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Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation Inc

EIN 61-0518029 · Lexington, KY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceGood84 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OUR MISSION IS TO BE CENTRAL KENTUCKY'S RESOURCE FOR PROTECTING, REVITALIZING, AND PROMOTING OUR HISTORIC PLACES, ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL. OUR VISION IS TO LIVE IN A COMMUNITY THAT HONORS ITS DIVERSE CULTURAL LEGACIES THROUGH HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

Income
$638,732
Spending
$622,296
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
77 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 66%
Employees
4
Volunteers
45
Highest pay
$130,495, 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 88% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 77.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 60% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    72% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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: 84 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    19 of 19 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a 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

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • 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 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)
  1. $447,392 spent. HISTORIC PRESERVATION EDUCATION: THE BLUE GRASS TRUST EDUCATES CENTRAL KENTUCKIANS ON THE BENEFITS AND PRACTICES OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION. OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING INCLUDES: DETOURS: FOUNDED IN JANUARY 2011, THE MONTHLY BLUE GRASS TRUST DETOURS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE FREE, EASILY ACCESSIBLE TOURS OF PLACES THE PUBLIC CANNOT NORMALLY ACCESS, HELPING PEOPLE INTERACT WITH AND LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORIC PLACES THAT MAKE CENTRAL KENTUCKY SPECIAL. TOUR THE HISTORIC BLUEGRASS: FREE PRINT AND DIGITAL SELF-GUIDED TOURS OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATIONS IN FAYETTE COUNTY, ALONG WITH THEMATIC TOURS ON SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLES OF ADAPTIVE REUSE OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES. THE HOPEMONT LECTURE: NAMED AFTER THE 1814 HOME THAT SPURRED THE CREATION OF THE BLUE GRASS TRUST, THE HOPEMONT LECTURE BRINGS THE NATION'S FOREMOST PRESERVATIONISTS AND HISTORIANS TO CENTRAL KENTUCKY. FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, THE LECTURES INCLUDE A WORKSHOP FOR KENTUCKY'S PRESERVATION PROFESSIONALS AND A COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER ACTION. PRESERVATION MATTERS: THE BLUE GRASS TRUST'S SIGNATURE BIANNUAL PUBLICATION INFORMS THOUSANDS OF THE SWEEPING, BENEFICIAL IMPACTS OF PRESERVATION IN CENTRAL KENTUCKY. AMPLIFYING PRESERVATION SUCCESS STORIES, INSIGHTFUL LOCAL HISTORIES, IMPORTANT ADVOCACY WORK, AND HELPFUL RESOURCES, PRESERVATION MATTERS IS FREE IN BOTH PRINT AND DIGITAL FORMS AND IS MAILED TO APPROXIMATELY 6,000 HOUSEHOLDS ANNUALLY.
  2. HISTORIC PRESERVATION ADVOCACY: THE BLUE GRASS TRUST LENDS OUR VOICE TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION EFFORTS IN OUR CENTRAL KENTUCKY COMMUNITIES. OUR ADVOCACY WORK INCLUDES: COMMUNITY OUTREACH: THROUGH PROGRAMS, EVENTS, AND OUTREACH EFFORTS, WE STRIVE TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING THE REGION'S CULTURAL HERITAGE AND LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, ACTIVELY ADVOCATING FOR POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND INITIATIVES THAT PROTECT AND PROMOTE HISTORIC SITES, BUILDINGS, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND LANDSCAPES THROUGH MEANS SUCH AS HIGHLIGHTING DEMOLITION THREATS AND ORGANIZING PETITIONS TO SAVE ENDANGERED BUILDINGS. IN 2023-2024, WE LED THE COMMUNITY EFFORTS TO SAVE 13 NATIONAL-REGISTER-LISTED BUILDINGS FROM DEMOLITION AND SUCCESSFULLY ARGUED AGAINST UNFAIR BOND REQUIREMENTS FOR PRESERVATION ADVOCACY AT THE KENTUCKY SUPREME COURT. PRESERVATION AWARDS: FOR OVER 30 YEARS, THE PRESERVATION AWARDS HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THE POSITIVE, FAR-REACHING IMPACT THAT PRESERVATION PLAYS IN CENTRAL KENTUCKY BY HONORING INDIVIDUALS, PROJECTS, AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT EXEMPLIFY THE PROMOTION, AWARENESS, OR PRACTICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION WITHIN THE CENTRAL KENTUCKY REGION. PRESERVING PALMER PHARMACY: SAVED FROM DEMOLITION IN 2017, THE BLUE GRASS TRUST HAS LED THE EFFORT TO FIND A NEW STEWARD FOR HISTORIC PALMER PHARMACY, A MID-CENTURY GEM WITH AN IMPORTANT CIVIL RIGHTS STORY, LOCATED IN LEXINGTON'S EAST END NEIGHBORHOOD. THE BLUE GRASS TRUST WAS ABLE TO RAISE $100,000 TO OFFSET THE RENOVATION COSTS AND ASSISTED THE NEW STEWARD WITH PRESERVATION CONSULTING. THE BUILDING REOPENED AS THE MARKSBURY FAMILY WAYPOINT CENTER OF THE UNITED WAY OF THE BLUEGRASS AT HISTORIC PALMER PHARMACY IN MAY 2024.
  3. DIRECT HISTORIC PRESERVATION SERVICES: THE BLUE GRASS TRUST SERVES AS A RESOURCE AND GUIDE TO HELP CENTRAL KENTUCKIANS IN THEIR HISTORIC PRESERVATION EFFORTS WHILE ENGAGING IN PRESERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS OF OUR OWN. OUR SERVICES INCLUDE: CONSULTATION AND ADVISING: THROUGH ITS PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND FREE DIGITAL RESOURCES ON ITS WEBSITE, THE BLUE GRASS TRUST ASSISTS MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITIES IN FINDING RESOURCES AND FUNDING, NAVIGATING THEIR HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROJECTS, AND UNDERSTANDING THE NATIONAL REGISTER AND HISTORIC TAX CREDIT PROGRAMS. IN THIS YEAR WE CONSULTED, ADVISED, OR OTHERWISE ASSISTED WITH COMMUNITY PRESERVATION EFFORTS, LARGE AND SMALL, IN EVERY CENTRAL KENTUCKY COUNTY AND FIELDED AROUND 100 DIRECT REQUESTS FOR PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE. PROPERTY STEWARDSHIP: THE BLUE GRASS TRUST DIRECTLY STEWARDS FOUR UNIQUE HISTORIC PROPERTIES, THREE OF WHICH ARE ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AND ALL OF WHICH ARE WITHIN HISTORIC DESIGNATION OVERLAYS. THESE PROPERTIES INCLUDE HOPEMONT, LATROBE'S POPE VILLA, ENDICOTT COTTAGE, AND THE DR. THOMAS HUNT MORGAN HOUSE. IN 2023-2024, WE INVESTED ALMOST $450,000 FOR A VITAL RESTORATION OF HOPEMONT, BUILT IN 1814. THE PLAQUE PROGRAM: THE BGT PLAQUE PROGRAM COULD BE CONSIDERED THE BLUE GRASS TRUST'S MOST VISIBLE PROGRAM. THE PLAQUE SERVES AS A VISUAL SYMBOL OF CIVIC PRIDE THAT IS MEANT TO SIGNIFY RESPECT AND APPRECIATION FOR THE HISTORIC VALUE OF THE PROPERTIES. IT CALLS ATTENTION TO BUILDINGS OF ARCHITECTURAL OR HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE THAT ARE AT LEAST FIFTY YEARS OLD. OVER 800 PLAQUES HAVE BEEN AWARDED SINCE THE PROGRAM BEGAN IN THE EARLY 1970S, AND FOURTEEN NEW BUILDINGS WERE ADDED THIS 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

  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 June 2025.

    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 April 1958.

    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.

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.