DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

EIN 38-1381144 · Arts, Culture & Humanities (A82Z)

What they do

The Detroit Historical Society Tells Detroits Stories and Why They Matter Through Its Exhibits, Programs, Outreach, and The Preservation and Dissemination of Its Artifacts and Collections.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $65.30 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders53 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

83.25%of revenue went to mission work65.3% of expenses · Program services

19.62%of revenue went to fundraising15.4% of expenses

$127.41spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

24.54%of revenue went to management and office costs19.3% of expenses

$1.31in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

75.1%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $1,532,629 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $294,345 for ELANA RUGH (PRESIDENT & CEO). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$5,591,690

Mission workProgram services$4,655,08883.25% of revenue65.3% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$1,372,39324.54% of revenue19.3% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$1,096,83819.62% of revenue15.4% of expenses

Total expenses$7,124,319127.41% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 65.3% mission · 19.3% management · 15.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 127.41% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 67.9% mission · 19.0% management · 13.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 93.89% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 67.7% mission · 22.2% management · 10.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 66.97% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 58.7% mission · 24.2% management · 17.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 107.18% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 62.2% mission · 18.8% management · 19.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 164.59% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 68.1% mission · 18.3% management · 13.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 169.83% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 66.1% mission · 19.8% management · 14.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 109.22% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 78.2% mission · 10.7% management · 11.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 130.28% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$5,591,690

Expenses$7,124,319

Annual shortfall $1,532,629 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$4,655,088 · 65.3% of expenses

Management and office costs$1,372,393 · 19.3% of expenses

Fundraising$1,096,838 · 15.4% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$5,591,690

Expenses$7,124,319

Assets$9,298,497

Income$8,139,821

Contributions$4,199,877

Mission work (program services)$4,655,088

Fundraising$1,096,838

Management and general$1,372,393

Executive compensation (total)$484,948

Stocks and bonds$5,371,465

Accounting fees$45,250

Investing fees$25,005

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

ELANA RUGHPRESIDENT & CEO · 40 hrs/week $294,345Base $275,269 · Other $19,076

DOUGLAS CZAJKOWSKIVP OF DEVELOPMENT · 40 hrs/week $211,423Base $198,216 · Other $13,207

REBECCA WITTCHIEF STRATEGY & MARKETING OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $174,595Base $172,500 · Other $2,095

TRACY IRWINCHIEF EXHIBITION OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $146,655Base $128,903 · Other $17,752

MATTHEW GREENOUGHCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $136,974Base $113,565 · Other $23,409

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (53)

ELANA RUGHPRESIDENT & CEO

DOUGLAS CZAJKOWSKIVP OF DEVELOPMENT

REBECCA WITTCHIEF STRATEGY & MARKETING OFFICER

TRACY IRWINCHIEF EXHIBITION OFFICER

MATTHEW GREENOUGHCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

LINDA SCHLESINGER-WAGNER1ST VICE CHAIRPERSON

LINDSAY JOSEPHTRUSTEE

LESLYE ROSENBAUMTRUSTEE

LOIS SHAEVSKYTRUSTEE

MARC BLANDTRUSTEE

LENA EPSTEINTRUSTEE

MARGERY KREVSKY-DOSEYTRUSTEE

JUDITH KNUDSEN CHRISTIE ENDEDTRUSTEE

MARK J ALBRECHT2ND VICE CHAIRPERSON

MARKEITH WELDONTRUSTEE

MARY WATERSTRUSTEE

LAWRENCE N BLUTHTRUSTEE

MICHAEL KOSONOGTRUSTEE

MICHAEL FISHER JRTRUSTEE

NED STAEBLER ENDEDTRUSTEE

PAUL BOEHMSTRUSTEE

PAUL VAN TOLTRUSTEE

RAINY HAMILTONTRUSTEE

RICK RUFFNERTRUSTEE

ROBERT GILLETTE JRTRUSTEE

RON TAYLORTRUSTEE

SEAN GRAYTRUSTEE

THOMAS C BUHLPAST CHAIRPERSON

FREDERICK HALLTRUSTEE

ALICIA JEFFREYS ENDEDTRUSTEE

BERNIE KENTTRUSTEE

CAMILLE WALKER BANKSTRUSTEE

CHAUNCEY MAYFIELD IITRUSTEE

CHRIS ONWUZURIKETRUSTEE

CORIEL TAYLORTRUSTEE

DANA SORENSENTRUSTEE

DANIEL KAUFMANTRUSTEE

DANTE STELLASECRETARY

DOUGLAS DOSSINTRUSTEE

F NEAL GRAM IIITRUSTEE

FRANCIS W MCMILLAN IITRUSTEE

KENNETH J SVOBODATRUSTEE

GARY BROWNTRUSTEE

GREG NOWAKTREASURER

JEAN VERNORTRUSTEE

JEANETTE PIERCETRUSTEE

JEFFREY LAMBRECHTTRUSTEE

JIM DEUTCHMANTRUSTEE

JIN-KYU KOHTRUSTEE

JOHN P DECKERCHAIRPERSON

JONATHAN B RUMLEYTRUSTEE

JOSEPH PARKETRUSTEE

AKOSUA BARTHWELL EVANSTRUSTEE

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1955
Location: 5401 WOODWARD AVE, DETROIT, MI 48202-4009
County: Wayne
In care of: Elana Rugh
Primary officer: Elana Rugh, President & CEO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailnatalier@detroithistorical.org Phone(313) 833-1805

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: YEO & YEO PC
NTEE classification: Arts, Culture & Humanities (A82Z)
IRS tax category: Historical Sites