Historic Sotterley Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION IS TO PRESERVE, RESEARCH, AND INTERPRET HISTORIC SOTTERLEY DIVERSE CULTURES AND ENVIRONMENTS AND TO SERVE THE WORLD AS AN EDUCATIONAL, CULTURAL, AND COMMUNITY RESOURCE.
- Income
- $1.9 million
- Spending
- $1.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 4.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 75%
- Employees
- 13
- Volunteers
- 275
- Highest pay
- $54,075, executive director
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
Good: 85 out of 100.
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 8% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 50% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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.
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 11 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)
- $1.1 million spent. EXHIBITS AND EXHIBITIONS: HISTORIC SOTTERLEY NUMEROUS HISTORIC BUILDINGS, COLLECTIONS PIECES, AND ENVIRONMENT PROVIDE A BACKDROP FOR THE INTERPRETATION OF THIS 300 YEAR OLD NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK. ADDITIONALLY, OUR VISITOR CENTER CONTAINS SPACES DEDICATED TO INTERPRETATION, WITH INTERPRETIVE PANELS, EXHIBITS, AND VIDEOS ABOUT THE SITE. TWO NEW EXHIBITS ARE NOW LOCATED IN THE CORN CRIB AND THE SLAVE CABIN; AND BOTH HELP TO CONVEY A MORE COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF SOTTERLEY'S HISTORY AND OF THE LIVES OF THE WHITE, BLACK, FREE, AND ENSLAVED PERSONS WHO LIVEDHERE.
- $122,202 spent. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS HELD AT SOTTERLEY CONTINUE TO SERVE THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE OF MARYLAND. NEW SCHOOLS CONTINUED TO BE INTRODUCED TO SOTTERLEY'S UNIQUE HANDS ON APPROACH TO LEARNING, AND THE PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO GET OUTSTANDING REVIEWS BY THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AS WELL AS THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE ATTENDED. SOTTERLEY CONTINUALLY REVAMPS ITS PROGRAM TO MATCH THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS USED IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND A NEW PROGRAM WAS ADDED TO SOTTERLEY'S ALREADY IMPRESSIVE LINE UP: LOYALIST TO PATRIOT.
- $196,422 spent. VISITOR PROGRAMS HAVE SERVED GUESTS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES AND INTERNATIONALLY, AND SOTTERLEY'S GUESTS HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THE HISTORY OF NOT ONLY THIS SPECIAL SITE, BUT THAT OF OUR REGION AND NATION. ADVANCES HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE INTERPRETIVE PLAN SO THAT IT IS MORE INCLUSIVE OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN SIDE OF SOTTERLEY'S AND OUR NATION'S HISTORY. SOTTERLEY'S STORIES ARE NOT ONLY THOSE OF ITS OWNERS, BUT THOSE OF THE ENSLAVED AND FARM LABORERS WHO LIVED AND WORKED ON SITE. SOTTERLEY HAS A WONDERFUL VOLUNTEER BASE THAT MAKES SO MANY OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS POSSIBLE. SOTTERLEY CONTINUES TO RECRUIT NEW VOLUNTEERS TO WORK AS DOCENTS, WORK IN THE MUSEUM SHOP, WORK IN THE GARDEN GUILD, AND WORK AS OFFICE VOLUNTEERS AND TO SUPPORT SPECIAL EVENTS.
- $61,258 spent. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES
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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1964.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.