Federation of State Humanities Councils

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
351409894
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Arlington, VA, USA
Phone
7039089700
Rating
85
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$17,891,277
Expenses
$15,445,730
Assets
$4,007,878
Liabilities
$493,784

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

Leadership & pay

20 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • PHOEBE STEIN (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • PHOEBE STEIN (PRESIDENT): $196,514 total reported compensation
  • JOY HICKEY (DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND OPERATIONS): $111,185 total reported compensation
  • THERESA WORDEN (DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENT AND IMPACT): $111,185 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 federation advocates for increased investment in and engagement with the national network of humanities councils. We support, connect, and amplify the work and voices of our members, demonstrating councils' value for communities and their collective impact on civic health and cultural vibrancy.

What it reported doing in 2025

Information exchange - the federation hosts several internal listservs for its membership. Additionally, the federation sends weekly advocacy updates via a member as well as a non-member listserv. Monthly dedicated e-newsletters with information about council and federation activities, ongoing advocacy efforts, as well as partner activities in the wider humanities community go to 1) members and 2) the general public.humanities on the hill (hoh) - the federation's annual advocacy event, which brings humanities council advocates together from across the country to demonstrate the importance of funding for neh and the neh federal/state partnership, is a two-day event that includes a member briefing. The event provides an opportunity for federation members to meet with their congressional representatives, share advocacy best practices, and present a united message about the value of the humanities. Often, congressional representatives and staffers share remarks at the briefing and congressional reception (last held in 2024).

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 93% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 94% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown and some filed totals do not add up.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 88
  • Transparency & Controls: 76
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 49
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 82.7%; rating input score 83
  • Program expense ratio: 95.7%; rating input score 96
  • Fundraising efficiency: $178.53 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 86.7%; rating input score 87; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 91.1%; rating input score 91; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • 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: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 13.7%; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.26; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.12; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 2.7%; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 18.2% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 15.7% per year; rating input score 100; 87th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8.4% per year; rating input score 100; 59th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 82.7% of revenue deployed · 95.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 15 of 15 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $14.8M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $197K · 20 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 31 of 33 current checks pass · 2 findings to review
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2010 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 74 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 71 filed related-organization links
  • 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.

  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 5/100.
  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Schedule A contributions reconciliation did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Domestic grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.