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Blair House Foundation
Blair House Foundation reported $19.5 million in revenue and $2.0 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $71.67 went to program services, $14.59 to management and general costs and $13.74 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 109.5% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $184,618 (EXECUTIVE DI). 2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 6743% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $2.0MFor 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 $20MOther revenue was negative: −$3.4M. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 71.7% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 14.6% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 13.7% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.01 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 109.5% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $184,618 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 9.30% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 2 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 210.8 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 22 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 expenseEstablished in 1985, the Blair House Foundation is a charitable, private, non-partisan organization committed to the stewardship and enhancement of the historic Blair House. Funding from the U.S. Department of state and general services administration supports the operational and structural needs of the Blair House, while it is the foundation's unique and sole responsibility to preserve and refresh the furnishings, decor, fine art, and gardens. Over the past 40 years, the foundation has underwritten and overseen a broad array of annual improvements within the house and gardens through the…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DI Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $181,010 | $0 | $3,608 | $184,618 |
| EMPLOYEE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $110,674 | $0 | $9,599 | $120,273 |
2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Blair House Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $160K (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 · 22 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14No
- 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 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 52
- Volunteers Part I, line 622
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| DUFOUR & CO PRODUCTIONS LLC Banq plg & mgmt | $637,275 |
| UNIVERSAL FLOORS INC Renovations | $290,315 |
| LYNCH PINNACLE GROUP LLC Fundraising | $165,430 |
| DAVID F DONOR PAINTING & DECORATING COMPANY LLC Painting | $132,735 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 4 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
15 private foundations reported grants to Blair House Foundation totaling $1.5M 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 Blair House Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Blair House Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Blair House Foundation spent in 2024, $71.67 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- National Coast Guard Museum AssociationNew London, CT · revenue $19M · programs 38.6% · 2024
- Uss Missouri Memorial AssociationAiea, HI · revenue $20M · programs 92.4% · 2025
- The Virginia Arts FestivalNorfolk, VA · revenue $19M · programs 79.2% · FY2025
- Friends of PBS WisconsinMadison, WI · revenue $20M · programs 74.1% · FY2025
- National Corvette Museum FoundationBowling Green, KY · revenue $19M · programs 61.2% · 2024
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of Blair House Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Blair House Foundation reported that 71.7% of its $2.0 million in expenses went to program services, 14.6% to management and general and 13.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Blair House Foundation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Blair House Foundation reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $184,618, for the role of EXECUTIVE DI (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Blair House Foundation get its money?
Of $19.5 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 109.5% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Blair House Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 52-1401505 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 202503219349320430 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202423209349317467 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202313189349315661 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202243189349315694 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202111629349300216 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202023149349304407 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 52-1401505: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.