Fairfield County Heritage Association

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
316049796
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Lancaster, OH, USA
Phone
7406549923
Rating
86
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
History Museums

Reported finances

Revenue
$267,769
Expenses
$282,469
Assets
$2,618,694
Liabilities
$5,091

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

13 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MATT CLAYPOOL (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • WENDY GREGORY (EXECUTIVE DI): $60,847 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The mission of fairfield heritage association is to: connect all people to the rich history of fairfield county, Ohio preserve and promote an understanding of the history of fairfield county, Ohio through events, research, education and publication. To create an environment of pride and appreciation for the varied accomplishments of the citizens of fairfield county, Ohio, past and present. Also to encourage meaningful preservation of artifacts, structures and properties. Fcha is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt non for profit organization. Fcha owns and operates the sherman house and georgian museums.

What it reported doing in 2025

Operation of the sherman house museum and the georgian museum. Afternoon teas served with silver and linen in the elegant 1832 georgian museum. History walk through cemeteries, neighborhoods and business areas. Re-enactors in authentic costumes portray the citizens from the past. Candlelight tour of historic churches decorated for the holidays - held every december in downtown lancaster. Coronet award program recognizes property owners throughout the county. For renovation, restoration, preservation, areas of beautification, and new buildings each year. Intriguing programs presenting information on subjects of interest including antiques, the civil war, vintage weddings, fairfield county veterans, canals, and much more. William t. Sherman memorial civil war round table promotes interest in the amercan civil war and the rich history surrounding it. The civil war roundtable members meet to study all aspects of the civil war. Annual tour of homes

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

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 88
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 82
  • Sustainability: 46
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 97.8%; rating input score 98
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

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: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 4 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 57
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -5.5%; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 9.27; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 21.5%; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 2.1% per year; rating input score 100; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 1.8% per year; rating input score 100; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 3.2% per year; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 97.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 12 of 12 board members independent · 4 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $276K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $61K · 13 people listed
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.

Key Signals

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

  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 6 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 25/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 17/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 48/100.