Wisconsin Historical Foundation
Legal name: Wisconsin Historical Foundation Inc
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 390921093
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2012–2024
- Official website data refreshed
- Sep 2026
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024
- Location
- Madison, WI, US
- Phone
- 888-748-7479
- Rating
- 74
- Verdict
- SUPPORTED
- Rating confidence
- Standard
- Sector
- Single Organization Support
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $35,049,150
- Expenses
- $14,747,525
- Assets
- $78,694,313
- Liabilities
- $970,193
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
24 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- JULIE LUSSIER (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
Highest reported compensation
- JULIE LUSSIER (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $188,681 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
The Wisconsin Historical Foundation supports the mission of the Wisconsin Historical Society by receiving grants and donations that benefit the Society and by administering the Society's membership program.
What it reported doing in 2024
Library and archives: the division of library, archives and museum collections acquires, preserves and provides access to documentary and artifactual evidence about the history of Wisconsin, the united states, and canada. With over 4 million items, its genealogy and history collections are among the largest and most comprehensive in the world documenting north american history. The society's library and archives is also the american history library for the university of Wisconsin, an official depository for local, state and federal government publications, and the state archives which preserves state and local government records of historical importance. The area research center network, a unique alliance between the historical society and the four-year campuses of the uw system, makes most of the archival collections available within easy driving distance of all state residents.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 86% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
- Distribution model
- Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 91% of its reported program spending out as grants.
- Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.
The verdict
SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 49
- Transparency & Controls: 83
- Accountability: 100
- Sustainability: 90
- Growth: 100
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 33.4%; rating input score 33
- Program expense ratio: 69.7%; rating input score 70
- Fundraising efficiency: $26.48 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
- Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
- Compensation committee: Missing
- Independent consultant: Missing
- Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
- Written employment contract: Missing
- Compensation survey or study: Pass
- Board or committee approval: Pass
- Foreign activity oversight: Limited
- Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
- Related-party transparency: Limited
Accountability
- Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
- Whistleblower policy: Pass
- Document-retention policy: Pass
- CEO compensation review process: Pass
- Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Pass
- Independent financial-statement audit: Pass
Sustainability
- Operating margin: 57.9%; rating input score 95; 95th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 5.34; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 1.3%; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 12.5% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 14.7% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 15.9% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
Details
- What they do: 2 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
- Where the money goes: 33.4% of revenue deployed · 69.7% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 23 of 23 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
- Programs: 7 filed program accomplishments · $10.3M in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $189K · 24 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
- Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $152K reported
- Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
- Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
- Filing history: 13 filing years from 2012 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
- Related organizations: 2 filed related-organization links
- 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 33/100.