named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Archival Digitization and Preservation
Digitizes and preserves historical materials including photographs, audio recordings, yearbooks, bulletins, and committee records dating from the 19th century to the present.
Century Association Membership Directory (1847–1922)
Digital biographical database of 3,383 Century Association members, featuring election dates, sponsors, occupations, and burial information, drawn from club records and external research.
Finding Aids and Research Access
Provides researchers with access to detailed finding aids, member files, guest registers, and event documentation, subject to privacy restrictions for recent members.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Archival Digitization and Preservation 4 activities
- Conduct archival research and enhance access to collectionsConducts archival research, identifies historical members with certainty, assigns "Discipline" categories to member profiles, and works to make major archival collections—such as those related to Belle da Costa Greene—more widely accessible.
- Digitize archival holdings and develop digital access toolsDigitizes physical holdings including member portraits, historic publications, primary resources, and audio recordings from 1954 onward; creates fully text-searchable digital reproductions; and develops digital tools such as online galleries and reference resources to improve researcher access.
- Preserve and provide access to Century Association archivesAdministers and manages the archival records of the Century Association under a long-term loan agreement, preserves physical and digital records, maintains historical records of over 11,000 members since 1847, and safeguards reports, correspondence, photographs, film, and audio recordings dating to the mid-19th century.
- Solicit and preserve historical donationsSeeks donations of historical materials such as records, correspondence, photographs, and audio recordings related to the Century Association to expand and preserve the archival collection.
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Local History Archival Access 2 activities
- Develop and maintain online member directories and digital resourcesDeveloped and expanded the online Membership Directory from 1847–1922, now containing over 3,383 profiles, and provides online access to profile pages for over 3,000 historical members with portraits, memorials, and membership data; also maintains an online reference shelf and searchable databases.
- Provide research support and public access to archivesResponds to over 200 research inquiries annually, provides digital surrogates and in-person access by appointment, supports research on affiliated individuals and artists, and makes historical records available to qualified researchers.
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Specialized Research Library Access 1 activity
- Administer specialized library and historical collectionsAdministers the Charles A. Platt working library of architecture and design materials and maintains specialized historical collections such as the member bookplate collection and Theodore Steinway’s stamp collection.
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Artist and Curatorial Publications 1 activity
- Curate exhibitions and publications using archival materialsCurates exhibitions and produces publications that use archival holdings to explore the Century Association, its members, and the role of collecting in club and cultural history.
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Local History Preservation and Education 1 activity
- Engage with external historical and cultural projectsSeeks input on and engages with external exhibitions, events, and publications related to Century Association history and relevant New York history, including achievements of its members.
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Film Festival and Screening Programming 1 activity
- Host public events and document cultural figuresHosted a public event in October 2024 celebrating film director Michael Powell, featuring archival materials, diary readings, and a conversation between Thelma Schoonmaker and Nancy Franklin, with a recording made available online via YouTube.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Co-organize major museum exhibitionsCo-organized a major museum exhibition on Belle da Costa Greene, scheduled to open in fall 2024, and curated the 2003 exhibition Ex Libris Centurio on the member bookplate collection and the 2009 exhibition Centurions on Stamps featuring Theodore Steinway’s stamp collection.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$140K
Contributions & grants$123K88%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$17K12%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$160K
Program expenses65%
Admin / overhead32%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$102K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$744K
Cash$382K
Investments$0
Liabilities$3K
Net assets$741K
Liquid reserves28.6 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue -37.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRYNN WHITE | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 35 | $89K |
board members · 13
- DANIEL OKRENT — TRUSTEE
- DONALD S RICE — TRUSTEE
- EDWARD L WIDMER — TRUSTEE
- ELLEN M ISEMAN — TRUSTEE
- JAMES ALLEN SMITH — TRUSTEE
- JANINE STGERMAIN — SECRETARY
- JONATHAN KAGAN — TREASURER
- NANCY A KOPAMS — TRUSTEE
- PAUL R PROVOST — TRUSTEE
- PETER M WOLF — TRUSTEE
- RALPH R BAYLOR — TRUSTEE
- SALLY BRAZIL — TRUSTEE
- WARREN WECHSLER — PRESIDENT
relationships · 19
Who they work with
- Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. Partner — Founding member who fostered the foundation's mission and emphasized the importance of historical memory.
- Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library Partner — Collaborates on archival access, with the Avery Library holding Charles A. Platt’s professional and personal papers.
- Century Association Government — Preserves and administers the historical records of the Century Association.
- Century Association Partner — CAAF documents and preserves the history of the Century Association and its clubhouse.
- Century Association Partner — Provides archival materials on long-term loan to the Century Association Archives Foundation for administration and management.
- Century members Partner — Collaborates with Century members on curating exhibitions and creating publications
- Frederick Hill Meserve Partner — Donated a collection of historical photographs in carte-de-visite format to the Century Association, a selection of which has been included in the online Member Directory.
- Henry S.F. Cooper, Jr. Partner — Founding member who identified, salvaged, and preserved archival materials critical to the collection.
- John Sears Partner — Founding Trustee of the Century Association Archives Foundation.
- Lansing Lamont Partner — Founding President of the Century Association Archives Foundation.
- Morgan Library & Museum Partner — Co-organized a public exhibition and research initiative on Belle da Costa Greene.
- Museum of Modern Art Partner — Collaborated on programming related to a retrospective of Michael Powell's films.
- Russell Flinchum Partner — Archivist at the Century Association Archives Foundation from 1999 to 2013.
- Stephen Parks Partner — Founding Trustee of the Century Association Archives Foundation.
- Timothy J. DeWerff Partner — Archivist at the Century Association Archives Foundation from 2014 to 2021.
- William J. Dean Partner — Founding Secretary-Treasurer of the Century Association Archives Foundation.
- William J. vanden Heuvel Partner — Founding member who organized support for the foundation and championed its mission.
- museum/library/archives professionals Partner — Collaborates with museum, library, and archives professionals on curating exhibitions and creating publications
- outside scholars Partner — Collaborates with outside scholars on curating exhibitions and creating publications
strategies · 3
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.
- Archival Preservation and Access for Cultural Understandingmethodology: archival_preservation_and_accessBy preserving, organizing, and providing access to the Century Association's historical records, the foundation supports scholarly research and public understanding of American cultural history, because access to institutional memory deepens insight into civic values and historical identity.
- Digital Enhancement of Archival Usability and Accessibilitymethodology: digital_archival_preservationBy digitizing archival collections and developing digital tools, the foundation increases access to and usability of historical records, because digital formats enable broader, more equitable, and more effective research engagement with cultural heritage materials.
- Relational and Collaborative Reconstruction of Historical Legacymethodology: collaborative-legacy-preservationBy combining archival research with collaborative curation, external expertise, and relational analysis, the foundation reconstructs and amplifies the historical significance of the Century Association and its members, because incomplete records can be meaningfully enriched through interdisciplinary and networked inquiry.