Portsmouth Historical Society
Portsmouth Historical Society reports operating deficits in recent years despite substantial assets and no officer compensation.
EIN: 20240383 · Portsmouth, NH · Updated: 2026-03-28
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $801K |
| Total Expenses | $858K |
| Program Spending | 70% |
| Net Assets | $3.2M |
| Transparency Score | 75/100 |
Is Portsmouth Historical Society Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
Portsmouth Historical Society directs 70% of its spending to programs. This meets the industry benchmark of 65% for efficient nonprofits.
About Portsmouth Historical Society
Portsmouth Historical Society (EIN: 20240383) is a nonprofit organization based in Portsmouth, NH. The organization reported total revenue of $801K and total assets of $3.0M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Portsmouth Historical Society's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
Organization Overview
Portsmouth Historical Society is a small nonprofit that has been operating for 33 years, with 13 years of IRS 990 filings on record (2011–2023). Revenue has grown at a compound annual rate of -0.6%.
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
| Total Revenue | $679K |
| Total Expenses | $858K |
| Surplus / Deficit | $-179,203 |
| Total Assets | $3.2M |
| Total Liabilities | $33K |
| Net Assets | $3.2M |
| Operating Margin | -26.4% |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio | 1.0% |
| Months of Reserves | 45.3 months |
Financial Health Grade: B
In 2023, Portsmouth Historical Society reported a deficit of $179K with expenses exceeding revenue, holds 45.3 months of operating reserves (strong position), has a debt-to-asset ratio of 1.0% (very low leverage).
Financial Trends
Over 13 years of filings (2011–2023), Portsmouth Historical Society's revenue has declined at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -0.6%.
| Year | Revenue Change | Expense Change | Asset Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +32.0% | -0.2% | -5.6% |
| 2022 | -83.9% | +8.9% | -9.2% |
| 2021 | +311.1% | +37.1% | +165.6% |
| 2020 | +33.4% | -1.9% | +10.7% |
| 2019 | -24.1% | -13.9% | -3.9% |
IRS Tax-Exempt Classification
| IRS Classification Codes | 1000 |
| IRS Ruling Date | 1993 |
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 Portsmouth Historical Society with a Mission Score of 75 out of 100 (Good). This score reflects the organization's overall financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance indicators derived from IRS 990 public filings.
Spending Breakdown
- admin: 20%
- programs: 70%
- fundraising: 10%
According to IRS 990 filings, Portsmouth Historical Society allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 20%, programs: 70%, fundraising: 10%. Approximately 70% goes to programs, indicating moderate mission focus.
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
- The organization reported a deficit of $179K, with expenses exceeding revenue.
- Debt-to-asset ratio: 1.0%.
Executive Compensation Analysis
The Portsmouth Historical Society consistently reports 0% officer compensation across all available filings, indicating that its top leadership is either unpaid or compensated through non-officer categories, which is a strong positive for donor trust 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 Portsmouth Historical Society's IRS 990 filings:
- Consistent operating deficits in recent years (2022 and 2023), where expenses significantly exceeded revenue.
- Lack of detailed breakdown for program, administrative, and fundraising expenses in the provided data, making efficiency analysis difficult.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for Portsmouth Historical Society:
- Consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation, indicating strong financial stewardship regarding executive pay.
- Substantial and stable asset base, consistently over $1 million for the past decade, providing financial resilience.
- Significant reduction in liabilities over the past decade, from $362,745 in 2014 to $32,657 in 2023, demonstrating good debt management.
- Long history of IRS 990 filings (13 filings), indicating consistent compliance and transparency.
Frequently Asked Questions about Portsmouth Historical Society
Is Portsmouth Historical Society a legitimate charity?
Portsmouth Historical Society (EIN: 20240383) is a registered tax-exempt nonprofit based in New Hampshire. Our AI analysis gives it a Mission Score of 75/100. It has 13 years of IRS 990 filings on record. Total revenue: $801K. 2 red flags identified. 4 strengths noted. Financial health grade: B.
How does Portsmouth Historical Society spend its money?
Portsmouth Historical Society directs 70% of its spending to programs and services. Fundraising costs 10%. This meets the 65% industry benchmark.
Are donations to Portsmouth Historical Society tax-deductible?
Portsmouth Historical Society is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 20240383). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
What percentage of Portsmouth Historical Society's spending goes to programs?
Portsmouth Historical Society directs 70% to programs, 10% to fundraising. This meets the 65% industry benchmark for efficient nonprofits.
Where is Portsmouth Historical Society located?
Portsmouth Historical Society is headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and files with the IRS under EIN 20240383.
How many years of IRS 990 filings does Portsmouth Historical Society have?
Portsmouth Historical Society 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. The most recent filing shows $801K in total revenue.
Why did expenses exceed revenue in 2022 and 2023?
In 2022, expenses were $859,915 against revenue of $514,411, and in 2023, expenses were $858,372 against revenue of $679,169. This indicates operating deficits in these periods, which could be due to increased program costs, capital expenditures, or a decline in donations/grants.
What caused the significant revenue spike in 2021?
Revenue jumped to $3,186,969 in 2021 from $775,213 in 2020 and $514,411 in 2022. This large, one-time increase likely indicates a major capital campaign, a significant bequest, or a large grant received in that specific year.
How does the organization manage its liabilities?
Liabilities have generally decreased over the past decade, from $362,745 in 2014 to $32,657 in 2023, indicating effective management and reduction of debt or obligations.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for Portsmouth Historical Society showing financial trends over 13 years of public records:
Over 13 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Portsmouth Historical Society's revenue has declined by 6.8%, moving from $729K to $679K. Total assets increased by 382% over the same period, from $672K to $3.2M. Total functional expenses rose by 18.3%, from $725K to $858K. In its most recent filing year (2023), Portsmouth Historical Society reported a deficit of $179K, with expenses exceeding revenue. The organization holds $33K in liabilities against $3.2M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 1.0%), resulting in net assets of $3.2M.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $679K | $858K | $3.2M | $33K | — | — |
| 2022 | $514K | $860K | $3.4M | $44K | — | View 990 |
| 2021 | $3.2M | $789K | $3.8M | $46K | — | View 990 |
| 2020 | $775K | $576K | $1.4M | $89K | — | — |
| 2019 | $581K | $587K | $1.3M | $151K | — | View 990 |
| 2018 | $766K | $682K | $1.3M | $198K | — | View 990 |
| 2017 | $681K | $626K | $1.3M | $252K | — | View 990 |
| 2016 | $678K | $695K | $1.3M | $286K | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $586K | $549K | $1.4M | $344K | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $594K | $591K | $1.4M | $363K | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $562K | $483K | $1.5M | $481K | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $921K | $408K | $1.4M | $451K | — | View 990 |
| 2011 | $729K | $725K | $672K | $39K | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2023: Revenue of $679K, expenses of $858K, and assets of $3.2M (revenue +32.0% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $514K, expenses of $860K, and assets of $3.4M (revenue -83.9% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $3.2M, expenses of $789K, and assets of $3.8M (revenue +311.1% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $775K, expenses of $576K, and assets of $1.4M (revenue +33.4% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $581K, expenses of $587K, and assets of $1.3M (revenue -24.1% year-over-year).
- 2018: Revenue of $766K, expenses of $682K, and assets of $1.3M (revenue +12.5% year-over-year).
- 2017: Revenue of $681K, expenses of $626K, and assets of $1.3M (revenue +0.4% year-over-year).
- 2016: Revenue of $678K, expenses of $695K, and assets of $1.3M (revenue +15.9% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $586K, expenses of $549K, and assets of $1.4M (revenue -1.5% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $594K, expenses of $591K, and assets of $1.4M (revenue +5.7% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $562K, expenses of $483K, and assets of $1.5M (revenue -39.0% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $921K, expenses of $408K, and assets of $1.4M (revenue +26.3% year-over-year).
- 2011: Revenue of $729K, expenses of $725K, and assets of $672K.
View Individual Filing Years
Explore detailed financial data from each IRS 990 filing year for Portsmouth Historical Society:
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for Portsmouth Historical Society 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.