Nonprofit · EIN 43-1103937
MISSOURI HUMANITIES COUNCIL
Tax-exempt · KANSAS CITY, MO 64127
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 31, 2025 | 990 | $2,986,857 | $4,756,571 | -$1,769,714 | $5,959,306 | $298,695 | $5,660,611 |
| October 31, 2024 | 990 | $5,949,523 | $2,999,525 | $2,949,998 | $7,701,975 | $348,008 | $7,353,967 |
| October 31, 2023 | 990 | $3,425,523 | $2,065,347 | $1,360,176 | $4,637,122 | $359,251 | $4,277,871 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended October 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $2,941,752
- of which government grants
- $2,598,846
- Program service revenue
- $0
- Investment income
- $16,410
- Other revenue
- $28,695
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $1,510,287
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $96,941
- Other salaries and wages
- $655,142
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $961,540
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Legal fees
- $1,587
- Accounting fees
- $87,470
- Occupancy
- $44,688
- Travel
- $64,452
- Depreciation
- $10,253
- Program services (functional)
- $4,245,323
- Management and general (functional)
- $357,943
- Fundraising (functional)
- $153,305
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $7,701,975
- Total assets, end of year
- $5,959,306
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $298,695
- Net assets, end of year
- $5,660,611
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $11,670
- Publicly traded securities
- $900,302
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $2,095,613
- Net assets with donor restrictions
- $3,564,998
- Gross receipts
- $3,001,581
- Employees
- 15
- Volunteers
- 4
- Year formed
- 1971
- State of legal domicile
- MO
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 October 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASHLEY BEARD-FOSNOW | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer | 40 | $90,000 | $7,023 |
| JOHN M ROBINSON III | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| MARCI BENNETT | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| BETTY COLEMAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| TRISH ERZFELD | CHAIRPERSON Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| JASON SIDES | VICE CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| MARILYNN BRADFORD | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| PETER HOFHERR | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| SUDARSAN KANT | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| GEORGE PETTIGREW | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JUAN MERAZ | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| DAWN SMITH-POPIELSKI | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| ALICIA STARR | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| NICHOLOAS INMAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended October 31, 2024: 17 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASHLEY BEARD-FOSNOW | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer | 40 | $90,000 | $6,300 |
| JOHN M ROBINSON III | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| MARCI BENNETT | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| THOMAS M BRANDOM | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| PETRA DEWITT | CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| BETTY COLEMAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| TRISH ERZFELD | VICE CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| NICHOLAS INMAN | SECRETARY Trustee or director | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| JASON SIDES | VICE CHAIR Trustee or director | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| MARVIN SILLIMAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| MARILYNN BRADFORD | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| PETER HOFHERR | DIRECTOR Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| SUDARSAN KANT | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| GEORGE PETTIGREW | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JUAN MERAZ | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DAWN SMITH-POPIELSKI | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ALICIA STARR | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended October 31, 2023: 17 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASHLEY BEARD-FOSNOW | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer | 40 | $90,000 |
| JOHN M ROBINSON III | FISCAL OFFICER Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 |
| MARCI BENNETT | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| THOMAS M BRANDOM | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| PETRA DEWITT | CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 |
| BETTY COLEMAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| TRISH ERZFELD | VICE CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 |
| LAURA DIERBERG AYERS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| SUDARSAN KANT | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| NICHOLAS INMAN | SECRETARY Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| JASON SIDES | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| BLAKE SHERER | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| MARVIN SILLIMAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| MARILYNN BRADFORD | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| PETER HOFHERR | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 |
| JUSTIN DYER | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| NAT HARDY | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- PO BOX 270166, KANSAS CITY, MO 64127-0166
- Principal officer (990 for 2024)
- CHRIS KEMPKE, PO BOX 270166 108, KANSAS CITY, MO 64127
- Signed the 990
- CHRIS KEMPKE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
- Phone
- (314) 371-8788
- Website
- WWW.MOHUMANITIES.ORG
- Return prepared by
- ANDERS MINKLER HUBER & HELM LLP
Mission
MISSOURI HUMANITIES IS A STATE-WIDE NONPROFIT THAT EXPLORES HISTORY, CIVICS, AND CULTURE THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND PUBLIC PROGRAMMING.
Program accomplishments
- MISSOURI HUMANITIES OFFERED 197 LIVE AND ASYNCHRONOUS COUNCIL-CONDUCTED PROGRAMS IN 2025. SUBRECIPIENT-CONDUCTED ACTIVITIES TOOK PLACE WITH 443,079 PARTICIPANTS. 506,046 TOTAL MISSOURIANS WERE SERVED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. GRANTSMAJOR GRANTS ARE AWARDED TO HUMANITIES-BASED PROPOSALS TWICE YEARLY FOR UP TO $15,000. MINI GRANTS ARE OFFERED TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS FOR PROJECTS OF UP TO $5,000. IN FY25, MH DISTRIBUTED A TOTAL OF $1,510,287 IN GRANTS. 90 GRANT-FUNDED PROGRAMS WERE HELD IN FY25, SERVING 404,667 PEOPLE.IDEAS THAT SHAPE OUR SOCIETY.SIGNATURE SERIESWE PROMOTE PUBLIC DIALOGUE THROUGH SCHOLARLY LECTURES, SYMPOSIA, INTERPRETIVE EXHIBITS, AND INTERACTIVE EVENTS. OUR SIGNATURE SERIES IN 2025 WAS MISSOURI VOICES: CIVICS AND CITIZENRY. WE EXPLORED INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE ROLES IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION AS WE EXAMINE THE BOLD "AMERICAN EXPERIMENT" OF A GOVERNMENT RUN BY AND FOR THE PEOPLE, A VISION ROOTED IN THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. 4,153 INDIVIDUALS JOINED US IN PERSON FOR 9 TENT-POLE SIGNATURE SERIES PROGRAMS. MISSOURI HUMANITIES ALSO PRODUCED 5 EPISODES OF THE MISSOURI VOICES PODCAST, WHICH WAS DOWNLOADED 520 TIMES. MISSOURI HUMANITIES PRODUCED THE DOCUMENTARY NOT IN OUR WILDEST DREAMS", WHICH HAD 918 VIEWS.CULTURAL HERITAGEOUR HERITAGE PROGRAMS PROMOTE MISSOURI'S RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE AND HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE. WE OFFERED 25 UNIQUE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING SCHOLAR PANELS, CULTURAL HERITAGE WORKSHOPS, AND TRAVELING EXHIBITS. WE ALSO HOSTED IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL CAPACITY-BUILDING WORKSHOPS FOR CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE STATE, REACHING AN AVERAGE OF 83 ATTENDEES PER WORKSHOP.VETERANS PROGRAMSTO AMPLIFY VETERAN VOICES AND EXPERIENCES, MH HOSTED TWO VETERANS WRITING WORKSHOPS, CO-PUBLISHED PROUD TO BE: WRITINGS BY AMERICAN WARRIORS, VOLUME 13, AND PRESENTED A PROUD TO BE READING AND ROUNDTABLE. THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS, WE ENGAGED 52 VETERANS, MILITARY-CONNECTED FAMILY MEMBERS, AND CIVILIANS.DIGITAL PROGRAMMINGMISSOURI HUMANITIES PROUDLY OFFERS MULTIPLE WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH HUMANITIES-BASED CONTENT FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME OR ON THE GO. FROM FILMS, VIDEO SERIES, PODCASTS, AND RECORDED PROGRAMS, TUNE IN TO EXPERIENCE A VARIETY OF STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE, PLACES, AND IDEAS ROOTED IN THE HUMANITIES. IN FY25, WE EXPERIENCED 57,992 VIDEO VIEWS WITH 2,136 HOURS WATCHED. 3,349 PODCASTS WERE DOWNLOADED. OUR PODCASTS HELP US REACH MORE PEOPLE BY PROVIDING HIGH-QUALITY, ENGAGING STORIES THAT LISTENERS CAN ENJOY ANYWHERE, ANYTIME. EACH YEAR, WE PRODUCE NEW EPISODES OF OUR MISSOURI HUMANITIES SIGNATURE SERIES PODCAST AND THE SMALL TOWN SHOWCASE PODCAST. IN 2025, WE PRODUCED 6 MORE SMALL TOWN SHOWCASE EPISODES AND 5 SIGNATURE SERIES EPISODES. IN TOTAL, OUR PODCASTS RECEIVED 3,349 DOWNLOADS. OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL RECEIVED 36,693 VIEWS, 1,669 HOURS OF VIEWERSHIP, AND 5,146 SUBSCRIBERS. IN SMALL TOWN SHOWCASE, WE STRIVE TO HIGHLIGHT THE UNIQUENESS OF RURAL MISSOURI AND TO SHOWCASE THE BIGGER PICTURE OF WHAT SMALL-TOWN AMERICA REALLY IS AND WHY IT SHOULDN'T BE OVERLOOKED, OVERSHADOWED, OR UNDERAPPRECIATED. EACH YEAR, COMMUNITIES WITH POPULATIONS UNDER 10,000 ARE NOMINATED AND VOTED ON BY MISSOURIANS TO BECOME OUR ANNUAL "FEATURED FIVE" COMMUNITIES, WHO THEN WORK WITH US THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO PRODUCE A PODCAST EPISODE AND SHORT FILM ABOUT THEIR TOWN. IN 2025, OUR FEATURED FIVE WERE ELSBERRY, STE. GENEVIEVE, POTOSI, PRAIRIE HOME, AND TARKIO. H-TV IS MISSOURI HUMANITIES' STREAMING PLATFORM'S CURATED COLLECTION OF FILMS, DOCU-SERIES, AND OTHER DIGITAL STORYTELLING PROJECTS TO CONNECT VIEWERS WITH STORIES, PEOPLE, AND PLACES ROOTED IN THE HUMANITIES. CONTENT ON H-TV INCLUDES PROJECTS PRODUCED BY MISSOURI HUMANITIES, LIKE SMALL TOWN SHOWCASE AND SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILMS, AS WELL AS CONTENT FROM OTHER CREATORS WHO STRIVE TO SHARE STORIES THROUGH FILM. WE ENDED THE YEAR WITH 21,398 USERS.LITERARY PROGRAMSMORE THAN 1,697 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN OUR THIRD ANNUAL HEARTLAND BOOK FESTIVAL, PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE KANSAS CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY AND MIDCONTINENT LIBRARY. THE FESTIVAL FEATURED LOCAL AND NATIONAL AUTHORS, PUBLISHERS, AND BOOKSTORES THROUGH AUTHOR TALKS, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, BOOK SIGNINGS, WORKSHOPS, AND BOOKCENTRIC VENDORS. AS THE MISSOURI CENTER FOR THE BOOK, MH REPRESENTED MISSOURI LITERATURE WITH TWO BOOK SELECTIONS AT THE 25TH ANNUAL LIBRARY OF CONGRESS'S NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL IN WASHINGTON, D.C.SPEAKERS BUREAUWE PARTNER WITH THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI TO PROVIDE A CATALOG OF 35 EXPERT HISTORIANS, STORYTELLERS, AND SCHOLARS TO GIVE IN-PERSON PRESENTATIONS ABOUT MISSOURI'S CULTURE, HISTORY, ART, AND PEOPLE TO AUDIENCES ACROSS THE STATE. IN FY25, A TOTAL OF 146 PRESENTATIONS WERE HELD ACROSS THE STATE, ATTENDED BY 4,721 INDIVIDUALS.Expenses $4,245,323 · grants $1,510,287
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 October, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | October 31, 2026 | March 15, 2027 | Not due yet |
| 2024 | October 31, 2025 | March 16, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | October 31, 2024 | March 17, 2025 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 43-1103937
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 1977
- Accounting year ends
- October
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Arts, culture and humanities (A700)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $5,959,306
- Income (IRS master file)
- $3,001,581
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | October 2025 | $2,986,857 | $4,756,571 | $5,959,306 | XML |
| 990 | October 2024 | $5,949,523 | $2,999,525 | $7,701,975 | IRS |
| 990 | October 2023 | $3,425,523 | $2,065,347 | $4,637,122 | XML |
| 990 | October 2022 | $2,622,833 | $1,667,664 | $3,183,944 | IRS |
| 990 | October 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | October 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | October 2019 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | October 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 43-1103937).
Questions about MISSOURI HUMANITIES COUNCIL
- What is the EIN of MISSOURI HUMANITIES COUNCIL?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of MISSOURI HUMANITIES COUNCIL is 43-1103937.
- Is MISSOURI HUMANITIES COUNCIL tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1977.
- Are donations to MISSOURI HUMANITIES COUNCIL tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does MISSOURI HUMANITIES COUNCIL 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 MISSOURI HUMANITIES COUNCIL due?
- The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending October 31, 2026) is due March 15, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did MISSOURI HUMANITIES COUNCIL last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended October 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of MISSOURI HUMANITIES COUNCIL?
- The 990 for the year ended October 31, 2025 names CHRIS KEMPKE.
- Who are the officers and directors of MISSOURI HUMANITIES COUNCIL?
- The 990 for the year ended October 31, 2025 lists 14 people; 1 received compensation from the organization, the highest $90,000 (ASHLEY BEARD-FOSNOW, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR).
- How much revenue does MISSOURI HUMANITIES COUNCIL have?
- On its 990 for the year ended October 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $2,986,857, expenses of $4,756,571 and total assets of $5,959,306 at year end.
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All nonprofits in KANSAS CITY · Missouri · Arts, culture and humanities