The Tampa Bay History Center

What it reported doing in 2024

The tampa bay history center, inc. (tbhc) was incorporated as the history museum of tampa/hillsborough county, inc. Its name was changed in 1993 to better reflect its mission and purpose. Tbhc was organized for the purpose of establishing facilities for interpretation of materials and artifacts of area history; to foster dissemination and understanding of area history through educational and public outreach programs; and to encourage an interest in history through cooperation with other historical and cultural organizations and educational institutions.(continued on schedule o)tbhc is a non-profit educational institution in downtown tampa, Florida that seeks to preserve and teach the remarkable history of the tampa bay area. Tbhc is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and is funded in part by the hillsborough county board of county commissioners and the city of tampa.an academic partnership has been established by the history center with the university of south Florida - funded by an endowment. The endowment's income underwrites public education programs and activities designed jointly by tbhc and the Florida studies center based at the usf library. Other education partners include the hillsborough county school district, the tampa/hillsborough county public library system, the university of tampa and hillsborough community college.tbhc's three floors of museum galleries and three theater experiences are open to the public from 10 a.m. To 5 p.m., seven days per week, 363 days per year. Content presented focuses on 12,000 years of regional and Florida history, including: native groups that lived along Florida's west coast for thousands of years; a virtual tour of significant regional landmarks; events that were catalysts for change in the region, focusing on civil rights, urban development and the natural environment; military history; conquistadors, pirates and shipwrecks; a map gallery which presents rotating exhibitions of maps, charts and other documents dating back more than 500 years; and, more.tbhc's galleries feature content related to the region's many and diverse communities, including: early spanish explorers; the italian, cuban, spanish and other immigrants who founded significant industries and neighborhoods; Florida native groups including the tocobaga, timucua and seminole tribes; pioneer settlers; black history; early european explorers and others. Several of tbhc's exhibit texts are presented in both english and spanish.youth adventure camps: these themed camps include creative activities throughout the museum, interactive exhibits, arts and crafts, games, music, literature, splash park fun and interaction with historians, artifacts and other experts. Camps are led by experienced educators dedicated to providing unique and engaging history learning experiences for campers. Tbhc offered four one-week camps during fiscal year 2025.school student tour programs: led by trained docents, school students and scouts are provided with age-specific, targeted educational activities throughout the museum galleries to engage them in experiential and hands-on learning about local and regional history. During fiscal year 2025, 141 student tours were conducted, serving 10,592 students and educators.school outreach/history-to-go-kits: history-to-go kits offer engaging, primary source-based activities that help students improve their historical thinking skills. Filled with cultural artifacts, historic photographs and other learning materials, kits are developed by a team of educators and designed to help teachers meet Florida education standards across the curriculum. Each kit contains background information, object descriptions and lesson plans for multiple grade levels and learning styles. During fiscal year 2025, history to go kits served 652 students. An additional 2,350 students were served through other school outreach events, including the great american teach in and virtual education tours.Florida conversations, nell ward

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 88.9%; rating input score 89
• Program expense ratio: 70.7%; rating input score 71
• Fundraising efficiency: $5.21 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • 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: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 95.7%; rating input score 96; 26th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -18.1%; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.81; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 15%; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 1.4% per year; rating input score 100; 19th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 3.7% per year; rating input score 100; 32nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 2.2% per year; rating input score 100; 20th percentile among comparable filings