Ephraim Historical Foundation

What it reported doing in 2024

Preservation of historic properties: the ephraim historical foundation (ehf), with the financial assistance of its endowment, the ephraim foundation heritage fund, owns, operates, and preserves a total of seven historic buildings in the village of ephraim. In addition to the historic buildings, the ehf maintains the grounds of these buildings, a green space in the village, and an administrative building equipped with climate-controlled storage, offices, and a conference room. Each property presents its own preservation and maintenance challenges, such as ensuring the historical integrity of the properties, but under the direction of a dedicated buildings & grounds committee (made up entirely of volunteers) and the support of our membership, the ehf is able to meet these challenges in a timely and responsible manner. The committee routinely does walk-throughs of all the ehf properties and compiles a list of repairs and maintenance needed. These needs are then prioritized and completed, often through the generous donations of our members. These building serve as museums, archives, and administrative offices for the ehf so that we may continue to fulfill our mission.pioneer school museum (1880): the pioneer school museum is the "flagship" museum of the ehf. The ehf was founded in 1949 because of community members' desire to save this historic one-room schoolhouse. Today, the school is a museum interpreted to the late 1930s. Its finished basement provides additional, climate-controlled storage for ehf archives, artifacts, and records. In 2017, an new hvac system was installed in the school to aid in climate control. The ehf now conducts a variety of children's programs in the museum as well as welcoming tourists and members.anderson barn museum (1880): the anderson barn history museum includes two exhibition areas and a hands-on hayloft area for children. This 1880s barn was purchased and rehabilitated by the ehf in the 1980s and served for many years as both a museum and the administrative center for the ehf. Now, with the construction of the arc (see below), the barn is dedicated entirely to rotating exhibits. Grounds of the anderson barn history museum: when the arc was constructed, a donor provided funding to create a large inviting garden and lawn at the site. The garden and lawn are enjoyed by members, the public, and local artists. It also is used for many of our children's programs. Because of the size of the garden and lawn, the donor provided the ehf with an underground sprinkler system to help maintain the garden during the summer months. The donor also provides funding for routine landscape maintenance.archival resource center (arc) (2009): the arc was constructed in 2009 as an attachment to the anderson barn history museum. This building was fully funded through donations. It includes the ehf administrative offices, conference room, and archival storage (all climate-controlled). Ephraim organizations are able to utilize our conference room for their meetings, and many have done so since the building was constructed. Svalhus (1890): this is an unusual log building, designed in the traditional norwegian style of the svalhus or "cooling house." the property was originally owned by an early settler of ephraim. The building later was used by a hotel as a summer cottage. In the mid-1990s, the svalhus was donated to the ehf. The ehf used the property for meetings and as an office before the arc was constructed. Currently, it is used for children's' programs and for meetings. In the summer of 2017, work was started on creating a reference library in the svalhus. The library was opened in 2018.anderson store museum (1858): the anderson store was built in the 1850s by the anderson family (who also built the anderson barn history museum, see above) and was operated by the anderson family for 100 years. In the 1960s, it was opened as a museum and operated by the ehf. The ehf purchased the building from the village of ephraim in t

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 66.6%; rating input score 67
• Program expense ratio: 63.2%; rating input score 63
• Fundraising efficiency: $18.52 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th 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: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 4 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -5.7%; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.11; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 12.9%; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 6.1% per year; rating input score 100; 58th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 2.5% per year; rating input score 100; 38th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -0.8% per year; rating input score 0; 21st percentile among comparable filings