Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Incredibly, our Effingham Historic Town Hall ("HTH"), erected in 1858, and which housed the only know Masonic Charitable Institute in the country, is still standing. But it needs some generous charity to keep the building a vital community center for our small town of 1,450 residents. It is especially evident during the COVID health emergency which we are all experiencing, that we need a viable place to gather after this crisis passes. The Effingham Historic Town Hall-Library project goal, under the auspices of the Effingham Preservation Society, is to restore and rehabilitate the building (currently used as the Effingham Public Library and Masonic Temple) in 3 phases. Phase 1 goal of of $165,000 was met and matched $1:$1 by Land & Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP). Our 2021-2022 focus is on energy efficiency measures, especially the restoration of the historic windows, 3’ by 6’ feet tall. Our Phase 2 fundraising goal is $145,000. See more at HistoricEffingham.org
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Preserving the Weare Drake Store Building and revitalizing Drake's Corner
A circa 1816 building in the Center Effingham Historic District
Effingham Historic Town Hall-Library Project
Multi-year historic repair, restoration and rehabilitation of the 1858 New England Masonic Charitable Institute building. Since 1893, home of the Effingham Public Library. Listed on State & National Registers of Historic Places.
Where we work
External reviews

Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of new grants received
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups
Related Program
Effingham Historic Town Hall-Library Project
Type of Metric
Context - describing the issue we work on
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Funding in 2019 supported preservation work on the Effingham Preservation Society building. Funding in 2020, supports the Historic Town Hall-Library Project preservation efforts.
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?
The HTH project for which we are requesting funds will make a difference in the lives of this community. Completion of the three phases will ultimately result in a usable community center for our rural under served population. We will repair and refurbish the structure of the building, increase energy efficiency by rehabilitating historic windows and doors, install efficient HVAC and moisture control system, and replace outdated wiring and emergency exit and other safety features. Ultimately there will be new ADA compliant access to the second floor for a new community space, accessible outside of Library hours.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
There are multiple fundraising and grant writing efforts continuously underway. Some of the grants require matching funds, some are outright grants. The project is intended to be 3 major Phases with a flexible design for the repair, restoration and preservation work. The project time period will lead up to the Town of Effingham's 250th anniversary in August 2028.
Fundraising is coming from a broader spectrum. We have received grants from the NH Department of Cultural and Natural Resources, New Hampshire Preservation Alliance and the Land & Community Heritage Investment Program. A recent more significant organization donor is the Freemasons of the Charter Oak Lodge #58, Effingham, NH. Individuals are donating cash and Gift-In-Kind directly to the cause, business are donating cash and Gift-In-Kind donations, recurring online bake sales, aluminum can recycling/fundraising drive, Facebook birthday fundraisers and company employee/retiree matching donations are just a few of the sources of fundraising. Other avenues are being explored to broaden the fundraising capabilities.
The project has broad Town-wide support . . . and this support continues to grow each day. Additionally, there is support from other local 501c(3) organizations including Effingham Historic Society and Lord's Hill Meeting House. Support is even coming from out-of-state descendants of people that were born in or lived some of their life in Effingham.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Effingham Preservation Society was created in 1999. Today the Board and member volunteer efforts support different historical preservation efforts within the Town of Effingham. The Historic Town Hall-Library (HTH) Project is the largest endeavor to date. A core HTH Project Team consists of 10 members, many with extensive historic restoration experience. Other historic minded members were attending public meetings prior to COVID.
The Project Team attempts to communicate and to educate the community at large about the history of the building and the overall progress of the preservation project using two web sources.
https://www.HistoricEffingham.org
Facebook: Historic Town Hall of Effingham NH
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
In 2019, $4,500 grant and other monies were use to create an updated historic building preservation report by a known historic architect.
In early 2020, created an information and educational project business website, HistoricEffingham.org. Also set up a supporting Facebook page, Historic Town Hall of Effingham NH.
In 2020, raised funds and a $10,000 Moose Plate Grant were used to repair and restore 8 of the larger 1st floor windows. When reinstalled, weather stripping was added to help improve building energy efficiency by reducing window air infiltration that affects heating and cooling and moisture control in the Town Library. This partial work provides visible evidence to the local community that the project is making progress.
In late 2020, the project received a Land & Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) matching grant of $165,000 for Phase 1 work.
In late 2020, Charter Oak Masonic Lodge #58, Effingham, NH, donated $10,000 towards the historic preservation project.
In 2020, Gift-In-Kind volunteer help worked on and completed 3 preservation assessment report hazard mitigation items. Total 2019-2020 volunteer hours exceed 2,000 hours.
2019-2020, the project has raised and committed funds totaling over $382,000 towards preservation work. (February 2021)
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
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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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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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.
Effingham Preservation Society
Board of directorsas of 5/17/2022
Karen Payne
Effingham Preservation Society
Mark Hempton
VP
Leo Racine
Treasurer
Heidi Stebbins
Rhonda Szapiel
Elaine Collupy
Janis Smith
Susan Regal
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 11/11/2020GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.