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Oregon Historical Society
Oregon Historical Society reported $10.7 million in revenue and $12.0 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $77.73 went to program services, $11.48 to management and general costs and $10.79 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 85.5% of the total. Government grants made up 48.2%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $345,810 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 21% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $12MFor 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 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $11MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 77.7% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 11.5% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 10.8% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.14 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 85.5% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 48.2% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 4.5% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $345,810 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.88% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 12 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 46.8 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 37 of 37 | 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
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseExhibitions: the Oregon Historical Society shares oregon and broader american history through original and traveling exhibitions. Designed to make history visible and accessible for all ages, ohs's museum features three permanent installations - including the award-winning exhibition experience oregon - that highlight objects and archival materials from ohs's collections. The museum preserves thousands of objects, textiles, artworks, and belongings, many which can be accessed online through the museum collection portal. Continued on schedule o.in 2025, ohs opened the yasui family: an american…
Research library: the Oregon Historical Society's research library is an invaluable resource for learning about the past and providing context on the present. The library preserves the world's largest collection of oregon-related materials, documenting the people, places, and events that have shaped oregon's history. Visitors can enjoy broad access to these materials, both in the library's renovated reading room and online through ohs's digital collections and digital history resources.continued on schedule o.these collections broaden and enrich the understanding and interpretation of the…
Educational programs: ohs helps bring diverse, complex history to students and educators by providing free educational materials and curriculum and by hosting professional-development workshops. Ohs sponsors oregon history day, part of national history day, a project-based research curriculum program for middle and high school students. Ohs's traveling trunks give students a hands-on way to explore history through objects, maps, and lesson plans on a variety of topics spanning oregon's vast geography and diverse peoples. Ohs also offers guided and self-guided exhibition tours, which are free…
Highest reported compensation
2025 · 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 Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $332,286 | $0 | $13,524 | $345,810 |
| CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $149,060 | $0 | $21,871 | $170,931 |
| CPO/EDITOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $124,044 | $0 | $20,536 | $144,580 |
| FACILITIES DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $128,664 | $0 | $15,623 | $144,287 |
| MUSEUM DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $117,241 | $0 | $20,297 | $137,538 |
| CHIEF MARKETING & COM. OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $115,390 | $0 | $20,763 | $136,153 |
| CFO (THRU JUNE 2025) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $105,995 | $0 | $11,745 | $117,740 |
| CFO (BEG. JUNE 2025) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $73,713 | $0 | $7,647 | $81,360 |
12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Oregon Historical Society (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $545K (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · 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–1b37 · 37 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 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 577
- Volunteers Part I, line 6172
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| REIMERS & JOLIVETTE INC Construction | $750,099 |
| UPSWELL LLC Project design | $328,473 |
| PAVELCOMM INC Computer support | $186,425 |
| HMS COMMERCIAL SERVICE INC Hvac | $171,282 |
| DEVIL'S FOOD Catering | $140,694 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 10 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
32 private foundations reported grants to Oregon Historical Society totaling $456K 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 Oregon Historical Society's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Oregon Historical Society, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Oregon Historical Society spent in 2025, $77.73 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Penland School Of CraftPenland, NC · revenue $11M · programs 70.6% · FY2025
- Prairie Public BroadcastingFargo, ND · revenue $11M · programs 72.6% · FY2025
- Cincinnati Public RadioCincinnati, OH · revenue $11M · programs 69.1% · FY2025
- Radio Kingston CorpKingston, NY · revenue $11M · programs 100.0% · 2024
- Omaha Symphony AssociationOmaha, NE · revenue $11M · programs 86.6% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Oregon
Questions people ask
How much of Oregon Historical Society's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Oregon Historical Society reported that 77.7% of its $12.0 million in expenses went to program services, 11.5% to management and general and 10.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Oregon Historical Society pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Oregon Historical Society reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $345,810, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Oregon Historical Society get its money?
Of $10.7 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 85.5% came from contributions and grants (including 48.2% from government grants) and 4.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Oregon Historical Society a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 93-0391599 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, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202602589349302850 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202501909349301555 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202442149349301714 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202323119349303847 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202203149349308100 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202123029349300542 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202042069349300539 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 93-0391599: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.