Historic Savannah Foundation Incorporated
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO SAVE BUILDINGS, PLACES AND STORIES THAT DEFINE SAVANNAH'S PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.
- Income
- $1.4 million
- Spending
- $1.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 62%
- Reserves
- 37.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 45%
- Employees
- 39
- Volunteers
- 225
- Highest pay
- $71,250, president and ceo - former
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 83 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 37.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 13% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 20% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1562% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 30 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 92 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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 September 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 (3)
- $412,934 spent. TOUR AND MUSEUM OPERATIONS - THE ISAIAH DAVENPORT HOUSE (C. 1820) WAS THREATENED WITH DEMOLITION IN 1955 WHEN THE FOUNDERS OF HSF ("SEVEN LADIES") INTERVENED AND PURCHASED THE BUILDING. NOT ONLY WAS THE BUILDING SAVED AND RESTORED INTO A HOUSE MUSEUM THAT HOSTS 40,000 VISITORS A YEAR, BUT HSF WAS FORMALLY ORGANIZED TO BECOME THE VOICE FOR PRESERVATION IN SAVANNAH AND CHATHAM COUNTY. THE DAVENPORT HOUSE FOCUSES ITS INTERPRETATION ON ARCHITECTURE, CRAFTSMANSHIP AND LIFE IN SAVANNAH DURING THE 1820S. IN ADDITION, THEY OFFER A VARIETY OF DRAMATIC PROGRAMMING WHICH HIGHLIGHTS SUBJECTS RANGING FROM URBAN SLAVERY TO YELLOW FEVER.
- $317,477 spent. EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY - THE ORGANIZATION USES VARIOUS INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING AND SPECTACULAR SPECIAL EVENTS TO ENGAGE PEOPLE IN THE PRESERVATION MOVEMENT. THE ORGANIZATION UTILIZES ITS PLAQUE PROGRAM, PRESERVATION AWARDS, AND CELEBRATION OF PRESERVATION HISTORY MONTH TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC IN ITS MISSION.
- $66,265 spent. REVOLVING FUND - PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES - HISTORIC SAVANNAH FOUNDATION (HSF) IS THE ONLY NON-PROFIT PRESERVATION ORGANIZATION IN SAVANNAH AND CHATHAM COUNTY. WITH MORE THAN 1,000 SUPPORTERS, HSF IS THE RECOGNIZED LEADER OF THE LOCAL PRESERVATION MOVEMENT. HSF ADVOCATES, EDUCATES, AND GETS DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN PRESERVING AND PROTECTING SAVANNAH'S HERITAGE. THROUGH ITS REVOLVING FUND, HSF ACQUIRES, BY RAISING PRIVATE CAPTIAL, ENDANGERED HISTORIC, BLIGHTED BUILDINGS FOR RESTORATION. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM HSF HAS SAVED SCORES OF BUILDINGS IN THE LANDMARK DISTRICT AND HAS GONE ON TO SAVE NEARLY 420 HISTORIC BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT MULTIPLE HISTORIC DISTRICTS ACROSS SAVANNAH. WHILE DOING SO, HSF HELPED THE CITY EARN AN INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION AS A WELL-PRESERVED CITY AND TOURIST DESTINATION.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 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 September 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 January 1958.
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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