Chester County Historical Society

Analysis

Chester County Historical Society is a registered charity in United States, based in West Chester, PA. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in January 1945, 81 years ago. Its declared purposes cover arts, culture and humanities, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (donations from the general public) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, Chester County Historical Society reported income of $991k and spending of $1.6m, spending 159% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income fell from $1.3m to $991k (-22%), an average of -6.2% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2021, when income rose by 50%. Over the whole period it spent 132% of the income it received.

Among 45,478 United States charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, Chester County Historical Society sits at the 86th percentile: it is larger than about 86% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 79th percentile, and in the 77th percentile within PA. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Ballet Spartanburg Inc ($990k), Rise and Remember ($991k) and Video Veracity Inc ($990k).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 44% and program service revenue 26% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $102k (6.5% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $594k. At year end it held assets of $10.1m against liabilities of $2.1m, net assets of $8.0m. It reported 31 employees.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.