Oatlands Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO CREATE A SHARED FUTURE BY REVEALING, UNDERSTANDING AND PRESERVING THE FULL HUMAN, ARCHITECTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY OF OATLANDS. "OATLANDS" IS OATLANDS HISTORIC HOUSE AND GARDENS, A MORE THAN (CONTINUED ON SCH. O)
- Income
- $818,117
- Spending
- $946,110
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- 0 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 50%
- Employees
- 15
- Volunteers
- 17
- Highest pay
- $189,692, former ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 21 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.0 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 100% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 26% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1567% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 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 2510 of 10 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
0 of 10Did not give 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
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 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)
- $637,584 spent. OATLANDS HISTORY IS AMERICAN HISTORY. BETWEEN 1727 AND 1964, THE PROPERTY WAS RESIDENCE TO A SUCCESSION OF TENANT FARMERS, INFLUENTIAL FAMILIES, SERVANTS, AND WORKERS, INCLUDING OVER 150 PEOPLE WHO WERE ENSLAVED. WE CONTINUED OUR RESEARCH TO RECLAIM THE CONTRASTING, YET INSEPARABLE, HISTORIES OF THE PROPERTY'S RESIDENTS. THE MANOR HOUSE, FORMAL GARDENS, DEPENDENCIES AND OUTBUILDINGS OF ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST ELABORABLE FEDERAL- ERA COUNTY ESTATES PROVIDED VISUAL CONTEXT FOR THE FORMER RESIDENTS' STORIES. OUR RECLAIM YOUR STORY PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO GROW OUR UNDERSTANDING OF PEOPLE WHO WERE ENSLAVED AT OATLANDS AND OTHER CARTER AND GRAYSON FAMILY PROPERTIES AND TO OFFER THAT KNOWLEDGE TO DESCENDANTS, HISTORIANS AND OTHER (CONTINUED ON SCH.O)
- OATLANDS' AMPLE SPACE AND QUIET PLACES OF SOLITUDE PROVIDE A SANCTUARY THAT ENABLES EACH VISITOR TO CONDUCT THEIR OWN, PERSONAL EXPLORATION OF HISTORY AND THE OUTDOORS. AN EVER CHANGING TAPESTRY OF SIGHTS, SOUNDS AND FRAGRANCES IN THE MEADOWS, WOODLANDS AND GARDENS ALSO PROVIDE A RICH AND VARIED OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE YEAR-ROUND. THE OPPORTUNITY TO OATLANDS CONTINUED ITS SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT IN PRESERVING THE ENABLE THE PUBLIC TO ENJOY OPEN SPACE, BEAUTIFUL SETTINGS AND NATURE WERE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT DURING THE PANDEMIC. WE OFFICIALLY OPENED SEVEN MILES OF PUBLICLY AVAILABLE WALKING, RUNNING, BIKING AND EQUESTRIAN TRAILS AS WELL AS AREAS WHERE FAMILIES COULD PICNIC. WE OPENED OATLANDS TO THE PUBLIC YEAR-ROUND FOR THE FIRST TIME RATHER THAN CLOSING FOR THREE MONTHS DURING THE WINTER.
- OATLANDS CONTINUED ITS SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT IN PRESERVING THE BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS OF THE PROPERTY, INCLUDING OUR 100 TO 250 YEAR OLD SPECIMEN TREES. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS, ARBORISTS CATALOGED, SURVEYED THE HEALTH OF AND CARED FOR TREES. CONTINUING IMPROVEMENTS WERE ALSO MADE TO THE MANSION, INCLUDING ITS RESTORING ITS WINDOWS WHICH HAD BEEN NAILED AND PAINTED SHUT. REOPENING THE WINDOWS IMPROVED AIRFLOW, HELPING TO PRESERVE THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE MANSION.
- 400-ACRE NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK LOCATED OUTSIDE LEESBURG, VA. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. WE ENABLED A WIDER COMMUNITY TO FIND AND USE THE INFORMATION BY ADDING IT TO THE ENSLAVED: PEOPLES OF THE HISTORICAL SLAVE TRADE DATABASE. WE ALSO ENHANCED THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO VISITORS TO OATLANDS WITH EXHIBITS ON THE HISTORY OF THE DAY FAMILY WHO WERE ENSLAVED AT OATLANDS AND HELPED ESTABLISH ONE OF THE EARLY POST-EMANCIPATION BLACK VILLAGES. WE MADE THE DIARY OF ELIZABETH O. CARTER, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VIRGINIA, 1860-1872 AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE DOCUMENT IS NOW AVAILABLE TO HISTORIANS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC VIA AMAZON. THE TRANSCRIBED AND ANNOTATED DIARY IS A KEY SOURCE OF FIRSTHAND INFORMATION ON THE DAY-TO-DAY LIVES AND INTER-CONNECTIONS OF WHITE AND BLACK FAMILIES ASSOCIATED WITH OATLANDS AND OTHER GRAYSON AND CARTER FAMILY PROPERTIES. THE DIARY IS ALSO A UNIQUE AND VALUABLE RESOURCE FOR INFORMATION ON CLIMATE AND WEATHER, FARMING, EVENTS, AND HISTORIC TOWNS AND VILLAGES. HISTORICALLY, WALLED GARDEN NEXT TO THE OATLANDS MANSION WAS INTERPRETED AS A 19TH CENTURY VEGETABLE GARDEN AND AN EARLY 20TH CENTURY FORMAL GARDEN. OUR EXTENSIVE RESEARCH INTO THE GARDEN'S 19TH CENTURY DESIGN. PLANTINGS AND MANAGEMENT SHOWED IT WAS ORIGINALLY A FORMAL GARDEN. WE USED THE RESEARCH TO BEGIN RESTORING AND REINTERPRETING THE GARDEN. WE MADE OUR NEW FINDINGS AND INTERPRETATION AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH LIVE, GUIDED TOURS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2024, 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 October 13, 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 March 2024.
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 June 1980.
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 October 21, 2026.
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