Skip to content
Nonprofiteer
← BUFFALO BILL MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by BUFFALO BILL MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION.

Totals

Total revenue
$13,209,894
Total expenses
$13,968,705
Contributions and grants received
$6,014,553
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$2,925,524
Investment income
$3,097,142
Other revenue
$1,172,675
Total assets, end of year
$168,591,426
Total liabilities, end of year
$1,752,795
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$166,838,631
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$10,976,778
Management and general expenses
$1,688,334
Fundraising expenses
$1,303,593
Program service expenses (Part III)
$10,976,778

Program services were 78.6% 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

    $646,070

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $287,406

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $882,303

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $4,198,774

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $125,206

  • 2a · Program service revenue: Admissions

    total $2,488,446 · related or exempt $2,488,446

  • 2b · Program service revenue: Program Fees

    total $337,909 · related or exempt $337,909

  • 2f · All other program service revenue

    total $99,169 · related or exempt $99,169

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $3,435,774 · unrelated business $2,933 · excluded $3,432,841

  • 5 · Royalties

    total $2,028 · excluded $2,028

  • 6a · Gross rents

    real property $109,115

  • 6b · Less rental expenses

    real property $39,189

  • 6c · Rental income or loss

    real property $69,926

  • 6d · Net rental income or loss

    total $69,926 · excluded $69,926

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $6,837,998 · other assets $130,400

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

    securities $7,307,030 · other assets $0

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities -$469,032 · other assets $130,400

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total -$338,632 · excluded -$338,632

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $106,394

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $287,406

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $159,601

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total -$53,207 · excluded -$53,207

  • 9a · Gaming: gross income

    $293,290

  • 9b · Gaming: direct expenses

    $121,438

  • 9c · Net income from gaming

    total $171,852 · excluded $171,852

  • 10a · Gross sales of inventory

    $1,753,085

  • 10b · Cost of goods sold

    $771,009

  • 10c · Net income from sales of inventory

    total $982,076 · related or exempt $686,799 · unrelated business $295,277

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $423,389 · program services $63,904 · management and general $276,985 · fundraising $82,500

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $5,293,516 · program services $4,337,978 · management and general $326,269 · fundraising $629,269

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $122,501 · program services $104,124 · management and general $4,221 · fundraising $14,156

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $1,171,230 · program services $932,909 · management and general $95,043 · fundraising $143,278

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $447,139 · program services $346,894 · management and general $44,807 · fundraising $55,438

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $17,261 · management and general $17,261

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $108,003 · management and general $108,003

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $421,340 · program services $374,993 · management and general $46,347

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $518,864 · program services $313,901 · management and general $69,746 · fundraising $135,217

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $239,831 · program services $183,008 · management and general $26,787 · fundraising $30,036

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $102,624 · program services $33,730 · management and general $66,946 · fundraising $1,948

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $208,069 · program services $132,925 · management and general $34,681 · fundraising $40,463

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $771,670 · program services $521,313 · management and general $247,509 · fundraising $2,848

  • 17 · Travel

    total $359,642 · program services $167,256 · management and general $130,642 · fundraising $61,744

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $25,752 · program services $25,752

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $1,746,103 · program services $1,715,547 · management and general $20,604 · fundraising $9,952

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $270,427 · program services $265,695 · management and general $3,191 · fundraising $1,541

  • 24a · Other expenses: Collections Purchased

    total $636,106 · program services $636,106

  • 24b · Other expenses: Program Supplies

    total $526,383 · program services $340,545 · management and general $157,777 · fundraising $28,061

  • 24c · Other expenses: Research Projects

    total $219,672 · program services $219,672

  • 24d · Other expenses: Publications

    total $55,519 · program services $29,838 · management and general $3,335 · fundraising $22,346

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $283,664 · program services $230,688 · management and general $8,180 · fundraising $44,796

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $6,311,344 · end of year $4,822,164

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $15,532,421 · end of year $13,711,604

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $3,231,915 · end of year $583,313

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $81,542 · end of year $96,015

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $847,914 · end of year $811,151

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $359,495 · end of year $460,339

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

    $75,380,546

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

    $38,026,578

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $36,195,297 · end of year $37,353,968

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $56,531,845 · end of year $64,966,807

  • 12 · Investments: other securities

    beginning of year $36,414,511 · end of year $45,605,624

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $127,763 · end of year $180,441

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $1,171,378 · end of year $1,387,055

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $346,575 · end of year $365,740

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $47,778,732 · end of year $48,393,858

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $106,337,362 · end of year $118,444,773

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

Connecting people to the American West.

Activities or mission (Part I)

Connecting people to the American West

  • CURATORIAL, LIBRARY, COLLECTIONS AND CONSERVATION:The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is an accredited museum through the American Alliance of Museums with over 150,000 square feet of exhibit space representing five disciplines - art, life and times of William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody, firearms, natural history of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and Plains Indians cultures and histories.The Center houses more than 104,000 collection objects, 7,800 linear feet of archival collections, 36,000 books, and more than a million historic photographs across its five museums and research library. The curatorial and museum services staffs serve as a resource to other organizations and audiences as a whole.

    Expenses $7,539,580 · Revenue $3,274,414

  • EDUCATION:The Center's educational offerings incorporate innovative, engaging, and thought-provoking methods of understanding art, cultural, and natural history subjects. On-site and virtual K-12 programs address national education standards, include STEM curricula, and promote inquiry-based learning. Virtual field trip programs have brought the museum and western themed content to more than 250,000 students around the globe. The Center's expertise in providing K-12 resources on-line and teacher professional development has been recognized through numerous partnerships with the state of Wyoming's Department of Education and higher education institutionsThe Center has expansive adult and family educational programs for the casual day visitor and the local community. This includes guided tours, raptor experience programs, children and adult workshops and field experiences, lectures, evening programs, and other activities. The Center partners with numerous community organizations to bring cultural events to Cody. The strategic plan addresses the Center's key role with the Cody community through providing educational opportunities within the region, as well as providing three annual free open house community days.

    Expenses $1,914,195 · Revenue $337,909

  • RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP:The Center prides itself on the production of original scholarship by staff and through partners. The Center's staff works independently and with outside scholars to connect audiences with groundbreaking knowledge about the American West. Research outputs include online and in print popular and scholarly publications covering a range of topics. The popular publication "Points West" magazine is produced four times a year and features articles on topics about the American West of past and present and newsworthy items pertaining to the Center.Continued on Schedule OCurrent Center research focuses include the intersection of popular culture and Western art; historical and contemporary firearms and publication of twice yearly ARMAX journal; Pinyon Jay ecology in Northern Wyoming; Absaroka Bat Census of the Absaroka Mountains; Pollinator Census in Park County; Phenology of the Paul Stock Trail; and perceptions of the American West through Pop art.The Center fosters external research through internship and fellowship programs and collaborative projects with research organizations and universities. The Center has an ongoing partnership with UC Berkeley to examine animal migrations in the Greater Yellowstone region, the Absaroka Fence Initiative, Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, Bureau of Land Management, UC Davis, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Northwest College.

    Expenses $1,523,003

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Linda Spencer Murchison

    Chair of the Board

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    9.62

  • John Sullivan

    Vice Chair

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2.31

  • Colin Simpson

    Vice Chair

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.92

  • Mary Anne Dingus

    Vice Chair

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.96

  • Paul V Cali

    Treasurer

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2.31

  • Jay E Nielson

    Secretary

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.92

  • Ann Reynolds Crowell

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2.1

  • Arthur Middleton

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.8

  • Barron G Collier II

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.8

  • C Edward Webster II

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5

  • C Harris Haston

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.8

  • Daniele D Bodini

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.3

  • Deborah Goppert Hofstedt

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    8.7

  • Dewey W Corley

    Trustee until September

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Glenn R Ross

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.2

  • Gregory Luce

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.9

  • Harold E Wackman

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.8

  • JD Radakovich

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.8

  • James G Taggart

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2.9

  • Janis Buchanan

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    9.6

  • Laura IU Collier

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Lindsay J Garlow

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.7

  • Lisa F Wirthlin hiatus

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • Margaret R Frere

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2.9

  • Margaret W Scarlett

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.9

  • Marvin L Kaiser

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5

  • Matthew H Mead

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.9

  • Merrily Gumpel

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Michael Chavira

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.9

  • Michael J Sullivan

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.2

  • Naoma J Tate

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    4.8

  • Patrick R McDonald

    Trustee until September

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.4

  • Peter I Wold

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.4

  • Rebecca Watson

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2.9

  • Richard B Dick Cheney

    Trustee until January

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • Rusty R Rokita

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    16.8

  • Samuel J SJ Tilden

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Steven Cranfill

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.19

  • Thomas P Grainger

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2.3

  • John Timothy Tim Newton

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0

  • David K Horvath

    Trustee as of June

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.8

  • John D Temte

    Trustee

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2.3

  • Rebecca West

    CEO/Executive Director

    Total calculated
    $295,319
    From this org
    $234,748
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $60,571
    Hours/week
    45.5

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $234,748
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $9,450
    Nontaxable benefits
    $51,121
    Filer's total
    $295,319

  • Michael Sullivan

    CFO

    Total calculated
    $144,755
    From this org
    $117,577
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $27,178
    Hours/week
    43.5

  • Bruce Sauers

    COO

    Total calculated
    $157,399
    From this org
    $101,776
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $55,623
    Hours/week
    42.1

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $101,776
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $2,221
    Nontaxable benefits
    $53,401
    Filer's total
    $157,398

  • Amy Sullivan

    Director of Planned Giving

    Total calculated
    $211,488
    From this org
    $180,956
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $30,532
    Hours/week
    36

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $180,956
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $7,324
    Nontaxable benefits
    $23,208
    Filer's total
    $211,488

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. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Compensation committee
  • 3 · Compensation survey or study
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
28 January 2026
IRS schema version
2024v5.5
Source object
202610299349301041

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

The source document this was parsed from is served over the API, which is where bulk and document access live.