Transylvania County Historical Society Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
561586331
IRS 990 coverage
2014–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-N 2024
Location
Brevard, NC, USA
Phone
2016026947
Rating
76
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Historical Societies & Historic Preservation

Reported finances

Revenue
$218,422
Expenses
$82,062
Assets
$1,700,489
Liabilities
$0

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

Leadership & pay

7 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Gregory Hunter (Vice President)

People named in this filing

  • Marjorie Lillard (Presidetn)
  • Gregory Hunter (Vice President)
  • Matthew Agrella-Sevilla (Board Member)

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 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The mission of the Transylvania County Historical Society is to preserve the cultural and architectural history of Transylvania County through research historic documentation and interpretation. This is accomplished through the stewardship of historic properties in Transylvania County the Allison-Deaver House and the McGaha Chapel. Both properties are designated as local landmarks by the JHPC and the Allison-Deaver House is on the National Register of Historic Places.

What it reported doing in 2025

Operation of Allison-Deaver House Museum & Grounds and McGaha Chapel Operated and maintained the Allison-Deaver House Museum and surrounding grounds for public tours educational interpretation and year-round free public access to gardens walking trails and picnic areas. Managed the McGaha Chapel for community events weddings reunions and old-time sing-alongs. Provided public access and rental opportunities while preserving these historic sites as living museums.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 80% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
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 - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of total spending goes to programs. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 63
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 70
  • Sustainability: 89
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 36.9%; rating input score 37
  • Program expense ratio: 96.3%; rating input score 96
  • Fundraising efficiency: $321.97 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 93; 93rd 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; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 2 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 29
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • 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: 62.4%; rating input score 94; 94th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 20.72; rating input score 95; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 17.1% per year; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 9.5% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 10.1% per year; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 36.9% of revenue deployed · 96.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 7 of 7 board members independent · 2 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $79K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 7 people listed
  • Consistency: 42 of 42 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 2 filing years from 2014 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • 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.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 37/100.
  • High — Accountability: Governance controls: 4 of 6 not reported.