Conner Prairie Museum

Fishers, IN · EIN 20-3402627 · 501(c)(3) · Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
Latest filing: Form 990 for calendar year 2024 (tax year 2024) · View the filing · Correct or respond

Conner Prairie Museum reported $20.9 million in revenue and $18.4 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $82.68 went to program services, $10.85 to management and general costs and $6.47 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 67.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $338,094 (President & CEO). 7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 40% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.

Where $100 of spending went

Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $18M

Program services$82.68 $15M
Management & general$10.85 $2.0M
Fundraising$6.47 $1.2M

For 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

Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $21M

Contributions & grants (non-government)$67.89 $14M
Government grants$0.04 $7,500
Program service revenue$20.63 $4.3M
Investment income$0.20 $42,600
Other revenue$11.24 $2.3M

The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades

2024 filing. Median across 876 covered charities in this category, from their latest filings.
Measure	2024	Median
Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A)	82.7%	78.5%
Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A)	10.9%	13.6%
Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A)	6.5%	6.0%
Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h	$0.08	$0.10
Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12	67.9%	57.5%
Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12	0.0%	1.7%
Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12	20.6%	20.8%
Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F	$338,094	$385,706
Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A)	1.84%	2.03%
People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2	7	8
Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses	4.0	36.6
Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b	37 of 38	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

2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expense

$14M expenses · 95.0% of program spending · grants $2.8M · revenue $2.0M

HISTORIC MUSEUM EXPERIENCE: Conner Prairie is a unique historic place that inspires curiosity and fosters learning by providing engaging and individualized experiences for everyone. THE MUSEUM STRIVES TO CULTIVATE INQUISITIVE, LIFELONG LEARNERS WHO POSSESS THE INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY THAT WILL ENABLE THEM TO ADDRESS THE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES FACING OUR NATION. CONNER PRAIRIE'S MARKET IS COMPOSED OF A DIVERSE MIX OF AUDIENCES, FROM URBAN SCHOOL VISITORS TO SUBURBAN, THREE-GENERATIONAL FAMILY GROUPS. HOWEVER, THE MARKET CAN BE CATEGORIZED INTO FOUR BROADLY DEFINED OVERLAPPING GROUPS: 1)…

$759K expenses · 5.0% of program spending · revenue $3.2M

Conner Prairie Museum, inc. Provides various classes, camps, educational programs and workshops. Education programs include general school tours, guided programs for schools and tour groups, and science programming. Classes and workshops include historic crafts/trades including blacksmithing, arms making, textiles, and pottery. Annual summer day camps center on outdoor exploration, the arts and other STEM topics. Scout programs include badge workshops. Admission programs include special events and activities that are offered on a daily basis as part of the admission price. Public programs…

Highest reported compensation

2024 · 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
President & CEO Director/trustee, officer, 40.0 hrs/week	$291,039	$0	$47,055	$338,094
Vice President and Chief Financial & Operating Officer Officer, 40.0 hrs/week	$213,509	$0	$29,712	$243,221
Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week	$208,922	$0	$16,029	$224,951
Associate Vice President, Human Resources Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week	$117,344	$0	$24,069	$141,413
Vice President and Chief Programs Officer Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week	$128,041	$0	$8,225	$136,266
Associate Vice President, Facilities Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week	$122,961	$0	$11,166	$134,127
Associate Vice President, Development Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week	$117,126	$0	$10,439	$127,565

7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Conner Prairie Museum (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $581K (Part IX, line 5).

6 years of filings

Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linked

RevenueExpenses

Filing	Revenue	Expenses	Programs	Net assets	Top pay
2024 ⓘ	$21M	$18M	82.7%	$6.2M	$338,094
2023 ⓘ	$22M	$22M	86.2%	$3.7M	$323,553
2022 ⓘ	$22M	$22M	85.2%	$3.7M	$307,491
2021 ⓘ	$13M	$13M	80.4%	$3.9M	$280,483
2020 ⓘ	$18M	$18M	85.4%	$3.8M	$288,588
2019 ⓘ	$15M	$15M	82.2%	$3.8M	$276,672

Governance answers, as filed

2024 · 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–1b38 · 37 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 18No
Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
Employees Part I, line 5517
Volunteers Part I, line 6533

Largest outside contractors

2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only

Hagerman Capital Project Construction Contractor	$11,264,272
The Curious Life Capital project contractor	$2,025,000
MKSK Master Plan Project Consultant	$783,111
Borshoff Inc Marketing consultant	$754,000

Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 15 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.

Private foundation grants it received

22 private foundations reported grants to Conner Prairie Museum totaling $3.6M 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 Conner Prairie Museum's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Conner Prairie Museum, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.

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Similar-sized charities in this cause

Remember the Alamo Foundation
San Antonio, TX · revenue $21M · programs 96.5% · FY2025
Center for the Collaborative Classroom
Alameda, CA · revenue $21M · programs 80.3% · FY2025
Broadway Sacramento
Sacramento, CA · revenue $21M · programs 82.3% · 2024
Fort Worth Art Association
Fort Worth, TX · revenue $21M · programs 68.1% · FY2025
The Da Vinci Discovery Center of Science and Technology
Allentown, PA · revenue $21M · programs 86.9% · FY2025

All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Indiana

Questions people ask

How much of Conner Prairie Museum's spending goes to programs?

In calendar year 2024, Conner Prairie Museum reported that 82.7% of its $18.4 million in expenses went to program services, 10.9% to management and general and 6.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).

How much does Conner Prairie Museum pay its top executive?

The largest total compensation Conner Prairie Museum reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $338,094, for the role of President & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).

Where does Conner Prairie Museum get its money?

Of $20.9 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 67.9% came from contributions and grants (including 0.0% from government grants) and 20.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).

Is Conner Prairie Museum a registered charity?

The IRS lists EIN 20-3402627 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

2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202543219349301954 · read the filing · XML
2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202443209349316714 · read the filing
2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202313199349316061 · read the filing
2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202223199349314502 · read the filing
2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202143199349304749 · read the filing
2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202033189349312868 · read the filing

All filings for EIN 20-3402627: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.