Vista Historical Society

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
953752966
IRS 990 coverage
2013–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2023
Location
Vista, CA, USA
Phone
7606300444
Rating
65
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Historical Societies & Historic Preservation

Reported finances

Revenue
$127,749
Expenses
$69,476
Assets
$513,210
Liabilities
$0

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

Leadership & pay

14 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • ELEANOR HUTCHINS (PRESIDENT)
  • JANICE KLAFEHN (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • DAVID LARKIN (VICE PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • CAROLYN CHIRIBOGA (DIRECTOR)
  • ELEANOR HUTCHINS (PRESIDENT)
  • JACK LARIMER (MUSEUM DIRECTOR)

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 vista ranchos historical society is specifically concerned with the discovery, recording, collecting and preservation of the historical facts, properties and other materials regarding the history of the southwestern united states, particularly the settlement and development of

What it reported doing in 2024

The vista ranchos historical society is specifically concerned with the discovery, recording, collecting and preservation of the historical facts, properties and other materials regarding the history of the southwestern united statesparticularly the settlement and development of the city of vista and its surrounding areas within the county of san diego. The society has approximately 400 members and a 11 member board. Presently there are artifacts and historical information, objects and documents displayed in the museum for all to see.the museum is located within the city of vista and has one docent on staff who works 20 hours per week. The museum is open from 10:00 a.m. To 3:00 p.m. Wed, thurs., fri., and sat. Admission is free. Donations are accepted. A 30 minute documentary film called the history of vista, featuring interviews with several long-time residents, presents an interesting viewpoint of vista and the people who lived there during theearly formative year

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 75% 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 program spending has grown recently. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of voting board members are independent.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 57
  • Transparency & Controls: 90
  • Accountability: 30
  • Sustainability: 85
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 51%; rating input score 51
  • Program expense ratio: 85.5%; rating input score 85
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 90%; rating input score 90; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Limited
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 0%; rating input score 0; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • 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: 45.6%; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 7.39; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 2.6% per year; rating input score 100; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 2.2% per year; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 3.3% per year; rating input score 100; 39th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 51% of revenue deployed · 85.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 0 of 20 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $59K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 14 people listed
  • Consistency: 21 of 22 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 3 filing years from 2013 to 2024
  • 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.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 51/100.
  • High — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Schedule A contributions reconciliation did not reconcile in the filed values.