Skip to main content

Nonprofit · EIN 94-0385620

CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Tax-exempt · SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105

Financials

$345K$2.2M2022$6.6M$2.5M2023$5.3M$7.5M2024
Revenue Expenses · by fiscal year end
Financials of CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY by year, from its e-filed returns
Year endedFormRevenueExpensesNet incomeTotal assetsLiabilitiesNet assets
June 30, 2025990$5,326,310$7,535,302-$2,208,992$0$0$0
June 30, 2024990$6,609,261$2,470,929$4,138,332$2,439,598$265,685$2,173,913
June 30, 2023990$345,374$2,151,738-$1,806,364$3,179,227$5,077,547-$1,898,320
Financial details: 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025

Revenue

Contributions, gifts and grants
$5,391,443
Program service revenue
$2,539
Investment income
-$67,672
Net gain from sales of assets
-$86,609
Other revenue
$0

Expenses

Grants and similar amounts paid
$0
Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
$0
Other salaries and wages
$501,858
Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
$536,503
Professional fundraising fees
$0
Legal fees
$185,798
Accounting fees
$31,929
Occupancy
$235,988
Travel
$1,169
Depreciation
$4,879
Program services (functional)
$454,667
Management and general (functional)
$7,080,635

Balance sheet and other

Total assets, start of year
$2,439,598
Total assets, end of year
$0
Total liabilities, end of year
$0
Net assets, end of year
$0
Gross receipts
$5,439,635
Employees
4
Volunteers
8
Year formed
1871
State of legal domicile
CA

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.

NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
Jen WhitleyInterim CEO
Officer
40$151,778$12,640
Tony GonzalezChair
Trustee or director, Officer
1$0$0
Glenn SnyderVice Chair
Trustee or director, Officer
0.75$0$0
John BrownTreasurer
Trustee or director, Officer
0.5$0$0
Jan BerckefeldtSecretary
Trustee or director
0.5$0$0
Tracy ButtsTrustee
Trustee or director
0.25$0$0
William DeverellTrustee
Trustee or director
0.5$0$0
Linda C ElliottTrustee
Trustee or director
0.25$0$0
990 for the year ended June 30, 2024: 9 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
Jen WhitleyInterim CEO
Officer
40$180,416
Tony GonzalezChair
Trustee or director, Officer
1$0
Glenn SnyderVice Chair
Trustee or director, Officer
0.75$0
John BrownTreasurer
Trustee or director, Officer
0.5$0
Jan BerckefeldtSecretary
Trustee or director
0.5$0
Tracy ButtsTrustee
Trustee or director
0.25$0
Michael CarsonTrustee
Trustee or director
0.25$0
William DeverellTrustee
Trustee or director
0.5$0
Linda C ElliottTrustee
Trustee or director
0.25$0
990 for the year ended June 30, 2023: 10 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
Jen WhitleyCEO
Officer
40$152,000
Tony GonzalezChair
Trustee or director, Officer
4$0
Glenn SnyderVice Chair
Trustee or director, Officer
4$0
John BrownTreasurer
Trustee or director, Officer
4$0
Clifford TrafzerSecretary
Trustee or director, Officer
4$0
Jan BerckefeldtTrustee
Trustee or director
2$0
Tracy ButtsTrustee
Trustee or director
2$0
Michael CarsonTrustee
Trustee or director
2$0
William DeverellTrustee
Trustee or director
2$0
Linda C ElliottTrustee
Trustee or director
2$0

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)
678 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105-4014
Principal officer (990 for 2024)
Jen Whitley, 678 MISSION STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105
Signed the 990
Jen Whitley, Interim CEO
Phone
(415) 357-1848
Return prepared by
REGALIA BERGER & BERGER CPAS

California records

California keeps its own records of charities and corporations. Search them by EIN 94-0385620 or by the name CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers
Registration status and filed reports (CT-TR-1, RRF-1)

Mission

Our vision is to inspire and empower people to make Californias richly diverse past a meaningful part of their contemporary lives.

990 for the year ended June 30, 2025

Program accomplishments

  • Library & CollectionsThe CHS Collection represents the environmental, economic, social, political, and cultural heritage of the entire state of California, including materials from outside California that contribute to a greater understanding of the state and its people.The collection comprises a diverse body of materials documenting the history of the state, including: books and pamphlets; manuscript collections; photographs; printed ephemera, periodicals, posters, broadsides, maps, and newspapers; the Kemble Collection on Western Printing and Publishing; works of art, including paintings, drawings, and lithographs; and artifacts and costumes.
    Expenses $454,667 · revenue $2,539
  • Dissolution-----------On July 2, 2024, the Societys Board of Directors voted to dissolve California Historical Society. On July 8, 2024, the Society entered into an Asset Transfer Agreement (the Agreement) with The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford). Under the terms of this Agreement, the Society will transfer all of its assets, including cash, various books and records, collections, library and archival materials, fine arts, artifacts, and any other objects, as well as the Societys intellectual and intangible properties. All assets transferred will be used by Stanford in a manner consistent with the Societys exempt purpose to inspire and empower people to make Californias richly diverse past a meaningful part of their contemporary lives.

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 yearYear endedDueIRS public records
2025June 30, 2026November 16, 2026Not due yet
2024June 30, 2025November 17, 2025990 on file
2023June 30, 2024November 15, 2024990 on file

IRS record

EIN
94-0385620
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
1952
Accounting year ends
June
Files
Form 990 or 990-EZ
Income (IRS master file)
$5,439,635

Filing history

FormYear endedRevenueExpensesAssetsReturn
990June 2025$5,326,310$7,535,302$0XML
990June 2024$6,609,261$2,470,929$2,439,598IRS
990June 2023$345,374$2,151,738$3,179,227XML
990-TJune 2023–––IRS
990June 2022$678,059$2,305,078$3,156,696IRS
990-TJune 2022–––IRS
990June 2021–––IRS
990-TJune 2021–––IRS
990June 2020–––IRS
990June 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 94-0385620).

Questions about CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

What is the EIN of CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY?
The employer identification number (EIN) of CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY is 94-0385620.
Is CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY tax-exempt?
Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1952.
Are donations to CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY tax-deductible?
Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
Which annual return does CALIFORNIA 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 CALIFORNIA 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 CALIFORNIA 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 CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY?
The 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 names Jen Whitley.
Who are the officers and directors of CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY?
The 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 lists 8 people; 1 received compensation from the organization, the highest $151,778 (Jen Whitley, Interim CEO).
How much revenue does CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY have?
On its 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 it reported revenue of $5,326,310, expenses of $7,535,302 and total assets of $0 at year end.

Other nonprofits in SAN FRANCISCO

All nonprofits in SAN FRANCISCO · California · Arts, culture and humanities