CONNER PRAIRIE MUSEUM INC
Step into the Story
CONNER PRAIRIE MUSEUM INC
EIN: 20-3402627
as of October 2024
as of October 15, 2024
Programs and results
Reports and documents
Download annual reportsWhat we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Daily Experience
Spanning more than 1,000 acres of land in central Indiana, Conner Prairie is an innovative living history museum, accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and a Smithsonian affiliate museum. Conner Prairie offers a variety of indoor and outdoor experience areas, which combine history, art, nature, science, technology, engineering, and math to offer an authentic look into history and how it shapes society today. Guests can converse with costumed interpreters to learn about life in the 1800s, create new inventions, be immersed in nature, and more.
Our guests are invited to “step into the story” of Conner Prairie’s Four Pillars, outlined below.
Learning
Inspiring curiosity and fostering learning are the foundational elements of the Conner Prairie mission. Learning permeates everything we do – from the daily guest experience and school fieldtrips to our wider spectrum of offerings, which includes Preschool on the Prairie, Prairie Pursuits, Spark!Lab, Discovery Station, festivals, and the Conner Prairie Learning Portal - our digital classroom.
Conner Prairie honors the learner by emphasizing the process of learning over knowledge outcomes. The interests of each guest are at the heart of every experience.
History
Since opening to the public in 1974, Conner Prairie has been changing the way the world views and uses museums. Today, stories of our past run like woven fibers through everything Conner Prairie presents. History intersects the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, art, and math in countless stories that help us link the past to the present and make meaning for the future.
Throughout the property, Conner Prairie’s exhibits and programs energize guests with presentations that reflect our shared humanity. At the same time, we work toward an aspirational goal of sharing stories in which every guest can see themselves in history and feel welcome with each visit.
We are brought together in the present and across time through stories, traditions, and celebrations. These are the vehicles that Conner Prairie embraces to drive community connection and grow our understanding of one another.
Nature
Conner Prairie invites guests to step into the story of nature. With 1,046 acres of woodland, farm, and river, our geographic location also makes Conner Prairie a nature preserve where wildlife prosper. The land and waterways, once in the care of the indigenous people of the Delaware Tribe, are today our responsibility to protect and steward.
One of our signature outdoor experiences is Treetop Outpost, a 4-story treehouse on 3 acres of woods where guests are invited to explore, observe, wonder and play. Families immerse themselves in hands-on learning and make new discoveries about the natural world.
The tranquil prairie acres and 3.3 miles of White River contribute to an idyllic setting for Conner Prairie Camps, one of our most popular programs, which serves more than 3,200 youth annually.
Conner Prairie works with community partners to protect the future of the prairie, woodlands, and White River. Together, we are promoting ecological literacy and empathy for our land and waterways.
Agriculture
As a working farm that specializes in preserving and caring for hundreds of heritage breed animals, Conner Prairie invites guests to step into the story of agriculture.
In the early 20th century, Eli Lilly established his experimental farm on the property, raising horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs. Today, Conner Prairie continues this tradition through animal preservation and education.
Conner Prairie’s Heritage Breed Program helps ensure the survival of historical livestock while contributing to the local farm-to-table movement.
Conner Prairie is home to five heritage breeds: Arapawa goats, English longhorns, Tunis sheep, Ossabaw Hogs, and American rabbits. We work to protect them from extinction because their genetic value cannot compete with the production of modern livestock. Our expert agriculture staff not only care for these rare breeds but also raise awareness as to their importance. Daily, guests can interact with and learn about these rare animals in the Animal Encounters Barn.
Where we work
Awards
National Medal 2010
Institute for Museum and Library Services
Life Without Limits Award 2019
Fishers City Council
Partner Award 2019
CICOA Aging and In-Home Solutions
Best of the Midwest 2022: Best Historical Site 2022
Midwest Living
Best Historical Site 2020
Indianapolis Star Official Community Choice Awards
Best Summer Camp 2020
Indianapolis Star Official Community Choice Awards
Best of the Midwest 2022: Best Historical Site 2022
Midwest Living
Affiliations & memberships
Smithsonian Affiliate 2008
National Register of Historic Places 1980
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of students educated through field trips
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Daily Experience
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Each total includes students, staff, and chaperones.
Total number of paid admissions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Each total includes daily admissions, seasonal festivals, Symphony on the Prairie, and school tours. 2020 totals were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Number of grants and research funding awarded to the institution
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn 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?
Conner Prairie's mission is to be a historic place to inspire curiosity and foster learning by providing engaging and individualized experiences for everyone. In doing this, Conner Prairie will expand the boundaries of our historical and natural resources by exploring, celebrating, and improving the human experience.
The museum’s 2018-2023 strategic imperatives are as follows:
1. Enhance museum experiences
2. Engage the community, land, and brand
3. Connect people and partners
4. Sustain resources, revenue and river
The strategic imperatives for 2024 – 2026 are currently in review and will be published in 2024.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Conner Prairie first survived and then pivoted to provide in 2020 before learning how to thrive again in 2021 by practicing the “Business of the Unusual.” In 2022, we used our annual SMART Plan to thrive and achieve the “Business of Enrichment” for our organization and guests and began to activate our future. In 2023, the “Business of Change” is helping us realize the future laid out in the last year of the 2019-2023 Strategic Plan and prepare for the 2024-2026 Strategic Plan.
Annually, the museum creates SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-focused, and Time-bound). The SMART Goals align with the Strategic Plan; the objectives of the 2023 SMART Plan are as follows:
o Provide year-round experiences to grow visitation and engagement through existing core initiatives.
o Enhance opportunities for experiential learning through new or refreshed exhibits, programs, and core experiences.
o Activate Site Master Plan projects and others to expand the use of our campus and the White River to create educational opportunities about the history and science of the land and river.
o Amplify the Mission of Conner Prairie through cohesive marketing and PR strategies that highlight our community engagement, natural assets, and brand value.
o Create an engaged, collaborative, and inclusive culture to support and sustain strategic partnerships internally and externally.
o Create a cohesive brand voice that represents both our Explorer and Sage Archetypes.
o Create sustainable financial models to fund operational, strategic, and master plan needs.
o Protect our natural resources to preserve our cultural landscape.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Conner Prairie has an operating budget of over $15M in 2023 and employs approximately 114 full-time, 63 part-time, and 294 seasonal staff. The museum is governed by a Board of Directors totaling 39 community leaders. The Museum Foundation Board totals six individuals.
With strong leadership, Conner Prairie is in a unique position to model how museums can adapt to meet the needs of our changing world. As a steward of public resources, Conner Prairie considers how our mission-driven investments will provide returns for not only the organization but for the community as a whole.
We will continue to raise our bar in service to the community, and we will work collaboratively with stakeholders to address challenges that inevitably accompany change. Many contributors play important roles in the ecosystem, and on a foundation of trust we have earned to date, we will regard our long-standing partnerships while staying open to new ones. We will value staff expertise and lean both confidently and humbly on a track record of achievement.
We have created an environment where, over the years, increasing numbers of visitors of all ages, backgrounds, and interests come to our 1,046 acres to have fun, learn, and spend time together. Year over year, we have practiced good stewardship of our financial, human, and natural resources. We have established a reputation for planning carefully, engaging our community, and creating mutually beneficial partnerships.
The confluence of all these factors ideally positions us to add new chapters of innovation and success to the Conner Prairie story. We are changing the way the world views and uses museums by adapting in unexpected ways and by providing extraordinary experiences that enrich the lives of all our constituents.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Accomplishments
• Conner Prairie counts itself among the 4% of American museums that hold AAM accreditation and one of even fewer that is a Smithsonian Institute Affiliate. A recognized and respected cultural institution both locally and nationally, Conner Prairie is committed to upholding a level of museum professionalism that meets and exceeds industry standards, and we remain dedicated to learning and sharing new ways to better serve the public.
• Today, we are faced with an undeniable shift in what it means to be a museum. We, like our peer cultural institutions, emerged from the global pandemic as a changed organization. One of our most important lessons over the last three years was recognizing that meeting our audiences where they were during difficult times required adapting a number of approaches to our work. In and since 2020, the museum has substantially increased its online presence and online content, invested in new technologies, and built more inclusive programming.
• Perhaps like no other time in our history has it been more critical for Conner Prairie to assess and adapt many of the ways we use our museum and historic grounds. Yes, we are addressing changes prompted by the pandemic, but we are also addressing the community at-large.
• In examining some of these new realities (below) and consequential challenges we will face together, Conner Prairie continues to demonstrate its willingness and ability to partner with community stakeholders and philanthropic supporters toward solutions.
Conner Prairie has evolved from a historic site focused on pioneer life to a dynamic multi-disciplinary place of community engagement. Conner Prairie gained a national reputation as an award-winning museum whose “Opening Doors” approach to visitor engagement has been embraced by more than 1,200 museums in the country. The very foundation of Opening Doors is inclusion. By placing each guest’s interests and learning styles at the center of the Conner Prairie experience, we invite everyone to become active participants in the stories that are shared throughout our grounds.
Conner Prairie aims to create experiences for everyone - regardless of background or abilities. We are guided by our DEAI Promise, which deems diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion paramount to the success of our mission. This philosophy influences all aspects of Conner Prairie's mission as we continue to develop and improve programming for all members of our community.
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 using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We act on the feedback we receive, We conduct evaluation & employ evaluation staff to know if we are achieving our mission effectively
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Financials
Financial documents
Download audited financialsRevenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2022 info
0.96
Months of cash in 2022 info
1.7
Fringe rate in 2022 info
30%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Financial data
CONNER PRAIRIE MUSEUM INC
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.
Fiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
This snapshot of CONNER PRAIRIE MUSEUM INC’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.
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Business model indicators
Profitability info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | -$19,830 | -$135,150 | -$569,826 | $54,862 | $480,877 |
As % of expenses | -0.2% | -0.9% | -3.2% | 0.4% | 2.2% |
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | -$224,040 | -$340,861 | -$767,621 | -$90,809 | $255,644 |
As % of expenses | -1.7% | -2.3% | -4.3% | -0.7% | 1.2% |
Revenue composition info | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $12,950,634 | $14,966,083 | $17,879,069 | $13,178,426 | $21,659,881 |
Total revenue, % change over prior year | 14.5% | 15.6% | 19.5% | -26.3% | 64.4% |
Program services revenue | 20.2% | 19.9% | 10.2% | 21.3% | 16.7% |
Membership dues | 3.1% | 2.6% | 1.9% | 2.2% | 1.8% |
Investment income | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Government grants | 0.9% | 0.8% | 13.8% | 24.9% | 3.9% |
All other grants and contributions | 61.2% | 62.8% | 70.8% | 35.8% | 65.3% |
Other revenue | 14.6% | 13.8% | 3.3% | 15.8% | 12.2% |
Expense composition info | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total expenses before depreciation | $12,734,441 | $14,715,950 | $17,653,361 | $12,999,046 | $21,656,782 |
Total expenses, % change over prior year | 14.8% | 15.6% | 20.0% | -26.4% | 66.6% |
Personnel | 60.0% | 54.1% | 39.8% | 60.4% | 43.8% |
Professional fees | 7.6% | 8.6% | 5.3% | 12.3% | 10.4% |
Occupancy | 3.1% | 3.0% | 1.9% | 2.9% | 1.9% |
Interest | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Pass-through | 11.1% | 17.4% | 41.5% | 3.2% | 26.6% |
All other expenses | 18.2% | 16.9% | 11.5% | 21.2% | 17.3% |
Full cost components (estimated) info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total expenses (after depreciation) | $12,938,651 | $14,921,661 | $17,851,156 | $13,144,717 | $21,882,015 |
One month of savings | $1,061,203 | $1,226,329 | $1,471,113 | $1,083,254 | $1,804,732 |
Debt principal payment | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Fixed asset additions | $0 | $0 | $0 | $786,865 | $0 |
Total full costs (estimated) | $13,999,854 | $16,147,990 | $19,322,269 | $15,014,836 | $23,686,747 |
Capital structure indicators
Liquidity info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Months of cash | 2.2 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 1.7 |
Months of cash and investments | 2.3 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 1.8 |
Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 2.6 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.9 |
Balance sheet composition info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cash | $2,384,369 | $3,722,507 | $3,720,942 | $3,670,697 | $3,157,700 |
Investments | $21,473 | $21,473 | $21,473 | $21,473 | $21,473 |
Receivables | $1,236,893 | $2,103,592 | $6,737,607 | $3,071,389 | $2,876,731 |
Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $2,659,225 | $2,667,510 | $2,145,613 | $2,932,478 | $2,977,198 |
Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 56.4% | 63.9% | 63.6% | 51.5% | 58.3% |
Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 25.1% | 45.6% | 66.6% | 54.1% | 51.9% |
Unrestricted net assets | $3,888,919 | $3,548,058 | $2,780,437 | $2,689,628 | $2,945,272 |
Temporarily restricted net assets | $372,143 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Permanently restricted net assets | $0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Total restricted net assets | $372,143 | $272,860 | $1,068,394 | $1,192,912 | $715,134 |
Total net assets | $4,261,062 | $3,820,918 | $3,848,831 | $3,882,540 | $3,660,406 |
Key data checks
Key data checks info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Material data errors | No | No | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
President and CEO
Mr. Norman O. Burns II
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
CONNER PRAIRIE MUSEUM INC
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
CONNER PRAIRIE MUSEUM INC
Highest paid employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
CONNER PRAIRIE MUSEUM INC
Board of directorsas of 06/06/2024
Board of directors data
Steve Hageman
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Brian Timmerman
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Constance Brown
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Reggie Henderson
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Jessica Bastin
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Doug Battaglia
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Marvin Blade
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Jessica Brand
Freelance Marketing Director
Melissa Caito
Indy Championships Fund
Kip Chase
Lilly USA, LLC for Eli Lilly and Company
Christina Hale
U.S. Small Business Administration
Clint Hangebrauck
National Collegiate Athletics Association
Ross Hendrickson
Bloomerang
Leonard Hoops
Visit Indy
Kerry Keffaber
Prairie Systems
Dave Kinard
Elanco Animal Health
Julia Church Kozicki
Sigma Kappa Sorority
Naomi Kwang
Barnes & Thornburg
Eric Lucas
MUSK
Graham Melendez
Indiana Department of Administration
Drew Miroff
Ice Miller
Clarence G. Newsome
National Underground Railroad Center
Greg Schahet
Schahet Hotels, LLC
Denny Sponsel
RJE Business Interiors
Selina Stoller
Concord Servicing
Jon Stolz
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, LLC
Megan Wiles
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Whitney Wolf
Wolf & Co. Exposition Solutions
Geordan Coleman
Bank of America
Ellen Mitchell
Melvin Morris
Duke Energy
Chris Rojas
Gallery Company
Spring Rouhana
IntelinAir
Susan Trautman
Cargo Services
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? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
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? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 03/31/2021GuideStar 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 review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- 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 disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- 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.