Historic Philadelphia Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
232764558
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Phone
2156295801
Rating
71
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Historical Societies, Related Historical Activities

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$4,263,920
Expenses
$4,762,507
Assets
$4,816,512
Liabilities
$2,087,493

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

Leadership & pay

25 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • AMY NEEDLE (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • AMY NEEDLE (PRESIDENT): $182,960 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Historic philadelphia, inc makes our nation's history relevant and real through interpretation, interaction and education, strengthening greater philadelphia's role as the destination to experience american history.

What it reported doing in 2024

Historic philadelphia, inc. (hpi) is charged with enhancing the visitor experience and helping to strengthen philadelphia's tourism industry through interpretation and interaction, making our nation's history relevant and real. Hpi reaches hundreds of thousands of people annually through its signature programs, which include: historic philadelphia, inc.'s (hpi) mission is to make our nation's history relevant, real, and fun by enlivening historic sites through storytelling, interactions, and education. 1. Once upon a nation - unique heritage initiative, incorporating: a. Academically researched interpretive storytelling at 10 locations in philadelphia's historic district and two locations in valley forge national historical park b. Interactive walking "adventure tours," led within philadelphia's historic district and valley forge national historical park, and engaging evening performances c. Colonial interpretive performances throughout philadelphia's historic district d. Benstitute, an intensive training for all seasonal employees that addresses historical, theatrical, and tourism content e. Educational programs created by classroom educators, for classroom educators, specifically designed for a wide range of learners with a variety of interests and learning styles.through once upon a nation, hpi engages visitors with first-person historical interpretation and storytelling that brings american history to life and strengthens philadelphia's role as a leading destination for cultural and educational tourism in philadelphia's historic district and valley forge.2. Betsy ross house - the preserved, historic site dedicated to telling the story of betsy ross and colonial middle-class women in philadelphiahistoric philadelphia, inc. Operates the betsy ross house, which welcomes over 80,000 visitors annually and interprets the life of betsy ross and colonial-era women through tours, living history, and public programs.3. Franklin square - the revitalized and transformed destination establishing green space, community programming, and attractions for visitors and area residents.historic philadelphia, inc. (hpi) operates franklin square, a 7.5-acre public park serving more than 700,000 visitors annually. It is the largest public green space serving old city, callowhill, and the chinatown community. Franklin square provides family attractions and more than 50 free public programs each year..

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 67% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
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 - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 78
  • Transparency & Controls: 67
  • Accountability: 84
  • Sustainability: 27
  • Growth: 40

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 90.3%; rating input score 90
  • Program expense ratio: 80.8%; rating input score 81
  • Fundraising efficiency: $4.13 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • 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 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • 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: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -11.7%; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.01; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.43; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 3.8%; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -1% per year; rating input score 0; 11th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 1.8% per year; rating input score 100; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -8.4% per year; rating input score 0; 2nd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 90.3% of revenue deployed · 80.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 23 of 23 board members independent · 5 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $3.8M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $183K · 25 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $648K reported
  • Consistency: 35 of 36 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • 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.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 13/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 12/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 37/100.
  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Schedule A contributions reconciliation did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 25/100.