Summit County Historical Society of Akron Ohio

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
340766170
IRS 990 coverage
2017–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Akron, OH, USA
Phone
3305351120
Rating
84
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Historical Societies & Historic Preservation

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$435,300
Expenses
$480,799
Assets
$653,816
Liabilities
$5,946

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

Leadership & pay

24 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • LEIANNE NEFF HEPPNER (PRESIDENT/CE)

People named in this filing

  • CHRISTOPHER ESKER (CHAIR)
  • LIZ BLYSTONE (TREASURER)
  • CARRIE BURRIER (SECRETARY)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

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

Overview

Mission

The society was founded in 1924 for the original purpose of writing a centenniaal history of akron, Ohio. Today, our mission is to preserve and interpret the history of summit county and akron, and to educate regional communities about the people and events that have shaped our rich history. We own and manage perkins stone mansion, home of akron's founding family; john brown house, home of the internationally recognized abolitionist; and old stone school in downtown akron. Major programs include discovery trunks, 4th grade outreach, adult outreach, special events including sheep herding demonstrations for the flock of sheep on property, free family day opportunities each summer and fall, walking and house tours.

What it reported doing in 2024

The society serves all residents of summit county with many free programs offered throughout the year to educate our local neighborhood residents, many in low income and multigenerational families. Events hosted by the society focus on our cultural history with special emphasis on our youth summit, juneteenth, john brown institute fall lecture, north american first peoples day and more. Many former residents and researchers contact the agency to locate resources. Artifacts, both three dimensional and two dimensional, are featured throughout summit county with special exhibits, digital exhibits and social media. The society is responsible for caring for and preserving 10 structures of which the largest include the perkins stone mansion, the home of akron's and summit county's founding family; the john brown house, rented by the abolitionist who sparked the end of slavery in the united states; and the old stone school.

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 revenue has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 94
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 70
  • Sustainability: 38
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 91.8%; rating input score 92
  • Fundraising efficiency: $34.62 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 70; 70th 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: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 2 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 29
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -10.5%; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.36; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 0.1% per year; rating input score 100; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -5.7% per year; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 0.5% per year; rating input score 100; 27th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 91.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 24 of 24 board members independent · 2 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $441K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 24 people listed
  • Consistency: 20 of 20 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2017 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • 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 — Accountability: Governance controls: 4 of 6 not reported.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 22/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 49/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 46/100.