United States Capitol Historical Society
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O.
- Income
- $2.7 million
- Spending
- $2.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 15.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 73%
- Employees
- 15
- Volunteers
- 100
- Highest pay
- $275,094, president/ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 96 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 15.2 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 16% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 24% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2535 of 36 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 (4)
- $1.6 million spent. THE USCHS' FLAGSHIP PROGRAM THE WE THE PEOPLE CONSTITUTION TOUR PROVIDES OVER 1000 STUDENTS EACH YEAR A FULL DAY IN-PERSON TOUR OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THE THREE BRANCHES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. VISITING PLACES RELATED TO THE CONSTITUTION INCLUDING THE U.S. CAPITOL, THE WHITE HOUSE VISITOR CENTER, THE GEORGE MASON MEMORIAL AND THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES, STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS DISCUSS ISSUES PERTAINING TO THE CONSTITUTION. THIS TOUR, PROVIDED AT NO COST TO TITLE I DC PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS, DEMONSTRATES TO STUDENTS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE THAT EVERYONE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN AN INCLUSIVE DEMOCRACY. DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN IN-PERSON TOURS WERE NOT SAFE THE SOCIETY CREATED A DIGITAL RESOURCE HUB TO BRING TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE VIRTUAL TEACHING RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS. THIS VIRTUAL EDUCATIONAL HUB INCLUDES RESOURCES FROM THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, THE WHITE HOUSE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES, THE U.S. CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER AND THE SUPREME COURT HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND CONTINUES TO GROW. IN ADDITION TO OUR EDUCATIONAL TOURS, THE SOCIETY PARTNERS TO BRING THE HISTORY OF OUR REPUBLIC TO LIFE VIA THE ARTS. WE HAVE THREE PLAYS ON OUR HUB, BEAUTIFUL AGITATORS, DESIGNED TO TEACH HOW THE CONSTITUTION INSPIRED THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, NOW'S THE TIME, EXPLORING THE END OF RECONSTRUCTION THROUGH THE EYES OF CONGRESSMAN THADDEUS STEVENS, AND ELECTIONLAND, WHICH TELLS THE STORY OF THE FATEFUL ELECTION OF 1876 AND THE ENSUING DRAMA OF THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF 1877. ALL THREE ARE PRODUCED BY STORYWORKS THEATER COMPANY AS PART OF OUR TEACHING THE CONSTITUTION THROUGH THEATER PARTNERSHIP. THE STAGE PRODUCTION AND CORRESPONDING LESSON PLANS ARE FOUND ON THE DIGITAL RESOURCE HUB OF THE SOCIETY'S WEBSITE. EACH PLAY IS ACCOMPANIED BY LESSON PLANS. EACH YEAR, THE SOCIETY PRESENTS EDUCATIONAL CONGRESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS FOR OUR MEMBERS. THESE ANNUAL PROGRAMS HONOR CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES, ENGAGE CONGRESSIONAL STAFF AND GATHER TOGETHER CAPITOL ALUMNI. THE SOCIETY PROUDLY SERVES AS A RESOURCE TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND CONGRESSIONAL STAFF AND THESE PROGRAMS COMBINE A UNIQUE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE WITH A WELCOMING SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT. THE SOCIETY PROVIDES REGULAR WEBINARS HIGHLIGHTING TOPICS IN CAPITOL HISTORY, OFTEN FEATURING AUTHORS OF RECENT CONGRESSIONAL BIOGRAPHIES AND SCHOLARS WHOSE WORK DEALS WITH THE CAPITOL BUILDING ITSELF. FINALLY, THE SOCIETY'S PUBLIC HISTORY SERIES CONTINUES TO PROVIDE AUTHORS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THEIR BOOKS AND SCHOLARS THE CHANCE TO SHARE THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON THE HISTORY OF THE CAPITOL AND THE CONGRESS. PRIOR SESSIONS INCLUDED A SIX-PART SYMPOSIUM ON THE IMPACT OF WOMEN EARNING THE RIGHT TO VOTE, A TEN-PART SYMPOSIUM ON THE WORK TO BUILD A MORE PERFECT UNION, AND CURRENT PUBLIC HISTORY WEBINARS EXPLORING THE AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION - WHAT WAS THE CONTEXT WHEN THEY WERE ADOPTED AND HOW EACH AMENDMENT HAS BEEN INTERPRETED. ALL PROGRAMS ARE RECORDED AND AVAILABLE AT NO COST ON OUR YOU TUBE CHANNEL. ALL OUR EVENTS REMAIN ON OUR WEBSITE FOR VIEWING BY INTERESTED PARTIES. IN FEBRUARY 2025, THE SOCIETY HOSTED ITS SIGNATURE, BIENNIAL PROGRAM TO HONOR EACH NEW CONGRESS. THE PROGRAM HONORING THE 119TH CONGRESS FEATURED A KEYNOTE LECTURE BY HISTORIAN DR. DAVID GREENBERG, AUTHOR OF THE RECENT ACCLAIMED BIOGRAPHY JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE. LONGTIME ABC NEWS JOURNALIST KATHLEEN MATTHEWS MODERATED A PANEL WITH U.S. REPRESENTATIVE MARLIN STUTZMAN (R-IN), FORMER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE TOM REED (R-NY), AND 36TH CLERK OF THE U.S. HOUSE CHERYL L. JOHNSON, IN WHICH ALL DISCUSSED THE LESSONS THEY LEARNED FROM THE LATE CONGRESSMAN LEWIS DURING THEIR SERVICE IN THE CAPITOL. MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE EVENT HELD IN NATIONAL STATUARY HALL, AND COUNTLESS MORE HAVE VIEWED THE C-SPAN'S AMERICAN HISTORY TV. THE SOCIETY CONTINUED ITS KEY EDUCATION PROGRAM, CAPITOL CIVICS, WHICH PROVIDES TEACHER INSTITUTES DESIGNED TO BRING EDUCATORS TOGETHER TO DISCUSS HOW TO USE PRIMARY RESOURCES IN THE CLASSROOM TO TEACH CIVICS. FOLLOWING AN INITIAL INVESTMENT FROM A CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATION ADMINISTERED BY THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION, WHICH ALLOWED THE SOCIETY TO PROVIDE TWO TEACHER INSTITUTES IN 2024, THE SOCIETY SECURED A TEACHING WITH PRIMARY SOURCES GRANT FROM THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS TO CONDUCT ANOTHER WORKSHOP IN 2025. IN JUNE 2025, THE SOCIETY HOSTED 28 CIVICS AND HISTORY TEACHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA'S BOB GRAHAM CENTER FOR PUBLIC SERVICE. THE FLORIDA CAPITOL CIVICS TEACHER WORKSHOP FEATURED THE THEME OF "INFORMED PATRIOTISM" AS IT HONORED THE BIPARTISAN CIVIC EDUCATION LEADERSHIP LEGACY OF THE LATE SENATOR BOB GRAHAM (D) AND REPRESENTATIVE LOU FREY (R). ERIC DENYER, OUR EDUCATION SPECIALIST, PRESENTED THE PRIMARY SOURCE-BASED LESSON PLAN "THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND THE STORY OF STATUARY HALL" HIGHLIGHTING DIGITAL RESOURCES FROM THE CONGRESS.GOV, CHRONICLING AMERICA, AND THE PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS COLLECTIONS OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. STEVE LIVENGOOD, OUR CHIEF TOUR GUIDE, DELIVERED AN ENGAGING PRESENTATION ON THE HISTORY OF U.S. CAPITOL HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND THE CAPITOL BUILDING. THE PROJECT'S STUDENT ASSISTANT, CALVIN PLANTE OF AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, SHARED HELPFUL INFORMATION AND RESOURCES FOR INTEGRATING PRIMARY SOURCES INTO CURRICULUM. DR. JANNA DEITZ, OUR CAPITOL CIVICS DIRECTOR, MODERATED AN INFORMATIVE PANEL DISCUSSION AMONG THE LEADERSHIP OF THE BOB GRAHAM CENTER FOR PUBLIC SERVICE, THE LOU FREY INSTITUTE, THE HAMILTON SCHOOL FOR CLASSICAL AND CIVIC EDUCATION, AND FORMER MEMBER OF CONGRESS AND PASSIONATE CIVIC EDUCATION ADVOCATE DENNIS ROSS. THE SOCIETY ALSO HOSTED THE FOLLOWING SIGNATURE PROGRAMS: A LIVE READING OF ITS RECENTLY COMMISSIONED PLAY, ELECTIONLAND, WHICH TELLS THE STORY OF THE FATEFUL ELECTION OF 1876 AND THE ENSUING DRAMA OF THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF 1877; A CAPSTONE LECTURE BY 2024-2025 CAPITOL FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENT, DR. MATTHEW RESTALL, ON DEPICTIONS OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS IN THE CAPITOL; AND A SALON WITH ACCLAIMED AR
- $172,338 spent. MEMBERSHIP: THE SOCIETY CONDUCTED SPECIAL EVENTS AND DISTRIBUTED NEWSLETTERS AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS TO OUR MEMBERS INTERESTED IN THE HISTORY OF THE U.S. CAPITOL. MEMBERSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE BOTH TO INDIVIDUALS, AND TO ORGANIZATIONS WHICH MAKE UP THE "CAPITOL COMMITTEE." THESE PROGRAMS AND EVENTS INCLUDE VIP TOURS OF THE CAPITOL WHICH ARE OFFERED AS A BENEFIT OF MEMBERSHIP AND BEHIND THE SCENES LOOKS AT THE WORK OF CONGRESS.K OF CONGRESS.
- THE SOCIETY'S FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM OPERATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL'S CURATOR RETURNED AFTER THE PANDEMIC PAUSE. SCHOLARS STUDY THE ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF THE CAPITOL. OUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE TO A DOZEN YOUNG PEOPLE INTERESTED IN CAPITOL HISTORY. THE ANNUAL HISTORICAL CALENDAR DESIGNED TO PROMOTE "INFORMED PATRIOTISM" CONTINUES WITH NEARLY 350,000 DISTRIBUTED EACH YEAR BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. THE SOCIETY PROVIDES QUICK RESPONSE TO MEDIA INQUIRIES SEEKING TO UNDERSTAND CAPITOL HISTORY FROM THE INCIDENCES OF VIOLENCE IN THE CAPITOL TO THE HISTORY OF THE SENATE DRESS CODE.
- CREATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF COMMEMORATIVE MERCHANDISE: ANNUALLY, THE SOCIETY CREATES A HOLIDAY ORNAMENT, AND OTHER COMMEMORATIVE PRODUCTS MADE WITH MARBLE DONATED TO THE SOCIETY BY THE ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL DURING THE CAPITOL RENOVATION IN THE LATE 1990'S.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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 September 7, 2026.
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 September 30, 2026.
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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 1962.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
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 7, 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.