Ohio History Connection

Columbus, OH · EIN 31-4389673 · 501(c)(3) · Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
Latest filing: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 (tax year 2024) · View the filing · Correct or respond

Ohio History Connection reported $37.6 million in revenue and $42.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $84.25 went to program services, $13.46 to management and general costs and $2.29 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 93.5% of the total. Government grants made up 77.5%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $305,982 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CEO). 6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 29% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.

Where $100 of spending went

The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $42M

Program services$84.25 $35M
Management & general$13.46 $5.6M
Fundraising$2.29 $963K

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 June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $38M

Contributions & grants (non-government)$15.96 $6.0M
Government grants$77.55 $29M
Program service revenue$5.50 $2.1M
Investment income$0.10 $37,433
Other revenue$0.89 $335K

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)	84.3%	78.5%
Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A)	13.5%	13.6%
Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A)	2.3%	6.0%
Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h	$0.03	$0.10
Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12	93.5%	57.5%
Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12	77.5%	1.7%
Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12	5.5%	20.8%
Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F	$305,982	$385,706
Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A)	0.73%	2.03%
People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2	6	8
Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses	-2.6	36.6
Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b	18 of 18	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

$19M expenses · 53.0% of program spending · grants $941K · revenue $2.1M

Site operations/education - operate and maintain approximately 60 historic sites/museums; develop exhibits and provide interpretive services including lab demonstrations, workshops, school programs, conservation labs and special events

$5.5M expenses · 15.7% of program spending · grants $278K

Capital projects - plan, design and rehabilitate existing sites and exhibits as well as plan, design and construct new sites and exhibits

$4.1M expenses · 11.6% of program spending · grants $206K

Historic preservation - administer the state historical preservation office under provisions of the national historical preservation act

$7.0M all other programs (line 4d)

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
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CEO Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week	$299,650	$0	$6,332	$305,982
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week	$168,370	$0	$0	$168,370
CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week	$141,942	$0	$0	$141,942
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week	$141,673	$0	$0	$141,673
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week	$136,487	$0	$0	$136,487
CHIEF HISTORIC SITES OFFIC Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week	$135,405	$0	$0	$135,405

6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Ohio History Connection (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.0M (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 ⓘ	$38M	$42M	84.3%	−$9.2M	$305,982
FY2024 ⓘ	$40M	$42M	85.2%	−$4.8M	$291,457
FY2023 ⓘ	$30M	$32M	82.1%	−$3.5M	$297,311
FY2022 ⓘ	$30M	$28M	84.5%	−$1.5M	$339,901
FY2021 ⓘ	$26M	$26M	84.5%	−$2.8M	$367,445
FY2020 ⓘ	$29M	$29M	83.8%	−$2.8M	$338,305

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–1b18 · 18 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 4Yes
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 5318
Volunteers Part I, line 6475

Largest outside contractors

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

VECTOR SECURITY INC Security install and monitoring	$675,651
LEPI ENTERPRISES INC Construction services	$416,058
GEM INDUSTRIAL INC Chiller replacement	$322,176
QUALITY MASONRY COMPANY INC Construction services	$289,690
MSD INC Building systems maintenance and repair	$249,940

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

Private foundation grants it received

14 private foundations reported grants to Ohio History Connection totaling $179K 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 Ohio History Connection's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Ohio History Connection, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.

Report a correction Respond as Ohio History Connection How this works

Similar-sized charities in this cause

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Common Sense Media
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The Horace Bushnell Memorial Hall
Hartford, CT · revenue $37M · programs 76.8% · FY2025

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

Questions people ask

How much of Ohio History Connection's spending goes to programs?

In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Ohio History Connection reported that 84.3% of its $42.0 million in expenses went to program services, 13.5% to management and general and 2.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).

How much does Ohio History Connection pay its top executive?

The largest total compensation Ohio History Connection reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $305,982, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).

Where does Ohio History Connection get its money?

Of $37.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 93.5% came from contributions and grants (including 77.5% from government grants) and 5.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).

Is Ohio History Connection a registered charity?

The IRS lists EIN 31-4389673 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 June 30, 2025, object 202631359349315463 · read the filing
FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202521359349304172 · read the filing
FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202441249349300519 · read the filing
FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202311329349307621 · read the filing
FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202201019349300915 · read the filing
FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202121349349301572 · read the filing

All filings for EIN 31-4389673: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.