Association of the Los Altos Historical Museum Aka Los Altos History Museum

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
942542813
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Los Altos, CA, USA
Phone
6509489427
Rating
72
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Single Organization Support

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$856,138
Expenses
$811,205
Assets
$4,672,747
Liabilities
$0

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

17 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • VICKI HOLMAN (PRESIDENT)
  • MARGO HORN (2ND VICE PRESIDENT)
  • KULJEET KALKAT (1ST VICE PRESIDENT)
  • ANNA TOLEDANO 924-PRESENT (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • JULIE BLY DEVERE 524-924 (INTERIM EXEC DIR): $67,703 total reported compensation
  • ANNA TOLEDANO 924-PRESENT (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $35,473 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The los altos history museum gathers and presents artifacts and stories to bridge the past and the present by fostering the creative energy of volunteers and staff to produce engaging educational programs and exhibits that challenge established narratives.

What it reported doing in 2024

Exhibition productionthe museum displayed three exhibitions in our main gallery. One of the most popular exhibits was rooted in time: journey through hidden villa, which featured the history of the duveneck family and hidden villa on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. Another highlight included she sang me a good luck song: the California indian photographs of dugan aguilar, a rental exhibit to which the museum added a special display about the muwekma ohlone tribe's 2024 trail of truth journey to Washington, d.c. In pursuit of federal recognition.the museum also hosted several exhibit-related programs as part of our popular third wednesday series that connected history to the present, including a neighborhood block party celebrating the history and residents of moody road near hidden villa, as well as a talk by charlene nijmeh, chairwoman of the muwekma ohlone tribe, about her experience on the trail of truth.the museum's exhibits and programs brought hundreds of visitors to the museum and fostered meaningful dialogues with and between community members. Related programs for all ages included in-gallery scavenger hunts as well as interactive art-making, contributing to the displays.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 49
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 82
  • Sustainability: 63
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 53.1%; rating input score 53
  • Program expense ratio: 54%; rating input score 54
  • Fundraising efficiency: $3.37 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 56
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 5.2%; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 5.76; rating input score 86; 86th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 12.7%; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 12.7% per year; rating input score 100; 70th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 10.1% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 13.2% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 53.1% of revenue deployed · 54% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 15 of 15 board members independent · 5 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $438K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $68K · 17 people listed
  • Consistency: 26 of 26 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 53/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 54/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 10/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 8 not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 51/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 28/100.