDS. IN ADDITION, THE CENTER ARRANGES FOR THE PUBLICATION AND TRANSLATION OF KIRK'S BOOKS IN THIS COUNTRY AND ABROAD.

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 November 6, 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 March 1999.

    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 November 4, 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.