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THE GILDER LEHRMAN INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN HISTORY

NEW YORK, NY · EIN 133795391 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B82 · Education · Large ($10M-$50M) · gilderlehrman.org
revenue
$11.7M
expenses
$11.9M
net assets
$78.8M
employees
194
volunteers
38
program ratio
80%
mission · from form 990

PROMOTE KNOWLEDGE/UNDERSTANDING OF AMERICAN HISTORY THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS/RESOURCES.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History promotes knowledge of American history through educational programs and resources for students and teachers. It offers self-paced online courses, teacher professional development, and access to a vast digital collection of primary source documents. The institute partners with schools, museums, and cultural institutions nationwide and globally to support history education.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $1.61M
    STUDENT PROGRAMS IN AMERICAN HISTORY: SEE SCHEDULE O.
  2. #2 $1.05M
    MUSEUM COLLECTIONS, EXHIBITIONS AND PRIMARY SOURCE DOCUMENT EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES:THE GILDER LEHRMAN COLLECTION IS CENTRAL TO OUR MISSION OF INTEGRATING PRIMARY SOURCES INTO THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS. IT INCLUDES OVER 87,000 ITEMS RELATING TO AMERICAN HISTORY FROM 1493 TO TWENTIETH CENTURY. THE DIGITAL COLLECTION CURRENTLY HAS OVER 70,000 ITEMS ALLOWING ONLINE ACCESS TO THE DOCUMENTS. POP-UP PANEL EXHIBITIONS ON MAJOR TOPICS IN AMERICAN HISTORY ARE IN CIRCULATION AND VISITED SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. A NEW EXHIBITION WAS RELEASED THIS YEAR TITLED DECLARATION 1776: THE BIG BANG OF MODERN DEMOCRACY AS PART OF THE INSTITUTE'S EFFORTS TO COMMEMORATE THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. GILDER LEHRMAN COLLECTION'S PRIMARY SOURCES ARE ALSO ON DISPLAY IN PHYSICAL EXHIBITION SPACES SUCH AS GEORGE WASHINGTON'S MOUNT VERNON, GETTYSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK, MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK, NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER, MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, CHARLESTON MUSEUM AND THE MORGAN LIBRARY & MUSEUM. THE LIVE, ONLINE PROGRAM INSIDE THE VAULT: HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE GILDER LEHRMAN COLLECTION, HAS BEEN VIEWED BY NEARLY 50,000 TEACHERS, STUDENTS, SCHOLARS, AND HISTORY ENTHUSIASTS AND A TOTAL OF 83 PAST EPISODES ARE ARCHIVED AND AVAILABLE FOR FREE ON THE GILDER LEHRMAN WEBSITE.
named programs · 6 · from sources

What they call their work

Affiliate School Program
Partnership with over 34,750 schools to provide access to resources, professional development, and educational programs.
Hamilton Education Program
EduHam initiative that partners with the musical "Hamilton" to provide educational resources and programming for students and teachers.
History School
Online American history courses serving thousands of students, launched in response to pandemic-related learning gaps.
History U
Self-paced online American history courses for students.
Inside the Vault
Live online program highlighting items from the Gilder Lehrman Collection, archived and available for free on the website.
Self-Paced Courses
Online courses drawn from the institute’s master’s program, featuring video lectures by historians, readings, and quizzes; offers certificates and professional development credit for teachers.
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • History Education Curriculum Development 3 activities
    • Administering the Hamilton Education Program
      Runs a free educational initiative in partnership with the musical Hamilton and the Rockefeller Foundation that engages students in grades 6–12 with American history, reaching 195,000 students.
    • Producing exhibitions and educational spotlights on American history
      Creates physical and online exhibitions, including "Declaration 1776," and produces educational spotlights that analyze individual primary sources with explanatory text, transcripts, and images.
    • Supporting AP and civics education with study materials
      Provides study guides, practice questions, and educational resources for AP U.S. History, AP African American Studies, and civics education, including interactive lessons and unit plans on citizenship and naturalization.
  • Local High School Scholarship Programs 1 activity
    • Awarding research fellowships to students and scholars
      Provides financial support through research fellowships, including $3,000 awards to undergraduate students and other grants, to advance scholarship in American history.
  • Historical and Genealogical Research 1 activity
    • Conducting research projects on underrepresented histories
      Conducts research and public history initiatives focused on restoring visibility to African Americans between 1760 and 1800 and supporting scholarship on Black communities and leadership.
  • College Preparatory Secondary Education 1 activity
    • Delivering online and summer academic programs for high school students
      Offers free online and summer courses in AP U.S. History and other foundational topics for high school students, including live interactive sessions taught by award-winning teachers, with supplementary AP prep courses available.
  • Recognition and Awards Programs 1 activity
    • Organizing student and teacher recognition programs
      Administers student essay prizes, awards for excellence in history teaching, and a lesson plan contest to recognize and promote high-quality civic and history education.
  • Academic Journal and Scholarly Publication 1 activity
    • Producing and publishing scholarly content on American history
      Produces and publishes History Now, a quarterly online journal featuring essays by leading historians, and supports research publications and analyses on topics including African American history and antebellum Black leadership.
  • Local History Archival Access 1 activity
    • Providing access to primary source historical documents
      Maintains and provides access to a collection of over 87,000 primary source documents in American history through online and physical exhibitions, with over 70,000 items accessible digitally.
  • Uncategorized 3 activities
    • Hosting public history programs and author events
      Hosts weekly live public programs on Zoom featuring interviews with historians and scholars about their books, including the Book Breaks and Inside the Vault series, with episodes viewed by tens of thousands of teachers, students, and history enthusiasts.
    • Offering master's degree programs in American history for educators
      Provides a master's degree program in American history designed for K–12 educators, which can be completed while working full time.
    • Providing professional development courses for educators
      Offers self-paced and live online courses in American history for K–12 educators and lifelong learners, including professional development credit, with over eighty courses available and programs approved in all 50 states.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$11.71M
Contributions & grants$5.43M46%
Program service revenue$2.75M23%
Investment income$2.75M23%
Other revenue$786K
expenses
Total expenses$11.87M
Program expenses80%
Admin / overhead13%
Fundraising8%
Salaries & benefits$5.76M
Grants paid out$195K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$79.84M
Cash$8.28M
Investments$67.62M
Liabilities$1.06M
Net assets$78.78M
Liquid reserves76.7 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -25.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 8
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
BASKER JAMES G PRESIDENT & CEO 40 $270K
MOTT KATHRINE COO 40 $256K
CANNER BRYN DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT 40 $216K
BAILEY TIM DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND INSTRUCTION 40 $176K
TRENHOLM SANDRA CURATOR AND DIRECTOR, GILDER LEHRMAN COLLECTION 40 $155K
SMITH KATE CFO 40 $150K
PEREIRA SASHA ROLON DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND THE HAMILTON 40 $139K
ANDERSEN LISA DIRECTOR OF ACADEMIC STRATEGY 40 $123K
board members · 17
  • AYERS EDWARD L — TRUSTEE
  • BANKS S ANDREW — TRUSTEE
  • BATMANGHELIDJ NAZEE — TRUSTEE
  • BRITTON JOHN D — TRUSTEE
  • BUTLER ALYSHA — TRUSTEE
  • CHENAULT KENNETH — TRUSTEE
  • DAUM ROBERT C — TRUSTEE
  • DE LUCA DIXIE — TRUSTEE
  • DIMENNA JOSEPH — TREASURER
  • DUFF PATRICK — TRUSTEE
  • DURHAM GRADY — TRUSTEE
  • GANNON REGINA — TRUSTEE
  • GATES HENRY LOUIS JR — TRUSTEE
  • GORDON BRUCE — TRUSTEE
  • GORDON-REED ANNETTE — TRUSTEE
  • GUELZO ALLEN C — TRUSTEE
  • HERBST-BRADY ELIZABETH — TRUSTEE
relationships · 14

Who they work with

  • Affiliate School Program Network — Network of over 36,000 schools accessing free classroom resources and professional development.
  • Brookings Institution Partner — Collaborates by making excerpts from its 2020 publication available through the Gilder Lehrman Institute.
  • Clark County School District Government — Approved professional development provider for the district
  • George Washington University Partner — Collaborates with faculty members such as Dr. David J. Silverman and Dr. Denver Brunsman for public history programs.
  • Hamilton (musical) Partner — Partnered to develop an educational program for the musical, reaching over 195,000 students.
  • Hamilton Education Program Partner — Collaborates on the Hamilton Education Program to teach American history through performance and curriculum.
  • Kahoot! Partner — Collaborated to launch a collection of interactive lessons on civics and citizenship.
  • Lin-Manuel Miranda Partner — Collaborates on the Hamilton Education Program, which uses the musical Hamilton to teach American history.
  • Michigan Council for History Education Partner — Partnership enabling the Gilder Lehrman Institute to offer approved professional development in Michigan.
  • Pace University Partner — Collaborated to offer 13 online graduate courses as part of teacher professional development.
  • The Rockefeller Foundation Partner — Collaborated to create an educational program linked to the musical "Hamilton."
  • US Office of War Information Government — Source of a World War II recruiting poster in The Gilder Lehrman Collection
  • University of Central Florida Partner — Engages Dr. David Head, Associate Lecturer of History, to participate in public discussions on American history topics.
  • bookshop.org Partner — Receives affiliate commissions from book purchases made through its bookshop.org page.
strategies · 2

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Primary-Source-Based Education
    methodology: primary-source-based-education
    By centering historical learning on direct engagement with primary sources—supported by scholarly interpretation and multimedia context—the organization deepens understanding and makes American history accessible and meaningful to students, teachers, and the public, because authentic documents foster critical thinking and connection to the past.
  • Teacher-Centered Network Expansion
    methodology: network-based_resource_dissemination
    By building a national network of schools and educators, the organization scales the impact of its resources and professional development, because institutional adoption and peer-supported dissemination increase reach, sustainability, and classroom integration.