Henry L Ferguson Museum
Henry L Ferguson Museum reports $0 revenue and $4.2M expenses in 2023, drawing down assets by over $4M.
EIN: 116015380 · Fishers Isle, NY · NTEE: A560 · Updated: 2026-03-28
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Expenses | $4.2M |
| Program Spending | 85% |
| Net Assets | $9.8M |
| Transparency Score | 85/100 |
Is Henry L Ferguson Museum Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
Henry L Ferguson Museum directs 85% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About Henry L Ferguson Museum
Henry L Ferguson Museum (EIN: 116015380) is a nonprofit organization based in Fishers Isle, NY, classified under NTEE code A560. The organization reported total revenue of $0 and total assets of $9.8M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Henry L Ferguson Museum's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
Organization Overview
Henry L Ferguson Museum is a micro nonprofit that has been operating for 61 years, with 13 years of IRS 990 filings on record (2011–2023).
Financial Trends
| Year | Revenue Change | Expense Change | Asset Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | -100.0% | +529.8% | -30.3% |
| 2022 | -27.3% | +2.0% | -4.1% |
| 2019 | -100.0% | -81.9% | -0.5% |
IRS Tax-Exempt Classification
| IRS Classification Codes | 1000 |
| IRS Ruling Date | 1965 |
Classification data from ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Additional BMF data may be available after enrichment.
AI Transparency Report
Mission Effectiveness Score
NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Henry L Ferguson Museum with a Mission Score of 85 out of 100 (Excellent). This score reflects the organization's overall financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance indicators derived from IRS 990 public filings.
Spending Breakdown
- admin: 10%
- programs: 85%
- fundraising: 5%
According to IRS 990 filings, Henry L Ferguson Museum allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 10%, programs: 85%, fundraising: 5%. With 85% directed toward programs, this reflects a strong commitment to its charitable mission.
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
Executive Compensation Analysis
Executive compensation is consistently reported as 0% across all filings, indicating that the organization's leadership is either entirely volunteer-based or compensated through non-officer roles, which is highly favorable for donor confidence and resource allocation.
Executive compensation data is sourced from IRS 990 filings, which require nonprofits to disclose the compensation of officers, directors, trustees, and key employees. NonprofitSpending analyzes this data relative to the organization's total revenue and sector benchmarks to assess whether executive pay is reasonable.
Red Flags
The following concerns were identified during AI analysis of Henry L Ferguson Museum's IRS 990 filings:
- Significant asset drawdown in 2023 ($4.2M expenses with $0 revenue)
- Inconsistent annual revenue, with multiple years reporting $0 revenue
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for Henry L Ferguson Museum:
- Consistently reports 0% officer compensation, indicating efficient use of funds for leadership
- Maintains substantial assets (over $9.7M in 2023), providing financial stability
- Consistently low liabilities across all reported periods
- Positive net income in several years (e.g., 2022, 2021, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014) demonstrates effective management when revenue is present
Frequently Asked Questions about Henry L Ferguson Museum
Is Henry L Ferguson Museum a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Henry L Ferguson Museum (EIN: 116015380) some concerns. Mission Score: 85/100. 2 red flags identified, 4 strengths noted.
How does Henry L Ferguson Museum spend its money?
Henry L Ferguson Museum directs 85% of its spending to programs and services. The remaining budget covers administration and fundraising costs.
Are donations to Henry L Ferguson Museum tax-deductible?
Henry L Ferguson Museum is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 116015380). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
What percentage of Henry L Ferguson Museum's spending goes to programs?
Henry L Ferguson Museum directs 85% to programs, 5% to fundraising. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark for efficient nonprofits.
How does Henry L Ferguson Museum compare to similar nonprofits?
With a transparency score of 85/100 (Excellent), Henry L Ferguson Museum is above average for NTEE category A560 nonprofits. The score reflects financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance quality based on IRS 990 data.
Where is Henry L Ferguson Museum located?
Henry L Ferguson Museum is headquartered in Fishers Isle, New York and files with the IRS under EIN 116015380. It is classified under NTEE code A560.
How many years of IRS 990 filings does Henry L Ferguson Museum have?
Henry L Ferguson Museum has 13 years of IRS 990 filings on record at NonprofitSpending. This extensive filing history provides a strong basis for evaluating long-term financial trends.
Is the Henry L Ferguson Museum a good charity?
Based on the available data, the museum demonstrates strong financial management in terms of low liabilities and zero officer compensation. However, the significant expense in 2023 without corresponding revenue, leading to a substantial asset reduction, warrants further investigation into the nature of these expenses to fully assess its programmatic efficiency for that year. In prior years with revenue, expenses were well-managed.
Why did the museum have $0 revenue in 2023, 2020, and 2019?
The IRS 990 filings show $0 revenue for these periods. This could indicate that the organization primarily relies on endowment income, infrequent large grants, or non-cash contributions not reported as revenue, rather than consistent annual fundraising or program service fees. It suggests a funding model that isn't dependent on annual operational income.
What caused the $4,226,808 in expenses in 2023?
The filings do not provide a detailed breakdown of expenses. Given the significant amount and the $0 revenue, these expenses likely represent major capital projects, significant investments in collections, or a substantial one-time operational cost that drew heavily from the museum's substantial asset base.
How does the museum sustain itself with periods of no revenue?
With assets consistently in the multi-million dollar range (e.g., $9,763,103 in 2023), the museum likely has a substantial endowment or investment portfolio that generates income or can be drawn upon to cover operational and programmatic expenses, especially during years with low or no direct revenue.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for Henry L Ferguson Museum showing financial trends over 13 years of public records:
Over 13 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Henry L Ferguson Museum's revenue has declined by 100%, moving from $188K to $0. Total assets increased by 7.3% over the same period, from $9.1M to $9.8M. Total functional expenses rose by 2044%, from $197K to $4.2M.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $0 | $4.2M | $9.8M | $0 | — | — |
| 2022 | $702K | $671K | $14.0M | $8K | — | View 990 |
| 2021 | $966K | $658K | $14.6M | $28K | — | View 990 |
| 2020 | $0 | $68K | $12.8M | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2019 | $0 | $68K | $12.9M | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2018 | $696K | $376K | $12.9M | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2017 | $1.8M | $378K | $12.8M | $4K | — | View 990 |
| 2016 | $1.3M | $297K | $11.2M | $3K | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $544K | $265K | $9.9M | $4K | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $637K | $253K | $9.9M | $2K | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $272K | $232K | $9.6M | $6K | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $207K | $202K | $9.2M | $756 | — | View 990 |
| 2011 | $188K | $197K | $9.1M | $1K | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2023: Revenue of $0, expenses of $4.2M, and assets of $9.8M (revenue -100.0% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $702K, expenses of $671K, and assets of $14.0M (revenue -27.3% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $966K, expenses of $658K, and assets of $14.6M.
- 2020: Revenue of $0, expenses of $68K, and assets of $12.8M.
- 2019: Revenue of $0, expenses of $68K, and assets of $12.9M (revenue -100.0% year-over-year).
- 2018: Revenue of $696K, expenses of $376K, and assets of $12.9M (revenue -62.1% year-over-year).
- 2017: Revenue of $1.8M, expenses of $378K, and assets of $12.8M (revenue +41.7% year-over-year).
- 2016: Revenue of $1.3M, expenses of $297K, and assets of $11.2M (revenue +138.1% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $544K, expenses of $265K, and assets of $9.9M (revenue -14.6% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $637K, expenses of $253K, and assets of $9.9M (revenue +133.9% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $272K, expenses of $232K, and assets of $9.6M (revenue +31.3% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $207K, expenses of $202K, and assets of $9.2M (revenue +10.5% year-over-year).
- 2011: Revenue of $188K, expenses of $197K, and assets of $9.1M.
View Individual Filing Years
Explore detailed financial data from each IRS 990 filing year for Henry L Ferguson Museum:
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for Henry L Ferguson Museum is generated by NonprofitSpending's AI analysis engine. The data is sourced from publicly available IRS 990 filings accessed through the ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer API and IRS electronic filing records. The Mission Score, spending breakdown, and other analytical insights are produced by artificial intelligence and should be used as one of multiple factors when evaluating a nonprofit organization.
IRS 990 forms are annual information returns that most tax-exempt organizations must file with the IRS. These forms provide detailed financial information including revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, and compensation of officers. NonprofitSpending processes this data to provide accessible transparency reports for donors, researchers, and the general public.
Disclaimer
AI-generated analysis based on IRS public records. Not financial or legal advice. Verify information directly with the organization.