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Buffalo Bill Memorial Association
Also known as Buffalo Bill Center of the West
Buffalo Bill Memorial Association reported $13.2 million in revenue and $14.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $78.58 went to program services, $12.09 to management and general costs and $9.33 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 45.5% of the total. Government grants made up 6.7%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $295,319 (CEO/Executive Director). 4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 18% between 2019 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 $14MFor 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 $13MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 78.6% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 12.1% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 9.3% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.22 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 45.5% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 6.7% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 22.1% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $295,319 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.11% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 4 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 143.3 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 39 of 39 | 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 expenseCURATORIAL, LIBRARY, COLLECTIONS AND CONSERVATION:The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is an accredited museum through the American Alliance of Museums with over 150,000 square feet of exhibit space representing five disciplines - art, life and times of William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody, firearms, natural history of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and Plains Indians cultures and histories.The Center houses more than 104,000 collection objects, 7,800 linear feet of archival collections, 36,000 books, and more than a million historic photographs across its five museums and research library. The…
EDUCATION:The Center's educational offerings incorporate innovative, engaging, and thought-provoking methods of understanding art, cultural, and natural history subjects. On-site and virtual K-12 programs address national education standards, include STEM curricula, and promote inquiry-based learning. Virtual field trip programs have brought the museum and western themed content to more than 250,000 students around the globe. The Center's expertise in providing K-12 resources on-line and teacher professional development has been recognized through numerous partnerships with the state of…
RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP:The Center prides itself on the production of original scholarship by staff and through partners. The Center's staff works independently and with outside scholars to connect audiences with groundbreaking knowledge about the American West. Research outputs include online and in print popular and scholarly publications covering a range of topics. The popular publication "Points West" magazine is produced four times a year and features articles on topics about the American West of past and present and newsworthy items pertaining to the Center.Continued on Schedule…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO/Executive Director Officer, 45.50 hrs/week | $234,748 | $0 | $60,571 | $295,319 |
| Director of Planned Giving Highest compensated employee, 36.00 hrs/week | $180,956 | $0 | $30,532 | $211,488 |
| COO Highest compensated employee, 42.10 hrs/week | $101,776 | $0 | $55,623 | $157,399 |
| CFO Officer, 43.50 hrs/week | $117,577 | $0 | $27,178 | $144,755 |
4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Buffalo Bill Memorial Association (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $423K (Part IX, line 5).
7 filings since 2019
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–1b39 · 39 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 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 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5227
- Volunteers Part I, line 6168
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Hirtle Callaghan Investment Management | $349,384 |
| Rawhide Mechanical Construction | $251,032 |
| Groathouse Construction Inc Construction | $185,473 |
| Sign Products Install Sign and Wrap Bill Board | $145,890 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 6 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
9 private foundations reported grants to Buffalo Bill Memorial Association totaling $597K 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 Buffalo Bill Memorial Association's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Buffalo Bill Memorial Association, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Buffalo Bill Memorial Association spent in FY2025, $78.58 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Anchorage Museum AssociationAnchorage, AK · revenue $13M · programs 84.2% · 2024
- Crazy Horse Memorial FoundationCrazy Horse, SD · revenue $13M · programs 59.0% · FY2025
- Lincoln Park Performing Arts CenterMidland, PA · revenue $13M · programs 81.9% · FY2025
- Cicero ResearchAustin, TX · revenue $13M · programs 70.4% · 2024
- Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of WvCharleston, WV · revenue $13M · programs 76.8% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Wyoming
Questions people ask
How much of Buffalo Bill Memorial Association's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Buffalo Bill Memorial Association reported that 78.6% of its $14.0 million in expenses went to program services, 12.1% to management and general and 9.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Buffalo Bill Memorial Association pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Buffalo Bill Memorial Association reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $295,319, for the role of CEO/Executive Director (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Buffalo Bill Memorial Association get its money?
Of $13.2 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 45.5% came from contributions and grants (including 6.7% from government grants) and 22.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Buffalo Bill Memorial Association a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 83-0180403 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 202610299349301041 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202510569349301661 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202440619349300014 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202310519349300001 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202200879349300550 · read the filing
- FY2020 (6 mo.): Form 990 for the 6-month short period ending June 30, 2020, object 202221679349300902 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202032939349301108 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 83-0180403: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.