Winnebago Historical Society

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
510205104
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Forest City, IA, USA
Phone
6415812900
Rating
79
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Reported finances

Revenue
$204,777
Expenses
$242,207
Assets
$2,970,050
Liabilities
$0

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

Leadership & pay

16 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • DAN DAVIS (PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • GARY BARTLESON (BOARD MEMBER)
  • DAVE BARTLETT (BOARD MEMBER)
  • CHRISTOPHER BEITING (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

Winnebago historical society's (whs) exempt purpose is the promotion and preservation of artifacts and structures related to history, primarily that of and related to the winnebago county & north central region where we are located. Whs exists as a repository for artifacts and an information source for all ages. Whs is open at all sites for tours & educational opportunities at scheduled times and by appointment. Whs publishes newsletters several times a year with historical information and scheduled hours and planned demonstrations and events.

What it reported doing in 2025

Heritage park site allows for the collection, display, and demonstration of primarily farm related machinery and artifacts commonly used in the early 1900's in northern Iowa. This site also includes schools, a church, workshops and other business common to that era. Steam threshing, plowing and related activities occur on the grounds. The mansion museum is primary site of whs. This period home contains artifacts and clothing, demonstrating life in the early 20th century to present in northern Iowa. On display is an extensive collection of locally collected indian artifacts, and other period artifacts.

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

SUPPORTED - 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 expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 88
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 64
  • Sustainability: 49
  • Growth: 20

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 97.7%; rating input score 98
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

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: 1 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 14
    • 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: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -18.3%; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 12.26; rating input score 91; 91st 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: -1.3% per year; rating input score 0; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -1.7% per year; rating input score 0; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 2.8% per year; rating input score 100; 34th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 97.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 16 of 16 board members independent · 1 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $237K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 16 people listed
  • Consistency: 18 of 18 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2010 to 2025
  • 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: 5 of 6 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 12/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.