Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To conserve Asheville and Buncombe Countys heritage and sense of place through preservation and promotion of the regions historic resources. We are working to keep Asheville a unique and desirable city by retaining the character of our community in five key ways: -Preservation Grants to support preservation, education and designation projects. -Preservation Easements and Advocacy to protect endangered properties. -Technical Support for owners of historic properties. -Hosting the Griffin Awards to recognize projects that have utilized a preservation ethic. -Preservation Education Programs to inform the community about our shared history.
- Income
- $1.2 million
- Spending
- $701,707
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 16.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 100
- Highest pay
- $84,316, 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 16.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 41% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 82% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
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
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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (3)
- $616,541 spent. Preservation Grants: The Preservation Society of Asheville & Buncombe County (PSABC) funds deserving initiatives in three categories: 1. BRICKS-AND-MORTAR Rehabilitation, restoration, and repair of structures that are 50 years of age or older. 2. PUBLIC EDUCATION Development of educational materials and programs that advance knowledge of our shared history. 3. PLANNING, SURVEY, AND DESIGNATION Planning and design for building rehabilitation and restoration projects, historic resource surveys, and local or national designations.
- Griffin Awards: Our annual preservation awards program highlights the work of our community in projects that work to save historic places. Award categories include (1) rehabilitation, (2) adaptive reuse, (3) education & publication, (4) restoration, and (5) new in-fill construction, among others.
- Historic Property Redevelopment: Fundamentally, historic preservation includes the practice of real property transaction. Using easements, options to purchase, protective covenants and preservation easements, PSABC permanently protects a number of properties each year.
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 December 1977.
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.
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