Home › Arts, culture & humanities
The Edison Institute
Also known as The Henry Ford
The Edison Institute reported $98.2 million in revenue and $95.5 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $78.47 went to program services, $17.73 to management and general costs and $3.80 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 39.5% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $872,072 (PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY). 33 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 19% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $96MFor 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 $98MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 78.5% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 17.7% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 3.8% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.28 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 13.1% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 3.3% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 39.5% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $872,072 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.91% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 33 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 62.9 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 12 of 22 | 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 expenseEducation through collection, preservation and interpretation of american history for a broad public audience. Our collections include approximately one million three-dimensional objects, plus an archive and library collection of about twenty-five million items. We provide unique educational experiences to approximately 1.5 million guests annually
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 AND SECRETARY Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $840,128 | $0 | $31,944 | $872,072 |
| SR VP & CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $363,052 | $0 | $51,129 | $414,181 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $358,093 | $0 | $34,420 | $392,513 |
| VP HISTORICAL RESOURCES & CHIEF CURATOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $275,069 | $0 | $37,892 | $312,961 |
| VP OF FINANCE AND CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $262,691 | $0 | $44,689 | $307,380 |
| VP VENUES, PROGRAMS AND MARKETING Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $274,656 | $0 | $12,901 | $287,557 |
| VP TALENT & CULTURE/CHIEF TALENT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $250,971 | $0 | $20,826 | $271,797 |
| VP VENUES & EXPERIENCES Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $196,128 | $0 | $11,807 | $207,935 |
33 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Edison Institute (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.6M (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
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–1b22 · 12 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 11aNo
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- 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 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 51,818
- Volunteers Part I, line 6392
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| O'NEAL CONSTRUCTION INC Construction-renovations | $9,998,788 |
| SMZ Media production/marketing | $1,511,204 |
| PEOPLE'S TRANSIT LTD Transportation services | $1,197,224 |
| SCHENA ROOFING & SHEET METAL Construction services | $1,067,076 |
| CAMBRIDGE ASSOCIATES LLC Investment services | $883,760 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 51 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
9 private foundations reported grants to The Edison Institute 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 The Edison Institute's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Edison Institute, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Edison Institute spent in 2024, $78.47 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The National World War II MuseumNew Orleans, LA · revenue $95M · programs 80.4% · FY2025
- Military Aviation Museum FoundationVirginia Beach, VA · revenue $101M · programs 96.7% · 2024
- Philadelphia Museum of ArtPhiladelphia, PA · revenue $95M · programs 75.8% · FY2025
- The Philharmonic Symphony Society of NYNew York, NY · revenue $101M · programs 65.4% · FY2025
- National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade CenterNew York, NY · revenue $93M · programs 76.9% · 2024
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Michigan
Questions people ask
How much of The Edison Institute's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, The Edison Institute reported that 78.5% of its $95.5 million in expenses went to program services, 17.7% to management and general and 3.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Edison Institute pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Edison Institute reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $872,072, for the role of PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Edison Institute get its money?
Of $98.2 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 13.1% came from contributions and grants (including 3.3% from government grants) and 39.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Edison Institute a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 38-1359513 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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 202543159349303149 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202443209349316924 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202333119349303403 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202213189349300446 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202143199349307304 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202043219349302924 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 38-1359513: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.