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← WILLA CATHER FOUNDATION

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by WILLA CATHER FOUNDATION.

What the amendment changed

Compared with the return it replaced , filed 11 November 2025. matched by us Only the return's totals, a 990-PF's accounting method and the names listed in Part VII (Part VIII on a 990-PF) are compared. We relate returns by organization, tax year and form, and order them by each return's own timestamp; the filer's own "amended return" checkbox is a separate fact.

Total assets, end of year
$25,529,408 changed to $25,541,023
Total liabilities, end of year
$400,189 changed to $411,804

Totals

Total revenue
$4,639,567
Total expenses
$1,790,394
Contributions and grants received
$3,995,033
Grants paid
$28,917
Program service revenue
$195,642
Investment income
$207,663
Other revenue
$241,229
Total assets, end of year
$25,541,023
Total liabilities, end of year
$411,804
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$25,129,219
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$1,389,369
Management and general expenses
$355,451
Fundraising expenses
$45,574
Program service expenses (Part III)
$1,389,369

Program services were 77.6% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1b · Membership dues

    $57,002

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $1,167,800

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $2,770,231

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $39,089

  • 2a · Program service revenue: BOOKSTORE AND CONCESSION SALE

    total $85,717 · related or exempt $85,717

  • 2b · Program service revenue: TOURS, EVENTS AND ADMISSIONS

    total $36,498 · related or exempt $36,498

  • 2c · Program service revenue: PROGRAM AND CONFERENCE SPONS

    total $36,163 · related or exempt $36,163

  • 2d · Program service revenue: CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS

    total $35,013 · related or exempt $35,013

  • 2e · Program service revenue: OTHER PROGRAMS AND WORKSHOPS

    total $2,251 · related or exempt $2,251

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $102,705 · related or exempt -$131,152 · excluded $233,857

  • 6a · Gross rents

    real property $111,861

  • 6c · Rental income or loss

    real property $111,861

  • 6d · Net rental income or loss

    total $111,861 · related or exempt $111,861

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $1,499,668

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $1,394,710

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $104,958

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $104,958 · related or exempt $104,958

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $13,857

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total $13,857

  • 11a · Other revenue: INSURANCE PROCEEDS

    total $111,196 · related or exempt $111,196

  • 11b · Other revenue: OTHER REVENUE

    total $4,315 · related or exempt $4,315

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $115,511

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $19,917 · program services $19,917

  • 2 · Grants to domestic individuals

    total $9,000 · program services $9,000

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $682,190 · program services $593,760 · management and general $88,430

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $55,003 · program services $14,211 · management and general $40,792

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $53,021 · program services $46,256 · management and general $6,765

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $1,647 · management and general $1,647

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $40,000 · management and general $40,000

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $40,364 · management and general $40,364

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $21,180 · program services $14,132 · fundraising $7,048

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $43,318 · program services $43,318

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $40,055 · program services $26,499 · management and general $11,326 · fundraising $2,230

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $7,765 · program services $3,035 · management and general $4,730

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $45,448 · program services $38,631 · management and general $6,817

  • 17 · Travel

    total $11,114 · program services $3,669 · management and general $5,208 · fundraising $2,237

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $35,000 · program services $30,406 · management and general $4,364 · fundraising $230

  • 20 · Interest

    total $47 · management and general $47

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $228,645 · program services $195,381 · management and general $33,264

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $63,209 · program services $50,567 · management and general $12,642

  • 24a · Other expenses: REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE

    total $175,994 · program services $156,403 · management and general $19,591

  • 24b · Other expenses: SUPPLIES

    total $59,530 · program services $17,498 · management and general $8,203 · fundraising $33,829

  • 24c · Other expenses: PROGRAMMING

    total $55,740 · program services $55,740

  • 24d · Other expenses: BOOKS AND LITERATURE

    total $42,507 · program services $42,507

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $59,700 · program services $28,439 · management and general $31,261

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $498 · end of year $555

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $1,859,332 · end of year $467,137

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $806,890 · end of year $2,088,606

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $10,900 · end of year $15,343

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $89,545 · end of year $92,833

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $12,836 · end of year $20,300

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $17,006,037

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $2,434,143

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $6,678,330 · end of year $14,571,894

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $7,829,621 · end of year $7,089,219

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $5,209,669 · end of year $1,195,136

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $498,832 · end of year $403,054

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $84,219

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $10,427 · end of year $8,750

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $17,882,512 · end of year $21,533,063

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $4,021,631 · end of year $3,596,156

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

TO ADVANCE WILLA CATHER'S LEGACY LOCALLY AND BEYOND THROUGH EDUCATION, PRESERVATION, AND THE ARTS.

  • THE FOUNDATION PROVIDED UPKEEP AND MAINTENANCE ON HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND PRESERVATION OF ARCHIVAL COLLECTIONS. ALL HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND COLLECTIONS RELATE DIRECTLY TO THE LIFE AND TIMES OF WILLA CATHER.

    Expenses $936,169 · Grants $19,917

  • THE FOUNDATION PROVIDED VARIOUS SEMINARS, CONFERENCES, GUIDED TOURS, AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ON THE LIFE, TIMES, AND SETTINGS OF WILLA CATHER. ARTS PROGRAMS AND EXHIBITIONS ARE ALSO PROVIDED REGULARILY IN ITS RESTORED RED CLOUD OPERA HOUSE, WHICH FIGURED PRMINENTLY IN THE LIFE OF YOUNG WILLA CATHER.

    Expenses $444,200 · Revenue $195,642

  • THE FOUNDATION PROVIDED NUMEROUS EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE FURTHERING LITERARY EDUCATION.

    Expenses $9,000 · Grants $9,000

As filed on the 2024 return.

Listed in Part VII

  • Ashley Olson

    EXECUTIVE DI

    Total calculated
    $116,301
    From this org
    $116,301
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40
  • Nancy Bierman

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Mark W Bostock

    PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Peter Cipkowski

    VICE PRESIDE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Dan Deffenbaugh

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Marian Fey

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Thomas Reese Gallagher

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Donna Gower

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Sarah Baker Hansen

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Charmion Gustke Hearn

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • James A Jaap

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Ruth H Keene

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Ana McCracken

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Dr Fritz Mountford

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jack Preis

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Ann Romines

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Luis F Sotelo

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Amy L Springer

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • C Kay Stahly

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Mary June Talen

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Robert Thacker

    PAST PRESIDE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • John A Yost

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

Taxable family on this return

Schedule R Parts I, III and IV, as filed. These record ownership and control, not shared board members or money moved.

Related partnerships

Part III: related organizations taxable as a partnership, with the filer's share.

  • MOON BLOCK REAL ESTATE LLC

    LANDLORD · NE

  • THE RED CLOUD HOTEL LLC

    PROP RENO · NE

Related corporations and trusts

Part IV: related organizations taxable as a corporation or trust.

  • WILLA CATHER SOCIETY

    C CORP · OWNERSHIP · NE

    Directly controlled by THE WILLA

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
25 February 2026
IRS schema version
2024v5.0
Source object
202640569349301044

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