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Motown Historical Museum
Motown Historical Museum reported $13.8 million in revenue and $7.5 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $50.08 went to program services, $43.67 to management and general costs and $6.25 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 62.9% of the total. Government grants made up 31.3%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $110,250 (CHAIR). 1 person received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 117% 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 $7.5MFor context, the median across 874 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.92 programs, $13.89 management, $6.19 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 $14MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 50.1% | 78.3% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 43.7% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.3% | 6.1% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.05 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 62.9% | 57.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 31.3% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 13.7% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $110,250 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.48% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 1 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 96.8 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 17 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 expenseMotown Museum engages visitors from around the world in an experiential and educational celebration of the iconic motown legacy and its cultural, social and historical impact. We protect and preserve hitsville U.S.A. - the birthplace of motown records to document the humble beginnings of the artists' collective contribution to music that revolutionized an industry
The organization operates a souvenir shop to provide documents, objects, pictures, clothing, and artifacts which depict and demonstrate the history, and preserve the legacy and tradition, of a musical era for display to the public
Motown provides various programs to engage our youth in the history and story that is motown. This includes two summer programs, one for high school students and a second for middle students in the community. In addition, a motown mic spoken word competition and amplify, the second of detroit, which seeks to build on the rich legacy of motown, celebrate the unique voices of detroit and the creative synergy of the artists past, present, and emerging
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHAIR Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $110,250 | $0 | $0 | $110,250 |
1 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Motown Historical Museum (Part VII, line 2).
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–1b18 · 17 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aNo
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13No
- Document retention policy Part VI 14No
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aNo
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aNo
- 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 551
- Volunteers Part I, line 630
Private foundation grants it received
19 private foundations reported grants to Motown Historical Museum totaling $8.3M 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 Motown Historical 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 Motown Historical Museum, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Motown Historical Museum spent in FY2025, $50.08 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Eleutherian Mills-Hagley FoundationWilmington, DE · revenue $14M · programs 72.1% · 2024
- The Cincinnati Ballet CompanyCincinnati, OH · revenue $14M · programs 77.5% · FY2025
- Children's Theatre Company and SchoolMinneapolis, MN · revenue $14M · programs 73.0% · FY2025
- Merit School of MusicChicago, IL · revenue $14M · programs 80.1% · FY2025
- Maltz Jupiter TheatreJupiter, FL · revenue $14M · programs 67.6% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Michigan
Questions people ask
How much of Motown Historical Museum's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Motown Historical Museum reported that 50.1% of its $7.5 million in expenses went to program services, 43.7% to management and general and 6.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Motown Historical Museum pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Motown Historical Museum reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $110,250, for the role of CHAIR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Motown Historical Museum get its money?
Of $13.8 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 62.9% came from contributions and grants (including 31.3% from government grants) and 13.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Motown Historical Museum a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 38-2614561 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
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, object 202602259349302715 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024 (amended), object 202612169349300711 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202412289349302926 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202302229349302360 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202242279349303009 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202122249349300227 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 38-2614561: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.