Skip to content
Nonprofiteer
← ASSOCIATION OF SCIENCE-TECHNOLOGY CENTERS INCORPORATED

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by ASSOCIATION OF SCIENCE-TECHNOLOGY CENTERS INCORPORATED.

Totals

Total revenue
$5,435,417
Total expenses
$5,526,443
Contributions and grants received
$2,652,535
Grants paid
$47,864
Program service revenue
$2,198,156
Investment income
$175,162
Other revenue
$409,564
Total assets, end of year
$4,667,192
Total liabilities, end of year
$2,589,068
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$2,078,124
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$4,782,533
Management and general expenses
$743,910
Fundraising expenses
$0
Program service expenses (Part III)
$4,782,533

Program services were 86.5% 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.

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $537,474

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $2,115,061

  • 2a · Program service revenue: MEMBERSHIP DUES

    total $1,137,330 · related or exempt $1,137,330

  • 2b · Program service revenue: REGISTRATION FEES

    total $748,863 · related or exempt $748,863

  • 2c · Program service revenue: EXHIBIT HALL FEES

    total $307,300 · related or exempt $307,300

  • 2d · Program service revenue: MERCHANDISE AND PUBLICATIONS

    total $4,663 · related or exempt $4,663

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $109,820 · excluded $109,820

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $1,836,579

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

    securities $1,771,237

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $65,342

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $65,342 · excluded $65,342

  • 11a · Other revenue: OTHER

    total $384,855 · related or exempt $384,855

  • 11b · Other revenue: ADVERTISING

    total $24,709 · related or exempt $24,709

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $409,564

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $47,864 · program services $47,864

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $487,955 · program services $155,804 · management and general $332,151

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $1,460,425 · program services $1,151,519 · management and general $308,906

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $93,371 · program services $75,912 · management and general $17,459

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $133,730 · program services $106,913 · management and general $26,817

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $135,698 · program services $94,082 · management and general $41,616

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $4,867 · management and general $4,867

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $54,498 · management and general $54,498

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $1,373,011 · program services $1,285,382 · management and general $87,629

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $1,429 · program services $86 · management and general $1,343

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $42,369 · program services $16,127 · management and general $26,242

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $161,867 · program services $140,530 · management and general $21,337

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $365,828 · management and general $365,828

  • 17 · Travel

    total $189,024 · program services $111,613 · management and general $77,411

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $512,645 · program services $510,927 · management and general $1,718

  • 20 · Interest

    total $41,632 · management and general $41,632

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $86,786 · management and general $86,786

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $51,704 · program services $4,931 · management and general $46,773

  • 24a · Other expenses: TAXES AND FEES

    total $92,535 · program services $67,316 · management and general $25,219

  • 24b · Other expenses: SUBCONTRACT

    total $92,240 · program services $92,240

  • 24c · Other expenses: DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

    total $70,141 · program services $68,470 · management and general $1,671

  • 24d · Other expenses: MISCELLANEOUS

    total $17,169 · program services $2,850 · management and general $14,319

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $9,655 · program services $849,967 · management and general -$840,312

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $123,312 · end of year $130,276

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $315,938 · end of year $275,784

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $389,366 · end of year $277,781

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $61,051 · end of year $81,094

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $55,517 · end of year $76,547

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

    $435,667

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

    $420,967

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $88,595 · end of year $14,700

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $2,719,808 · end of year $2,766,839

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $1,044,171

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $799,657 · end of year $376,816

  • 18 · Grants payable

    beginning of year $79,093

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $409,606 · end of year $566,450

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $472,470 · end of year $1,645,802

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $543,978 · end of year $133,153

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $1,448,783 · end of year $1,944,971

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

THE ASSOCIATION OF SCIENCE-TECHNOLOGY CENTERS (ASTC) IS A PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION WITH A VISION OF INCREASED UNDERSTANDING OF-AND ENGAGEMENT WITH-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AMONG ALL PEOPLE AND A MISSION TO CHAMPION AND SUPPORT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTERS AND MUSEUMS. FOUNDED IN 1973, ASTC CHAMPIONS AND SUPPORTS MORE THAN 500 SCIENCE CENTERS, TECHNOLOGY MUSEUMS, NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS, CHILDREN'S MUSEUMS, AND OTHER STEM-RICH, PLACE-BASED INSTITUTIONS, SUCH AS NATURE CENTERS, AQUARIUMS, PLANETARIUMS, ZOOS, AND BOTANICAL GARDENS THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA AND IN NEARLY 50 COUNTRIES-AS WELL AS NEARLY 200 OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT SHARE AN INTEREST IN SCIENCE LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT.

Activities or mission (Part I)

DEDICATED TO INCREASED UNDERSTANDING OF-AND ENGAGEMENT WITH-SCIENCE AMONG ALL PEOPLE.

  • BUILD A MORE EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE - -PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT MEMBERS TO PREPARE AND LEAD WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES - BUILDS CAPACITY AMONG SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTERS AND MUSEUMS AND ALLIED ORGANIZATIONS FOR LEADING WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES ON CRITICAL ISSUES OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. THROUGH LARGELY GRANT-SUPPORTED EFFORTS, ASTC DEVELOPS AND DEPLOYS PROGRAMS TO UNDERSTAND AND SCALE NEW APPROACHES TO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN SCIENCE AND INFORMAL SCIENCE LEARNING AMONG OUR MEMBERS. ASTC ALSO INVESTS IN RESEARCH TO HELP OUR MEMBERS RECOGNIZE AND ACT ON MARKET AND SOCIETAL TRENDS AFFECTING THEIR BUSINESSES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. -ADVANCE EQUITABLE ENGAGEMENT IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - BRINGS TOGETHER INSTITUTIONS RICH IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH (STEM) THAT SERVE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AROUND THE GLOBE, AND THAT RECOGNIZE THAT DIVERSITY, ACCESSIBILITY, INCLUSION, AND EQUITY ARE PARAMOUNT VALUES. INVESTS IN ACTION FOR THE FIELD IN SUPPORT OF THESE VALUES INCLUDING OUR DIVERSITY AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FELLOWS PROGRAM, COLLABORATIVE SUPPORT OF THE CULTURAL COMPETENCE LEARNING INSTITUTE, AND MULTIPLE PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON BROADENING PARTICIPATION IN OUR FIELD AND IN STEM AROUND THE WORLD. HELPS ASTC MEMBERS THROUGH THESE EQUITY AND DIVERSITY PROGRAMS TO BECOME MORE WELCOMING, INCLUSIVE, AND ACCESSIBLE INSTITUTIONS, WITH AN AIM TO INCREASE THE DIVERSITY OF THOSE WHO VISIT AND WORK IN MUSEUMS; STEM; AND ENSURE THESE PLACE-BASED INSTITUTIONS REMAIN RELEVANT TO THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE AND SUPPORTIVE OF THE GOALS AND PRIORITIES OF THOSE COMMUNITIES.

    Expenses $820,901

  • STRENGHEN MEMBERS AND THEIR CAPACITY - -ASTCS ANNUAL CONFERENCE - HOSTS ONE OF THE PREMIER PROFESSIONAL-DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE GLOBAL SCIENCE-CENTER COMMUNITY, WHERE, EACH YEAR, 1,500 TO 2,000 INDIVIDUALS REPRESENTING SCIENCE CENTERS AND MUSEUMS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD, INFORMAL SCIENCE EDUCATORS, AND COMPANIES COLLABORATING WITH THE MUSEUM FIELD GATHER. OFFERS GENERAL SESSIONS, CONCURRENT SESSIONS, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS AT THIS ANNUAL CONVENING. -PUBLICATIONS AND COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE - KEEPS MEMBERS APPRISED OF TRENDS, PRACTICES, PERSPECTIVES, AND NEWS OF SIGNIFICANCE TO THE SCIENCE-MUSEUM FIELD THROUGH A DIGITAL MAGAZINE AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS. PROVIDES RESOURCES, TIMELY INFORMATION AND ONLINE COMMUNITIES AND FORUMS THAT PROMOTE THE SHARING OF SUCCESSFUL PRACTICES THROUGH ONLINE COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE. -WORKSHOPS, WEBINARS, AND OTHER CONVENINGS - PROVIDES LEARNING AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR MUSEUM AND SCIENCE ENGAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS ON A RANGE OF TOPICS. -RESEARCH SERVICES - TRACKS AND ANALYZES TRENDS AND COMPILES DATA, INFORMATION, AND STATISTICS FOR THE SCIENCE MUSEUM FIELD.

    Expenses $2,469,484 · Revenue $2,198,156

  • CHAMPION AND SUPPORT SCIENCE ENGAGEMENT - -ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS - ADVANCES THE INTERESTS OF SCIENCE CENTERS, INFORMAL SCIENCE LEARNING, AND SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND ENGAGEMENT BROADLY WITHIN THE U.S. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. ENCOURAGES MUSEUM VISITORSHIP THROUGH PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS AND A RECIPROCAL FREE ADMISSION PROGRAM. -PUBLIC AWARENESS AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT - CONDUCTS OUTREACH TO NORTH AMERICAN AND INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH, BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY, AND EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS TO POSITION THE SCIENCE MUSEUM FIELD AS A POTENTIAL PARTNER FOR CONNECTING THE PUBLIC TO SCIENCE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO GLOBAL ISSUES. -COLLABORATING ACROSS THE SCIENCE-ENGAGEMENT ECOSYSTEM - SUPPORTS A GROWING NETWORK OF LEADERS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ENGAGEMENT NETWORKS TO FOSTER A MORE ROBUST ECOSYSTEM OF ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE ENGAGING THE PUBLIC IN STEM. -INTERNATIONAL NETWORK AND MEMBER COLLABORATIONS - WORKS WITH NATIONAL AND REGIONAL SCIENCE CENTER NETWORKS OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES TO SUPPORT SCIENCE CENTERS AND MUSEUMS WORLDWIDE.

    Expenses $1,272,300 · Grants $47,864 · Revenue $24,709

  • LEGACY PROJECTS -LEGACY PROJECTS REPRESENT MULTI-YEAR FUNDED PROJECTS THAT ASTC DOES NOT ANTICIPATE CONTINUING. WHILE THESE PROJECTS ADVANCE ASTC'S MISSION AND SUPPORT OUR WORK WITH OUR MEMBERS, THEY MAY NOT FALL INTO ONE OF ASTC'S NEW STRATEGIC PILLARS.

    Expenses $219,848

As filed on the 2023 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Larry Dubinski

    IMMED. PAST CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • William Harris

    IMMD PAST CHAIR AS OF 10/10/2023

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Tim Ritchie

    CHAIR AS OF 10/10/2023

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Curt Simmons

    MEMBER-AT-LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Frederic Bertley

    MEMBER-AT-LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Robert Firmhofer

    SECRETARY AS OF 10/10/2023

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Rena Dorph

    MEMBER-AT-LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Joann Newman

    SECRETARY THRU 10/10/23

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Catherine Horne

    TREASURER THRU 10/10/23

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Tracy Calogheros

    MEMBER-AT-LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Christian Greer

    MEMBER-AT-LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Marilee Jennings

    MEMBER-AT-LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Douglas Jones

    MEMBER-AT-LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Andres Roldan

    MEMBER-AT-LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Tara MacDougall

    MEMBER-AT-LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Maria Emilia Beyer Ruiz

    MEMBER-AT-LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Adalene Spivy

    TREASURER AS OF 10/10/2023

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Sam Dean

    MEMBER-AT-LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Erin Graham

    CHAIR ELECT AS OF 10/10/2023

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Lori Bettison-Varga

    MEMBER-AT-LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Sara Schapiro

    MEMBER-AT-LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Michelle Crowl

    MEMBER-AT-LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Robin Gose

    MEMBER-AT-LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Jason Cryan

    MEMBER-AT-LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Chieko Asakawa

    MEMBER-AT-LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Christofer Nelson

    PRESIDENT AND CEO

    Total calculated
    $352,693
    From this org
    $316,966
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $35,727
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $244,396
    Bonus
    $72,570
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $22,500
    Nontaxable benefits
    $13,227
    Filer's total
    $352,693

  • Frances Burg

    CHIEF OF STAFF

    Total calculated
    $135,261
    From this org
    $103,722
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $31,539
    Hours/week
    40

  • Adam Fagen

    DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

    Total calculated
    $133,130
    From this org
    $114,143
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $18,987
    Hours/week
    40

  • Julian Boaitey

    DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND AD

    Total calculated
    $133,846
    From this org
    $111,550
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $22,296
    Hours/week
    40

  • Melissa Ballard

    DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS

    Total calculated
    $149,843
    From this org
    $112,778
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $37,065
    Hours/week
    40

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

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2023
Filed
13 November 2024
IRS schema version
2023v5.1
Source object
202423189349308762

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.