EPHRAIM HISTORICAL FOUNDATION INC
Ephraim...Where Door County’s Past Lives Today
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Ephraim Historical Foundation is working to preserve and share the history of the village of Ephraim, Wisconsin. In this modern world, historical documents, photos, and properties are often lost. We strive to preserve these and share the stories of the people of Ephraim.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Sunday SingAlong
Summer evenings of old-time songs for all ages
History Speaks Lecture Series
Lectures and discussions on a variety of historical topics regarding Ephraim and Door County. Free and open to the public. Range from the history of hotels in Ephraim, to WW II camps throughout Wisconsin and Door County, the Civil War and more.
Child's Play: Tales & Crafts
Free collaborative program with the Ephraim Branch of the Door County Library
An activity, a story, and a snack for kids ages 3 and up
Historic Walking Tours and Tram Tours of Ephraim
Both tours depart from Anderson Barn History Center; tours start at 10:30 a.m. Tram Tours accommodate up to 5 people and allow a relaxing way to enjoy learning Ephraim's history. Historic walking tours last approximately 1.5 hours and encompass 1.5 miles of walking and touring museum buildings and viewing other historic sites, including a beautiful view of the Niagara Escarpment. Tickets are sold at the Anderson Barn Museum.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our mission is to preserve and share the history of Ephraim, Wisconsin:
*We preserve and foster preservation of historical monuments, buildings, structures, sites, and collections.
*We act as a resource in support of cultural organizations and civic services within the Village of Ephraim and the community at large.
*We act as a vehicle and custodian of financial contributions for the preservation of historic properties and collections.
* We act to enrich the concept of Ephraim as a village of values for the enjoyment and understanding of our cultural traditions and natural beauty.
*We share the heritage and stories of the people of Ephraim through research, outreach, and education.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Ephraim Historical Foundation Objectives
I. Improve, preserve, and maintain the Ephraim Historical Foundation and its museums and properties to the highest level consistent with their age and character
II. Document, preserve, display, and curate collections consistent with professional museum standards to facilitate accessibility and research.
III. Expand the Foundation’s impact through education outreach, tours, programs, and marketing.
IV. Support professional development of current and future staff, docents, board members, and volunteers.
V. Increase membership and cultivate and acknowledge member and volunteer participation.
VI. Continue to strengthen our ties with the Ephraim community to retain the unique character and serenity of the Village.
VII. Work with preservation efforts in other communities to retain the historic integrity of the Door Peninsula.
VIII. Promote increased general revenue and financial gifting to meet the needs of the Foundation.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Ephraim Historical Foundation employs three, full-time, trained museum professionals. The staff is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the non-profit business, museums, and archives/collections/library. Additionally, the EHF relies on dedicated Board of Directors and approximately 100 active volunteers.
The EHF is entirely funded through private support, which comes primarily from our nearly 400 members in the form of dues, memorials/tributes, and general donations. Additional funding comes from our endowment, donations from the general public, and a small amount of merchandise sales.
The EHF cares for fives museums and a research library. The research library, along with our storage areas, are climate-controlled to protect the archives and collections. The library provides an access point to the archives/collections for our members and the public.
Additionally, the EHF conducts a number of programs for the public, the local schools, and other local organizations.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Most recently, the EHF has successfully raised $1,000,000 for our endowment fund (2012-2016); successfully raised $50,000 for our Svalhus research Library, which opened in May of 2018. We have also done a wide variety of repairs to our historic buildings/museums. In 2018, we also began offering free general admission to the public to enable more people to visit our museums. We have instead asked for a good-will donation. We have found that we have more visitors, approximately the same amount of revenue from the museums, and our merchandise sales have increased.
Our focus is now one the following:
- continue cataloguing and providing access to our archives and collections
- promote planned giving as an opportunity for charitable giving
- review and expand our programming for our members and the public, both during the summer season and during the off-season.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
EPHRAIM HISTORICAL FOUNDATION INC
Board of directorsas of 04/16/2020
Kathy Pentler
Randy Nelson
Leslie Harsch
Marla Horwitz
Sherry Moore
Jim Peterman
Lawrence Balistreri
Julie Watkins
Rick Hoyerman
Bill Hoag
Lois Litterst
Windsor McCutcheon