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Milwaukee Preservation Alliance

EIN 43-2026706 · Milwaukee, WI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair68 out of 100GovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

MILWAUKEE PRESERVATION ALLIANCE'S MISSION IS DEVOTED TO PROMOTING STEWARDSHIP AND AWARENESS OF THE HISTORIC, CULTURAL, AND ECONOMIC VALUE OF MILWAUKEE'S BUILT HERITAGE. MPA AIMS TO STRENGTHEN MILWAUKEE'S NEIGHBORHOODS BY ADVOCATING FOR PRESERVATION IN ORDER TO FOSTER A STRONG AND VIBRANT COMMUNITY.

Income
$981,218
Spending
$334,369
Spent on programs
56%
Reserves
11.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 97%
Employees
2
Volunteers
35
Highest pay
$75,231, executive dir.

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: 68 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 94% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 66% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 139% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    55% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 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

    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

    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 (4)
  1. $101,489 spent. SAVE THE SOLDIERS HOME IS A PROJECT TO RESTORE A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK. THE SOLDIERS HOME WAS ESTABLISHED AS A PLACE FOR CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS TO RECUPERATE AND TRANSITION BACK INTO SOCIETY. TODAYS VETERANS CONTINUE TO BELIEVE ITS REGENERATIVE POWERS SHOULD REMAIN ACCESSIBLE TO AGING VETERANS AND SOLDIERS RETURNING FROM IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. THE ORGANIZATION IS PART OF AN ENHANCED USE LEASE (EUL) AGREEMENT WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA), THE ALEXANDER COMPANY AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE LED A TEAM CHOSEN BY THE VA TO RESTORE AND REHABILITATE SIX OF THE MILWAUKEE VA SOLDIERS HOME HISTORIC DISTRICT'S BUILDINGS. WE WERE EXCITED TO OFFER FREE GUIDED WALKING TOURS OF THE SOLDIERS HOME TO SHOW OFF THE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PRESERVATION SUCCESS AT OLD MAIN. OUR WORK ON FINDING NEW USES FOR THE STILL VACANT AND ENDANGERED SOLDIERS HOME CHAPEL, THEATER, AND GOVERNOR'S MANSION CONTINUED AS WELL, AS THE VA MOVES CLOSER TO AN AGREEMENT OR RFP FOR THEIR REHABILITATION.
  2. $46,480 spent. MILWAUKEE'S HISTORIC BUILDINGS TELL THE STORY OF OUR CITY'S PAST, REFLECTING THE CRAFTSMANSHIP, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT HAVE SHAPED OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. AT MILWAUKEE PRESERVATION ALLIANCE (MPA), WE WORK TO ENSURE THESE IRREPLACEABLE PLACES ARE PROTECTED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.THROUGH ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, AND HANDS-ON SUPPORT, MPA EMPOWERS RESIDENTS AND DECISION-MAKERS TO RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF OUR BUILT HERITAGE. BY PRESERVING MILWAUKEE'S UNIQUE ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER, WE NOT ONLY HONOR OUR HISTORY BUT ALSO CREATE A STRONGER, MORE VIBRANT FUTURE FOR ALL.
  3. $29,859 spent. WITH HUNDREDS OF PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING OUR PROGRAMS, WE'VE EXPANDED OUR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY. FROM EXPLORING KEY SITES IN MILWAUKEE'S HISTORY, TO ENGAGING WITH LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS AND REPRESENTATIVES, MPA CONTINUES TO BE A VOICE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND ADVOCATE FOR THE PROTECTION OF OUR HISTORIC RESOURCES AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
  4. $7,642 spent. OUR TREASURED AND ICONIC MITCHELL PARK DOMES REMAIN AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE. WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH DECISION MAKERS TO ENSURE THEY UNDERSTAND THE MANY TOOLS AVAILABLE THAT CAN ENABLE THE LONG-TERM PRESERVATION SOLUTION THE PUBLIC HAS CONSISTENTLY SUPPORTED. THIS WORK HAS HELPED ADVANCE EFFORTS AT THE COUNTY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH DECISION-MAKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE DOMES. MILWAUKEE PRESERVATION ALLIANCE IS THRILLED TO TAKE ON THE FULL RESTORATION OF HISTORIC 1885 CATHERINE FOLEY TAVERN. FROM START TO FINISH, FOLLOWING NPS, SHPO LOCAL HPC AND THIRD WARD ARB GUIDELINES, WE'RE GOING TO BRING 266 E. ERIE STREET BACK TO LIFE - THE RIGHT WAY.

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 August 2010.

    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.