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Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation
Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation reported $36.4 million in revenue and $34.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $86.40 went to program services, $5.95 to management and general costs and $7.65 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 54.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $454,525 (DIR/PRES/CEO). 9 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 76% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $34MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $36MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 86.4% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 6.0% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 7.6% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.13 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 54.9% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 34.4% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $454,525 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.34% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 35.7 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 23 of 24 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseEllis museum project: the foundation has been working with the national park service to reimagine the 34-year-old museum for the 21st century. The project will preserve the 125-year-old historic landmark, enhance its exhibits, and tell a more vibrant story of immigration in a building that once processed 12 million immigrants. In addition to performing essential building and systems upgrades, the non-profit foundation will reimagine installations for a more interactive experience, showcase the museum's historic architecture, and improve accessibility throughout its 137,000 square feet. Taken…
Audio tour: under an agreement with the national park service, the foundation operates a audio tour program with content covering Liberty Island and the Ellis Island museum. The audio tour is available in 12 languages, as well as an asl and audio descriptor tour. In fiscal year 2025, audio tours were available to the approximately 3.6 million visitors to Liberty and Ellis islands
The american family immigration history center (afihc) at Ellis Island welcomes tens of thousands of visitors annually. Foundation staff operate the family history center, welcoming visitors to search for their family's records. The foundation's 65-million-record electronic database contains the arrival records of immigrants, passengers, and crew members who entered the united states through the port of new york/Ellis Island between 1820-1957. The database, which is managed by the foundation, is also available for free at www.libertyellisfoundation.org. Revenues are generated by reservation…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIR/PRES/CEO Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $385,314 | $0 | $69,211 | $454,525 |
| CFAO & SECRETARY Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $201,708 | $0 | $56,446 | $258,154 |
| SENIOR VP & COO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $238,911 | $0 | $17,386 | $256,297 |
| VP & CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $216,533 | $0 | $34,172 | $250,705 |
| CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $187,437 | $0 | $37,424 | $224,861 |
| DIRECTOR OF SOFTWARE DEV & DATABASE MGMT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $135,019 | $0 | $32,607 | $167,626 |
| PROJECT DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $110,184 | $0 | $46,850 | $157,034 |
| OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS (UNTIL 6/28/24) Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $124,435 | $0 | $7,686 | $132,121 |
9 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.5M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b24 · 23 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 537
- Volunteers Part I, line 6165
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| PHELPS CONSTRUCTION Construction services | $6,334,526 |
| ACOUSTIGUIDE Audio tour services | $2,629,073 |
| KUBIK MALTBIE INC Exhibit fabrication and installation | $1,474,961 |
| ACCIONA CULTURE CORP Av hardware and integration | $816,402 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 19 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
24 private foundations reported grants to Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation totaling $1.4M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation spent in FY2025, $86.40 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Norton Museum of ArtWest Palm Beach, FL · revenue $36M · programs 64.8% · FY2025
- Trustees of Calder GardensPhiladelphia, PA · revenue $37M · programs 11.3% · FY2025
- Alley TheatreHouston, TX · revenue $36M · programs 78.4% · FY2025
- The Horace Bushnell Memorial HallHartford, CT · revenue $37M · programs 76.8% · FY2025
- Radiant Life MinistriesMarion, IL · revenue $36M · programs 95.5% · 2024
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in New York
Questions people ask
How much of Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation reported that 86.4% of its $34.0 million in expenses went to program services, 6.0% to management and general and 7.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation reported for one person in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 was $454,525, for the role of DIR/PRES/CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation get its money?
Of $36.4 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, 54.9% came from contributions and grants and 34.4% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 13-3118415 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, object 202532979349301523 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, object 202433119349302473 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, object 202313049349301261 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, object 202203089349302680 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021, object 202230459349301333 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020, object 202100479349301715 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 13-3118415: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.