Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Beaver Island Historical Society of Michigan

EIN 38-6087750 · Beaver Island, MI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak48 out of 100GovernanceFair59 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE BEAVER ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAS A MISSION TO "SHARE AND PRESERVE THE UNIQUE HISTORY OF BEAVER ISLAND AND THE ARCHIPELAGO". WE ADVANCE OUR MISSION THROUGH WELL MAINTAINED COLLECTIONS AND WELL-ARTICULATED EXHIBITS IN OUR CLEAN AND WELL CARED FOR PRINT SHOP MUSEUM AND MARINE MUSEUM, IN ADDITION TO OUR TWO HISTORIC PROPERTIES, THE HERITAGE PARK AND THE PROTAR HOME. WE OFFER SEVERAL RESOURCES AND SERVICES TO OUR VISITORS, INCLUDING GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH, COPIES OF ARCHIVAL PHOTOS AND A SERIES OF HISTORICAL JOURNALS, A MONTHLY PUBLICATION, AN ANNUAL ARTS AND CULTURE MAGAZINE AND OTHER HISTORICAL THEMED BOOKS FOR PURCHASE. ADDITIONALLY, WE HOST MANY EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ALIGNING WITH BEAVER ISLAND'S CULTURAL LANDSCAPE. MUSEUM WEEK AND KIDS CAMP ARE OUR MOST POPULAR EVENTS. THE BEAVER ISLAND HISTORICAL VALUES: FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY COMMUNITY CLOSE INTERPERSONAL RELATION EMPHASIS ON EDUCATION KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE QUALITY EXHIBITS HISTORIC PRESERVATIONS TRADITIONAL VALUES CO

Income
$303,708
Spending
$345,260
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
0.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 40%
Employees
9
Volunteers
53

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

Financial health

Weak: 48 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 14% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 12% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    76% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 cents.

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

Governance

Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 28% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 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

    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 October 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 (1)
  1. $264,118 spent. THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY CURRENTLY OPERATES TWO MUSEUMS ON THE ISLAND, THE PRINT SHOP MUSEUM AND THE MARINE MUSEUM, AS WELL AS TWO ADDITIONAL HISTORICAL SITES, HERITAGE PARK AND THE PROTAR HOME. IN ADDITION, WE OFFER SEVERAL HISTORICAL RESOURCES TO OUR VISITORS, INCLUDING GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH, COPIES OF ARCHIVAL PHOTOS, AND A SERIES OF HISTORICAL JOURNALS AND OTHER HISTORICAL THEMED BOOKS FOR PURCHASE. ADDITIONALLY, WE HOST MANY EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO PROMOTE THE ISLAND'S UNIQUE HISTORY. WE ALSO PUBLISH THE NORTHERN ISLANDER, OUR COMMUNITY'S MONTHLY PUBLICATION AND AN ANNUAL ARTS AND CULTURE MAGAZINE, THE BEAVER BEACON.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 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 October 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 November 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.