The Northwest Railway Museum

Analysis

The Northwest Railway Museum is a registered charity in United States, based in Snoqualmie, WA. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in October 1961, 65 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, The Northwest Railway Museum reported income of $2.6m and spending of $2.3m, spending 88% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income grew from $1.8m to $2.6m (+44%), an average of +9.5% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2021, when income rose by 17%. Over the whole period it spent 74% of the income it received.

Among 45,478 United States charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, The Northwest Railway Museum sits at the 93rd percentile: it is larger than about 93% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 88th percentile, and in the 89th percentile within WA. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Englert Civic Theatre Inc Non Profit ($2.6m), Premier Arts Incorporated ($2.6m) and Ramsey County Historical Society Inc ($2.6m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 39% and program service revenue 55% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $142k (6.3% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $511k. It paid $29k in professional fundraising fees. At year end it held assets of $13.2m against liabilities of $3.2m, net assets of $10.1m. It reported 21 employees.