Golden Gate Railroad Museum

Analysis

Golden Gate Railroad Museum is a registered charity in United States, based in Redwood City, CA. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in April 1983, 43 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, Golden Gate Railroad Museum reported income of $51k and spending of $185k, spending 364% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income fell from $118k to $51k (-57%), an average of -19% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2021, when income rose by 64%. Over the whole period it spent 232% of the income it received.

Among 45,478 United States charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, Golden Gate Railroad Museum sits at the 22nd percentile: it is larger than about 22% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 20th percentile, and in the 21st percentile within CA. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Polyhymnia Music Foundation Inc ($51k), Norte Maar for Collaborativeprojects in the Arts ($51k) and Titusville Council on the Arts Incorporated ($51k).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 92% of the total. At year end it held assets of $4.0m against liabilities of $46k, net assets of $4.0m.

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.