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Steamship Historical Society of America Inc

EIN 54-6053001 · Warwick, RI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair55 out of 100GovernanceWeak46 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE SOCIETY WAS ORGANIZED TO PRESERVE AND DISSEMINATE THE HISTORY OF ENGINE-POWERED VESSELS.

Income
$705,777
Spending
$632,878
Spent on programs
67%
Reserves
-4.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
other income, 60%
Employees
7
Highest pay
$145,750, executive di

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: 55 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 47% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 13% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    67% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 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

Weak: 46 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 15 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

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

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (3)
  1. THE STEAMSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA PROMOTES AND COORDINATES THE ACTIVITIES OF COLLECTORS AND HISTORIANS OF MATERIAL RELATED TO STEAM AND OTHER POWER DRIVEN WATER VESSELS. POWERSHIPS IS AN 88-PAGE FULL COLOR PRINTED MAGAZINE, WHICH IS PUBLISHED AND DISTRIBUTED QUARTERLY. IT HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY PRODUCED SINCE 1940, WHEN IT BEGAN AS THE STEAMBOAT BILL OF FACTS. THE HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF THE SOCIETY CONSIST OF BOOKS, PRINTS, PAINTINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, SLIDES, LITERATURE, MODELS AND OTHER MEMORABILIA RELATED TO ENGINE-POWERED WATER VESSELS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO OPERATES THE 6,000+ SQUARE FOOT SHIP HISTORY CENTER, WHICH INCLUDES 10,000 VOLUME LIBRARY, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER DOCUMENTS AND EPHEMERA RELATING TO THE HISTORY OF ENGINE-POWERED VESSELS. SSHSA EMPHASIZES THREE IMPORTANT MARITIME THEMES- IMMIGRATION, TRADE & LEISURE, AND FOCUSES ITS EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH TO THE NEXT GENERATION BY HIGHLIGHTING "S.T.E.A.M."-SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS AND MATH. THE STEAMSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA PROMOTES AND COORDINATES THE ACTIVITIES OF COLLECTORS AND HISTORIANS OF MATERIAL RELATED TO STEAM AND OTHER POWER DRIVEN WATER VESSELS. POWERSHIPS IS AN 88-PAGE FULL COLOR PRINTED MAGAZINE, WHICH IS PUBLISHED AND DISTRIBUTED QUARTERLY. IT HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY PRODUCED SINCE 1940, WHEN IT BEGAN AS THE STEAMBOAT BILL OF FACTS. THE HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF THE SOCIETY CONSIST OF BOOKS, PRINTS, PAINTINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, SLIDES, LITERATURE, MODELS AND OTHER MEMORABILIA RELATED TO ENGINE-POWERED WATER VESSELS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO OPERATES THE 6,000+ SQUARE FOOT SHIP HISTORY CENTER, WHICH INCLUDES 10,000 VOLUME LIBRARY, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER DOCUMENTS AND EPHEMERA RELATING TO THE HISTORY OF ENGINE-POWERED VESSELS. SSHSA EMPHASIZES THREE IMPORTANT MARITIME THEMES- IMMIGRATION, TRADE & LEISURE, AND FOCUSES ITS EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH TO THE NEXT GENERATION BY HIGHLIGHTING "S.T.E.A.M."-SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS AND MATH.
  2. $424,791 spent. THE STEAMSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA PROMOTES AND COORDINATES THE ACTIVITIES OF COLLECTORS AND HISTORIANS OF MATERIAL RELATED TO STEAM AND OTHER POWER DRIVEN WATER VESSELS. POWERSHIPS IS A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE THAT IS PRODUCED AND DISTRIBUTED, WHICH CONTAINS HISTORICAL AND CURRENT ARTICLES CONCERNING ENGINE-POWERED WATER VESSELS. THE HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF THE SOCIETY CONSIST OF BOOKS, PRINTS, PAINTINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, SLIDES, LITERATURE, MODELS AND OTHER MEMORABILIA RELATED TO ENGINE-POWERED WATER VESSELS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO MAINTAINS A LIBRARY WHICH CONTAINS INFORMATION ON THE HISTORY OF ENGINE-POWERED WATER VESSELS.
  3. THE STEAMSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA PROMOTES AND COORDINATES THE ACTIVITIES OF COLLECTORS AND HISTORIANS OF MATERIAL RELATED TO STEAM AND OTHER POWER DRIVEN WATER VESSELS. POWERSHIPS IS A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE THAT IS PRODUCED AND DISTRIBUTED, WHICH CONTAINS HISTORICAL AND CURRENT ARTICLES CONCERNING ENGINE-POWERED WATER VESSELS. THE HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF THE SOCIETY CONSIST OF BOOKS, PRINTS, PAINTINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, SLIDES, LITERATURE, MODELS AND OTHER MEMORABILIA RELATED TO ENGINE-POWERED WATER VESSELS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO MAINTAINS A LIBRARY WHICH CONTAINS INFORMATION ON THE HISTORY OF ENGINE-POWERED WATER VESSELS.

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 November 6, 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 July 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 November 4, 2026.

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