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Stearns County Historical Society Inc

EIN 41-1315033 · Saint Cloud, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceGood87 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE STEARNS HISTORY MUSEUM CONNECTS PEOPLE TO THE POWER OF HISTORY AND CULTURE BY COLLECTING, PRESERVING, AND INTERPRETING OUR HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES. THE STEARNS HISTORY MUSEUM WILL BE A PLACE WHERE CITIZENS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA CAN HONOR THEIR DIVERSE HISTORY AND RECOGNIZE THAT THE PAST IS WHAT BUILT THE PRESENT AND IS A ROAD MAP TO THE FUTURE. IN 2024 PROGRAMS SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS REFLECTED FOUR KEY AREAS THAT RELATE DIRECTLY TO THE MUSEUM'S MISSION.A.) EDUCATIONAL SERVICESB.) MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS AND COLLECTIONSC.) ARCHIVAL AND RESEARCH SERVICESD.) MUSEUM OPERATIONS

Income
$992,813
Spending
$953,518
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
6.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 72%
Employees
13
Volunteers
23
Highest pay
$77,319, executive director

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

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 14% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 16% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% 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

Good: 87 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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. $247,585 spent. EXHIBITS:- LONG TERM EXHIBITS: -ON SOLID GROUND: NEWLY RENOVATED EXHIBIT THAT TELLS THE STORY OF THE GRANITE INDUSTRY AND ITS IMPACT ON THE GROWTH OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA. - 33RD AND COOPER: 50 ACRES OF OPPORTUNITY. EXPLORE THE HISTORY OF THE INDUSTRIAL HUB IN ST CLOUD FROM THE PAN MOTOR COMPANY THROUGH ELECTROLUX. DISCOVER THE RICH HISTORY OF MANUFACTURING IN THE REGION. -FLOWING THROUGH TIME: STEARNS COUNTY IN 1855 WAS A PRISTINE WILDERNESS WITH MULTIPLE ECOSYSTEMS. AS SETTLERS CAME RESOURCES WERE NEEDED TO SUSTAIN THE GROWING POPULATION. TODAY CITIZENS ARE MAKING DIFFICULT CHOICES TO ENSURE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THOSE RESOURCES AND THEY CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT FOR CITIZENS OF THE FUTURE. - RISING TO THE CRISIS: STEARNS COUNTY RESPONDS TO WORLD WAR II. DISCOVER THE MANY WAYS STEARNS COUNTY CITIZENS RESPONDED TO WORLD WAR II BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD. - MINNESOTA'S SECRET LANGUAGE SCHOOL EXPLORES THE HISTORY OF THE MILITARY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE LANGUAGE SCHOOLS KNOWN AS AMERICA'S SECRET WEAPON AGAINST JAPAN DURING WW II. - WHY TREATIES MATTER: SELF-GOVERNMENT IN THE DAKOTA AND OJIBWE NATIONS.
  2. $165,099 spent. MUSUEM OPERATIONS: THE MUSEUM WORKED WITH THE LOCAL STEARNS COUNTY HISTORICAL ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE GRANTS AND EXPERTISE IN COLLECTIONS CARE, EXHIBIT DESIGN, ARCHIVAL CARE, AND MANAGEMENT. THOSE MUSEUMS ARE COLD SPRING AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, KIMBALL AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, MELROSE AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, PAYNESVILLE AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, HAEHN MUSEUM, SAUK CENTRE AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, SINCLAIR LEWIS FOUNDATION, AND ST. JOSEPH AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.- THE MUSEUM CONTINUES TO BE A POLLING SITE FOR NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS. - 23 VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED 2303 HOURS TO THE MUSEUM IN 2024.
  3. $240,174 spent. ARCHIVAL AND RESEARCH SERVICES: RESEARCH, PUBLICATION, AND ARCHIVAL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED IN CONJUNCTION WITH PUBLIC PROGRAMMING THAT ENCOURAGES AN UNDERSTANDING OF AND APPRECIATION FOR LOCAL AND STATE HISTORY. OVER 48,000 BIOGRAPHICAL/SUBJECT FILES, MAPS, PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES, ARCHIVES/MANUSCRIPT COLLECTIONS, LIBRARY BOOKS, AND ORAL HISTORIES ARE LISTED ON THE MUSEUM'S LIBRARY CATALOG, WHICH IS ACCESSED ON ITS WEBSITE.
  4. $141,434 spent. EDUCATIONAL SERVICES. THE STEARNS HISTORY MUSEUM CONDUCTS PUBLIC PROGRAMMING THAT INTERPRETS THE HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY AND MINNESOTA. SCHOOLS, FAMILIES, AND INDIVIDUALS USE THE MUSEUM TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE LOCAL & STATE HISTORY AND THEIR PLACE IN IT. SCHOOL TOURS AND SUMMER PROGRAMMING: - SHM PROVIDES TOURS AND PROGRAM FOR K-UNIVERSITY STUDENTS. PROGRAMS INCLUDE ARCHEOLOGY, ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, AND SUBSISTENCE FARMING. FAMILY PROGRAMMING: - HARVEST FESTIVAL A CELEBRATION OF FALL IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA WITH GAMES AND ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF ALL AGES. - AT WAR AND AT HOME: A WORLD WAR II LIVING HISTORY EXPERIENCE. A WEEKEND FULL OF ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES TO DISCOVER THE HISTORY OF WORLD WAR II AND ITS IMPACT ON MINNESOTANS THROUGH PRESENTATIONS, DEMONSTRATIONS, ACTIVITIES AND INTERACTING WITH REENACTORS.ADULT PROGRAMMING:- BREAKFAST CLUB - MONTHLY SPEAKER SERIES, AVERAGING 80 ATTENDEES PER MONTH, THAT BRINGS BOTH CONTEMPORARY AND HISTORIC ISSUES THAT HAVE OR ARE FACING STEARNS COUNTY AND MINNESOTA RESIDENTS. TOPICS SUCH AS REFUGESS, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND FARMING ARE DISCUSSED.- CENTURY FARM PROGRAM - STEARNS COUNTY HAS THE LARGEST RECOGNIZED CENTURY FARMS IN MINNESOTA. THE PROGRAM BEGAN IN 1975. THERE ARE OVER 495 CENTURY FARMS THAT HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE STEARNS HISTORY MUSEUM IN STEARNS COUNTY.- MEMORY WRITERS - A GROUP OF WRITERS SHARE AND CRITIQUE STORIES THEY HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT THEIR FAMILY HISTORY. MEMORY WRITERS MEETS TWICE A MONTH.- QUILTERS GROUP - AREA QUILTERS GATHER SEPTEMBER - MAY AT THE MUSEUM TO WORK ON QUILT RESTORATION PROJECTS. - HOPS & HISTORY - A CELEBRATION OF BREWING IN STEARNS COUNTY. BI-MONTHLY PROGRAM FOCUSED ON A DIFFERENT HISTORICAL TOPIC WITH THE INCENTIVE OF A COLD BEVERAGE. SHM PARTNERS WITH THE LOCAL BREWERS TO PROVIDE A SOCIAL AND HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE FOR ADULTS 21+.

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 1978.

    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.