Franklin County Historical Society

Also known as Cosi Columbus

Columbus, OH · EIN 31-4383802 · 501(c)(3) · Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
Latest filing: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 (tax year 2024) · View the filing · Correct or respond

Franklin County Historical Society reported $23.2 million in revenue and $30.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $77.38 went to program services, $17.05 to management and general costs and $5.57 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 57.7% of the total. Government grants made up 16.7%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $639,628 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 54% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.

Where $100 of spending went

The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $31M

Program services$77.38 $24M
Management & general$17.05 $5.2M
Fundraising$5.57 $1.7M

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

The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $23M

Contributions & grants (non-government)$21.43 $5.0M
Government grants$16.72 $3.9M
Program service revenue$57.74 $13M
Investment income$0.71 $166K
Other revenue$3.40 $789K

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

FY2025 filing. Median across 876 covered charities in this category, from their latest filings.
Measure	FY2025	Median
Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A)	77.4%	78.5%
Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A)	17.0%	13.6%
Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A)	5.6%	6.0%
Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h	$0.19	$0.10
Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12	38.1%	57.5%
Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12	16.7%	1.7%
Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12	57.7%	20.8%
Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F	$639,628	$385,706
Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A)	2.08%	2.03%
People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2	8	8
Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses	5.5	36.6
Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b	13 of 13	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 expense

$24M expenses · 99.2% of program spending · revenue $14M

No description in Part III; see the filing.

$192K expenses · 0.8% of program spending · revenue $114K

Community outreach: community outreach includes cosi connects providing content digitally to be consumed anywhere, cosi connects curbside which brings cosi connects to schools and communities. Cosi connects kit distrbutions to schools, libraries, and other organizations.provided science-themed activities for all age levels for 221,679 participants

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
PRESIDENT & CEO Officer, 50.00 hrs/week	$566,952	$0	$72,676	$639,628
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 50.00 hrs/week	$274,820	$0	$15,856	$290,676
CHIEF OF STAFF Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week	$202,335	$0	$54,437	$256,772
CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week	$192,625	$0	$52,582	$245,207
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 50.00 hrs/week	$202,862	$0	$41,278	$244,140
CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week	$221,746	$0	$13,646	$235,392
VICE PRESIDENT OF PHILANTH Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week	$178,312	$0	$49,599	$227,911
VICE PRESIDENT OF EDUCATIO Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week	$141,044	$0	$8,725	$149,769

8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Franklin County Historical Society (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.3M (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
FY2025 ⓘ	$23M	$31M	77.4%	$14M	$639,628
FY2024 ⓘ	$25M	$27M	75.1%	$21M	$550,234
FY2023 ⓘ	$27M	$27M	76.8%	$22M	$484,003
FY2022 ⓘ	$26M	$24M	78.1%	$21M	$412,894
FY2021 ⓘ	$19M	$13M	72.1%	$20M	$412,597
FY2020 ⓘ	$15M	$18M	74.3%	$13M	$323,745

Governance 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–1b13 · 13 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 14bNo
Employees Part I, line 5227
Volunteers Part I, line 6203

Largest outside contractors

FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only

ROBIN ENTERPRISES CO Distribution center	$949,381
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HIS Exhibit licenses	$900,000
DIRECT MECHANICAL Maintenance	$869,468
KING BUSINESS INTERIORS INC Interior furnishing and equipment	$493,741
FIREWATCH DESIGN STUDIO LLC Exhibit design and production	$427,366

Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.

Private foundation grants it received

6 private foundations reported grants to Franklin County Historical Society totaling $388K 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 Franklin County Historical Society's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Franklin County Historical Society, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.

Report a correction Respond as Franklin County Historical Society How this works

Similar-sized charities in this cause

Starlight Theatre Association of Kansas City
Kansas City, MO · revenue $23M · programs 87.6% · FY2025
The Heard Museum
Phoenix, AZ · revenue $23M · programs 69.2% · FY2025
Lorraine Civil Rights Museum Foundation
Memphis, TN · revenue $23M · programs 72.6% · FY2025
School of American Ballet
New York, NY · revenue $23M · programs 73.6% · FY2025
Filoli Center
Woodside, CA · revenue $23M · programs 72.7% · 2024

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

Questions people ask

How much of Franklin County Historical Society's spending goes to programs?

In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Franklin County Historical Society reported that 77.4% of its $30.7 million in expenses went to program services, 17.0% to management and general and 5.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).

How much does Franklin County Historical Society pay its top executive?

The largest total compensation Franklin County Historical Society reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $639,628, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).

Where does Franklin County Historical Society get its money?

Of $23.2 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 38.1% came from contributions and grants (including 16.7% from government grants) and 57.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).

Is Franklin County Historical Society a registered charity?

The IRS lists EIN 31-4383802 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 September 30, 2025, object 202612259349301951 · read the filing
FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202522279349301842 · read the filing
FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202442279349300509 · read the filing
FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202302269349302000 · read the filing
FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202222149349300112 · read the filing
FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202112229349301621 · read the filing

All filings for EIN 31-4383802: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.