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FRIENDS OF THE ULYSSESS S GRANT COTTAGE
WILTON, NY · EIN 141747814 · Form 990 · FY2025 · NTEE P99 · Human Services · Small ($100K-$1M) · grantcottage.org
revenue
$282K
expenses
$278K
net assets
$405K
employees
8
volunteers
40
program ratio
88%
mission · from form 990

TO RAISE MONEY FOR AND TO EFFECTIVELY OPERATE THE NYS HISTORICAL SITE OF GRANT COTTAGE TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE SITE.

profile · synthesized from sources

Friends of the Ulysses S. Grant Cottage is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and operating the U.S. Grant Cottage State Historic Site in Wilton, New York. The organization raises funds, manages site operations, and promotes public awareness through educational programming, historic preservation projects, and community engagement. It works in partnership with New York State Parks to maintain the site where President Ulysses S. Grant spent his final days.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Civil War Weekend
Annual fundraising and educational event featuring reenactments, encampments, and historical programming focused on the Civil War era
Grant Cottage Interpretive Programs
Educational tours, lectures, and special events that highlight the life of Ulysses S. Grant, his final days, and the historical significance of the site
Strategic Development Plan
Long-term planning initiative to enhance public access, improve infrastructure, and expand educational offerings at Grant Cottage Historic Site
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Historic Site Public Programming 2 activities
    • Conducting historical outreach and public programming
      Brings Grant’s story to community centers, living facilities, schools, and other group gatherings through outreach programs. Hosts an annual free community day event with family-friendly historical programming and activities.
    • Delivering educational and living history programs
      Provides on-site educational programs for students and groups that include interaction with historical artifacts, Morse code decoding, stereoscopic photography, Civil War spy message activities, and lessons on women’s roles in the Civil War and Reconstruction-era civil rights. Features Living Historians in period dress portraying Grant family members, soldiers, or Ulysses S. Grant, including scheduled Living History Tours at 3:30pm on Fridays and Sundays.
  • Guided Historic Site Tours 2 activities
    • Hosting group and private tours
      Offers group tours for organizations such as senior centers, assisted living facilities, book clubs, and family reunions, with a group rate of $8 per person for groups of 8 or more. Provides private tours for up to 10 people outside normal operating hours for a flat fee of $100, available by appointment from April through October.
    • Providing virtual and self-guided visitor experiences
      Offers a virtual online tour of both floors of Grant Cottage with insights on highlighted artifacts, an audio app for self-guided grounds tours, interpretive panels, scavenger hunts, tree identification, and picnic areas. Self-guided access to site grounds and scenic overlook is available during open hours.
  • Historic Site Designation Advocacy 1 activity
    • Advocating for historic site recognition and protection
      Secured National Historic Landmark designation for the Grant Cottage State Historic Site, reflecting sustained advocacy efforts to preserve and elevate the national significance of the site.
  • Recreational Trail Development and Maintenance 1 activity
    • Enhancing site accessibility and infrastructure
      Constructing a new accessible trail at the Eastern Overlook to improve visitor access. Expanded the grounds and added a new pavilion to support education and events. Installed modern infrastructure including fire suppression and solar power systems.
  • Local History Museum Operations 1 activity
    • Operating Ulysses S. Grant Cottage as a public historic site
      Manages and maintains the Ulysses S. Grant Cottage State Historic Site in New York, including daily operations, preservation of original furnishings and artifacts, and public access to the cottage, grounds, walking trails, overlook, and visitor center. Offers seasonal guided tours of the cottage interior featuring the bed where Grant died, with tours available every 30 minutes and running from 9:30am to 3:30pm depending on season.
  • Commemorative Brick and Memorial Installations 1 activity
    • Operating donor and membership engagement programs
      Runs the Adopt-a-Bench program, allowing donors to honor individuals or events with engraved bronze plaques on benches at the historic site. Provides 10 years of maintenance and plaque replacement for adopted benches. Relies on membership support to fund daily operations and programs.
  • Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
    • Preserving historical artifacts and site features
      Engages in professional preservation of historical artifacts such as a late 1800s Remington typewriter using conservation methods. Installed a state-of-the-art fire suppression system and an off-grid solar and battery storage system to protect and sustainably power the historic site. Expanded site grounds and constructed a new pavilion to improve visitor access and experience.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Developing historical content and educational media
      Produces blog content exploring the Victorian-era resort and sanatorium history of Mt. McGregor using historical photographs, personal narratives, and vivid descriptive storytelling to enhance public understanding of the site’s broader historical context.
financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$282K
Contributions & grants$139K50%
Program service revenue$87K31%
Investment income$22K8%
Other revenue$33K
expenses
Total expenses$278K
Program expenses88%
Admin / overhead12%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$129K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$774K
Cash$518K
Investments$194K
Liabilities$369K
Net assets$405K
Liquid reserves30.8 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue +35.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
STEVEN PORTO EXECUTIVE DI 40 $10K
board members · 13
  • ANTHONY MALANGA — TRUSTEE
  • DIANA O'BRIEN — TRUSTEE
  • DIANE MARTIN — TRUSTEE
  • JACK MYERS — TRUSTEE
  • JOHN ROESSNER — TRUSTEE
  • JOYCE MUSCO — SECRETARY
  • KATHLEEN SMITH — TRUSTEE
  • MICHAEL LESSER — TREASURER
  • PATRICK GREENE — VICE PRESIDE
  • REED ANTIS — TRUSTEE
  • ROY MCDONALD — EMERITUS
  • TIM WELCH — PRESIDENT
  • ZACH MARCEL — TRUSTEE
relationships · 20

Who they work with

  • Discover Downstate Network — Member of the Discover Downstate network, as indicated by logo presence on website.
  • Dream Catcher Farm Partner — Provides pony rides at community events
  • Empire State Center for the Book Partner — Jointly designated U.S. Grant Cottage as a New York State Literary Landmark.
  • FareHarbor Partner — Partner platform used for booking Living History Tours and Private Tours.
  • Gala Sponsors Partner — Sponsored the Bicentennial Birthday Gala fundraiser in support of the Grant Cottage strategic development plan and Education Pavilion.
  • Grant Cottage Historic Site Network — Operates as the steward of the Grant Cottage Historic Site, managing its artifacts and historical narratives.
  • Loonworks Family Entertainment Partner — Provides balloon artistry at community events
  • Manilla Grill Partner — Provides food service via food truck at events
  • Neighborhood Kitchen Partner — Provides food service via food truck at events
  • New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation Government — State agency partner responsible for oversight of Grant Cottage State Historic Site and joint announcements regarding preservation and designation efforts.
  • Parks & Trails New York Funder — Provided a grant to support the development of the Strategic Development Plan for Grant Cottage Historic Site.
  • Quality Construction Concrete Partner — Provides concrete-themed crafts for children at events
  • ROAM Network — Includes ROAM membership benefits for certain membership levels.
  • Silent Wings Raptor Show Partner — Provides live raptor demonstrations at community events
  • State of New York Government — Owns the Ulysses S. Grant Cottage, which is operated by the Friends of the Ulysses S. Grant Cottage.
  • The Green Team Partner — Recognized for their hard work supporting Grant Cottage volunteer efforts.
  • Time Square Catering Partner — Provides food service via food truck at events
  • Time Travelers Network — Offers reciprocal membership benefits through the Time Travelers program at over 300 historical institutions.
  • United for Libraries Partner — Jointly designated U.S. Grant Cottage as a New York State Literary Landmark.
  • outreach@grantcottage.org Partner — Email contact for arranging educational outreach visits to institutions
strategies · 5

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.

  • Free Access Model for Public Engagement
    methodology: free_access_model
    By offering free access to grounds, trails, exhibits, and digital resources, the organization increases public engagement with historical content, because removing financial barriers broadens participation and fosters inclusive civic education.
  • Hands-On Historical Engagement
    methodology: experiential_learning
    By allowing students to interact directly with historical artifacts, the organization fosters historical thinking and stewardship values, because tactile and inquiry-based learning strengthens cognitive connection and promotes long-term preservation ethics.
  • Integrated Natural and Historical Preservation
    methodology: integrated_preservation
    By preserving the forested landscape as an integral part of the historical site, the organization enhances both ecological and historical value, because the natural environment is understood as contextually significant to Grant’s experience and restorative to visitors’ engagement.
  • Living History Interpretation
    methodology: living_history
    By using costumed historians and immersive role-playing, the organization creates interactive learning experiences that increase visitor engagement and deepen public understanding of Ulysses S. Grant’s life and historical context, because experiential methods make history more relatable and memorable than passive observation.
  • Volunteer-Driven Educational Delivery
    methodology: volunteer_powered_education
    By relying on trained volunteers to lead educational programs and historical interpretation, the organization expands public access to historical content while building community ownership, because volunteer involvement increases operational capacity and deepens local investment in preservation.