National Blues Museum

Analysis

National Blues Museum is a registered charity in United States, based in Saint Louis, MO. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in October 2011, 15 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 (gross receipts test) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, National Blues Museum reported income of $1.1m and spending of $1.3m, spending 124% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income grew from $759k to $1.1m (+39%), an average of +8.6% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2021, when income rose by 126%. Over the whole period it spent 141% of the income it received.

Among 45,478 United States charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, National Blues Museum 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 80th percentile, and in the 78th percentile within MO. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include San Diego Model Railroad Museum Inc ($1.1m), The Ballet Theatre of Maryland Incorporated ($1.1m) and Croton Academy of Comedic Arts Inc ($1.1m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 60% and program service revenue 24% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $124k (9.5% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $311k. At year end it held assets of $203k against liabilities of $622k, net assets of -$419k. It reported 27 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.