Nonprofit · EIN 38-1381144
DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Tax-exempt · DETROIT, MI 48202
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2025 | 990 | $5,591,690 | $7,124,319 | -$1,532,629 | $9,298,497 | $1,699,397 | $7,599,100 |
| June 30, 2024 | 990 | $7,211,435 | $6,771,042 | $440,393 | $9,505,595 | $493,746 | $9,011,849 |
| June 30, 2023 | 990 | $8,571,688 | $5,740,337 | $2,831,351 | $9,044,979 | $373,902 | $8,671,077 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $4,199,877
- of which government grants
- $2,138,194
- Program service revenue
- $923,010
- Investment income
- $242,680
- Net gain from sales of assets
- $76,411
- Net income from fundraising events
- -$56,558
- Net income from sales of inventory
- $282,681
- Other revenue
- $226,123
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $0
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $950,519
- Other salaries and wages
- $2,820,311
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $4,378,965
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Legal fees
- $55,858
- Accounting fees
- $45,250
- Occupancy
- $668,560
- Travel
- $32,355
- Depreciation
- $457,612
- Program services (functional)
- $4,655,088
- Management and general (functional)
- $1,372,393
- Fundraising (functional)
- $1,096,838
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $9,505,595
- Total assets, end of year
- $9,298,497
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $1,699,397
- Net assets, end of year
- $7,599,100
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $2,414,747
- Publicly traded securities
- $5,371,465
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $6,840,495
- Net assets with donor restrictions
- $758,605
- Gross unrelated business income
- $1,404
- Gross receipts
- $8,139,821
- Employees
- 92
- Volunteers
- 51
- Year formed
- 1921
- State of legal domicile
- MI
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elana Rugh | President & CEO Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $275,269 | $19,076 |
| Douglas Czajkowski | VP of Development Key employee | 40 | $198,216 | $13,207 |
| Rebecca Witt | Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer Key employee | 40 | $172,500 | $2,095 |
| Tracy Irwin | Chief Exhibition Officer Officer | 40 | $128,903 | $17,752 |
| Matthew Greenough | Chief Financial Officer Officer | 40 | $113,565 | $23,409 |
| John P Decker | Chairperson Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Thomas C Buhl | Past Chairperson Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Linda Schlesinger-Wagner | 1st Vice Chairperson Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Mark J Albrecht | 2nd Vice Chairperson Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Greg Nowak | Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Dante Stella | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Lawrence N Bluth | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Lindsay Joseph | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Jeffrey Lambrecht | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Francis W McMillan II | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
38 more people on this return
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenneth J Svoboda | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Camille Walker Banks | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Markeith Weldon | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Akosua Barthwell Evans | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Marc Bland | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Paul Boehms | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Gary Brown | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Jim Deutchman | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Douglas Dossin | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Lena Epstein | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Michael Fisher Jr | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Robert Gillette Jr | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| F Neal Gram III | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Sean Gray | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Frederick Hall | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Rainy Hamilton | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Daniel Kaufman | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Bernie Kent | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Jin-Kyu Koh | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Michael Kosonog | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Margery Krevsky-Dosey | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Chauncey Mayfield II | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Chris Onwuzurike | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Joseph Parke | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Jeanette Pierce | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Leslye Rosenbaum | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Rick Ruffner | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Jonathan B Rumley | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Lois Shaevsky | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Dana Sorensen | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Coriel Taylor | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Ron Taylor | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Paul Van Tol | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Jean Vernor | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Mary Waters | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Alicia Jeffreys Ended | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Judith Knudsen Christie Ended | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Ned Staebler Ended | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
990 for the year ended June 30, 2024: 45 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elana Rugh | President and CEO Officer | 40 | $255,733 | $2,557 |
| Douglas Czajkowski | VP of Development Key employee | 40 | $178,600 | $11,554 |
| Rebecca Witt | Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer Key employee | 40 | $165,000 | $1,650 |
| Tracy Irwin | Chief Exhibition Officer Officer | 40 | $119,615 | $15,520 |
| Matthew Greenough | Chief Financial Officer Officer | 40 | $104,615 | $1,046 |
| Mark Albrecht | 2nd Vice Chairperson Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Akosua Barthwell-Evans | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Marc Bland | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Lawrence Bluth | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Paul Boehms | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Gary Brown | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Judith Knudsen Christie | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| John Decker | Board Chairperson Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| James Deutchman | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Douglas Dossin | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Lena Epstein | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Michael Fisher Jr | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Robert Gillette Jr | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Neal F Gram III | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Frederick Hall | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Alicia Jeffreys | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Lindsay Joseph | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Daniel Kaufman | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Bernie Kent | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Jin-Kyu Koh | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Michael Kosonog | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Jeffrey Lambrecht | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Chauncey Mayfield II | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Sandy FW McMillan II | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Gregory Nowak | Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Chris Onwuzurike | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Jeanette Pierce | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Leslye Rosenbaum | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Rick Ruffner | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Jonathan Rumley | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Linda Schlesinger-Wagner | 1st Vice Chairperson Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Lois Shaevsky | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Dana Sorensen | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Ned Staebler | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Dante Stella | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Kenneth Svoboda | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Paul Van Tol | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Camille Walker Banks | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Mary Waters | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Markeith Weldon | Trustee Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended June 30, 2023: 47 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELANA RUGH | PRESIDENT AND C.E.O. Officer | 40 | $221,000 | $2,150 |
| DOUG CZAJKOWSKI | VICE-PRESIDENT OF PHILANTHROPY Key employee | 40 | $181,100 | $16,166 |
| REBECCA SALIMINEN WITT | CHIEF MARKETING AND STRATEGY OFFICER Key employee | 40 | $160,000 | $9,073 |
| JOHN DECKER | CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| LINDA SCHLESINGER-WAGNER | FIRST VICE-CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MARK ALBRECHT | SECOND VICE-CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| GREG NOWAK | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DANTE STELLA | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| THOMAS BUHL | IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| CAMILLE WALKER BANKS | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| AKOSUA BARTHWELL-EVANS | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MARC BLAND | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| LAWRENCE BLUTH | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| PAUL BOEHMS | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| GARY BROWN | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JUDITH KNUDSEN CHRISTIE | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JAMES DEUTCHMAN | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DOUGLAS DOSSIN | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| LENA EPSTEIN | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MICHAEL FISHER JR | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ROBERT GILLETTE JR | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| NEAL GRAM III | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| FREDERICK HALL | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ALICIA JEFFREYS | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BRENDA JONES | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| LINDSAY JOSEPH | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DANIEL KAUFMAN | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BERNIE KENT | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JIN-KYU KOH | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MICHAEL KOSONOG | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JEFFREY LAMBRECHT | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| CHAUNCEY MAYFIELD II | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| FRANCIS MCMILLAN II | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| CHRIS ONWUZURIKE | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JEANETTE PIERCE | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BOBBI POLK | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| LESLYE ROSENBAUM | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| RICK RUFFNER | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JONATHAN B RUMLEY | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| LOIS SHAEVSKY | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DANA SORENSEN | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| NED STAEBLER | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| KENNETH SVOBODA | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| SUSAN TUKEL | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| PAUL VAN TOL | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MARKEITH WELDON | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MARY WATERS | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 5401 WOODWARD AVE, DETROIT, MI 48202-4009
- Principal officer (990 for 2024)
- Elana Rugh, 5401 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 482024009
- Signed the 990
- Elana Rugh, President & CEO
- Phone
- (313) 833-1805
- Website
- detroithistorical.org
- Return prepared by
- YEO & YEO PC
Mission
The Detroit Historical Society tells Detroit's stories and why they matter through its exhibits, programs, outreach, and the preservation and dissemination of its artifacts and collections.
Program accomplishments
- Management and oversight of the Detroit Historical Museum and Dossin Great Lakes Museum - the Detroit Historical Museums provide opportunities for individuals of all ages to experience a variety of historical stories and artifacts. The Detroit Historical Museum is open five days a week, 52 weeks per year. The Dossin Great Lakes Museum is open three days per week for 28 weeks per year and five days per week for 24 weeks per year. Both museums are open for private tours on days they are not open to the public. Together, the museums serve more than 180,000 people annually.Expenses $1,418,612 · revenue $367,000
- Public programs - the Detroit Historical Museums' goal is to offer opportunities for constituents to go in-dept on certain historical topics, either through lectures, workshops, films, or tours. The organization hosts approximately 30 community tours annually and approximately 25 in-museum programs. Generally, these programs are targeted at adults and seniors; however, there are special events and programs throughout the year aimed at students and families. The average community tour attendance is 30 people, and the average in-museum program attracts 40 individuals.Expenses $1,840,035 · revenue $476,023
- Maintaining more than 300,000 artifacts in the City of Detroit's collection, the Detroit Historical Society ensures the conservation and preservation of artifacts related to the history of the people, places, and events critical to the City of Detroit's history. A team of staff, interns, and volunteers is working to digitize aspects of the collection and place the information online. Even with the abatement of COVID-19, the appetite for digital content continues, and the organization is now focused on digitization as a way to increase accessibility to these artifacts for those that cannot come to the museums. The organization continues to receive several thousand items annually.Expenses $1,396,441 · revenue $361,264
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in June, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | June 30, 2026 | November 16, 2026 | Not due yet |
| 2024 | June 30, 2025 | November 17, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | June 30, 2024 | November 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 38-1381144
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 1955
- Accounting year ends
- June
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Arts, culture and humanities (A82Z)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $9,298,497
- Income (IRS master file)
- $8,139,821
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | June 2025 | $5,591,690 | $7,124,319 | $9,298,497 | XML |
| 990-T | June 2025 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | June 2024 | $7,211,435 | $6,771,042 | $9,505,595 | IRS |
| 990-T | June 2024 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | June 2023 | $8,571,688 | $5,740,337 | $9,044,979 | XML |
| 990-T | June 2023 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | June 2022 | $4,585,280 | $4,914,290 | $6,471,527 | IRS |
| 990-T | June 2022 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | June 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990-T | June 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | June 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | June 2019 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | June 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 38-1381144).
Questions about DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
- What is the EIN of DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY is 38-1381144.
- Is DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1955.
- Are donations to DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY due?
- The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending June 30, 2026) is due November 16, 2026. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended June 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY?
- The 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 names Elana Rugh.
- Who are the officers and directors of DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY?
- The 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 lists 53 people; 5 received compensation from the organization, the highest $275,269 (Elana Rugh, President & CEO).
- How much revenue does DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY have?
- On its 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 it reported revenue of $5,591,690, expenses of $7,124,319 and total assets of $9,298,497 at year end.
Other nonprofits in DETROIT
- DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS EIN 38-1359510 · last filed 990 for 2025
- DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HALL INC EIN 38-1385132 · last filed 990 for 2025
- ALLIED MEDIA PROJECTS INC EIN 01-0559608 · last filed 990 for 2024
- DETROIT OPERA EIN 38-2052726 · last filed 990 for 2025
- MOTOWN HISTORICAL MUSEUM INC EIN 38-2614561 · last filed 990 for 2025
- MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY EIN 38-1882096 · last filed 990 for 2025
- CULTURESOURCE EIN 26-1476029 · last filed 990 for 2025
- MUSIC HALL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS INC EIN 38-2019397 · last filed 990 for 2024
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