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Nonprofiteer
← THE COLORADO MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Form 990 for tax year 2022

Filed by THE COLORADO MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY.

Totals

Total revenue
$51,308,274
Total expenses
$49,100,036
Contributions and grants received
$29,316,822
Grants paid
$378,378
Program service revenue
$15,647,919
Investment income
$19
Other revenue
$6,343,514
Total assets, end of year
$37,001,421
Total liabilities, end of year
$7,298,618
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$29,702,803
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$36,152,467
Management and general expenses
$9,793,349
Fundraising expenses
$3,154,220
Program service expenses (Part III)
$36,152,467

Program services were 73.6% 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.

  • 1d · Related organizations

    $3,868,723

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $17,801,675

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $7,646,424

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $581,169

  • 2a · Program service revenue: Admissions

    total $10,189,002 · related or exempt $10,189,002

  • 2b · Program service revenue: Memberships

    total $4,802,285 · related or exempt $4,802,285

  • 2c · Program service revenue: Educational/outreach

    total $656,632 · related or exempt $656,632

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $2,810 · excluded $2,810

  • 5 · Royalties

    total $36,528 · excluded $36,528

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

    securities $2,791

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities -$2,791

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total -$2,791 · excluded -$2,791

  • 10a · Gross sales of inventory

    $9,080,313

  • 10b · Cost of goods sold

    $3,071,364

  • 10c · Net income from sales of inventory

    total $6,008,949 · related or exempt $6,008,949

  • 11a · Other revenue: Administrative fees

    total $200,000 · related or exempt $200,000

  • 11b · Other revenue: Miscellaneous

    total $98,037 · related or exempt $98,037

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $298,037

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 2 · Grants to domestic individuals

    total $378,378 · program services $378,378

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $1,276,703 · program services $678,020 · management and general $370,722 · fundraising $227,961

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $23,753,101 · program services $18,449,834 · management and general $3,583,721 · fundraising $1,719,546

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $710,672 · program services $567,045 · management and general $91,828 · fundraising $51,799

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $1,704,411 · program services $1,384,030 · management and general $199,247 · fundraising $121,134

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $1,677,738 · program services $1,308,636 · management and general $234,883 · fundraising $134,219

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $40,859 · management and general $40,859

  • 11d · Fees: lobbying

    total $42,893 · management and general $42,893

  • 11e · Fees: professional fundraising services

    total $5,445 · fundraising $5,445

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $3,223,117 · program services $2,325,234 · management and general $749,767 · fundraising $148,116

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $1,718,747 · program services $92,091 · management and general $1,611,007 · fundraising $15,649

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $4,071,935 · program services $1,832,076 · management and general $1,702,399 · fundraising $537,460

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $4,790,459 · program services $4,647,934 · management and general $32,988 · fundraising $109,537

  • 17 · Travel

    total $696,900 · program services $615,450 · management and general $40,983 · fundraising $40,467

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $923,100 · program services $770,437 · management and general $133,557 · fundraising $19,106

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $393,737 · program services $5,313 · management and general $388,412 · fundraising $12

  • 24a · Other expenses: Capital Improvements

    total $2,727,991 · program services $2,667,097 · management and general $60,894

  • 24b · Other expenses: Employee Development

    total $617,015 · program services $173,167 · management and general $425,758 · fundraising $18,090

  • 24c · Other expenses: Lease Expense

    total $224,666 · program services $224,666

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $122,169 · program services $33,059 · management and general $83,431 · fundraising $5,679

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $15,203,328 · end of year $18,513,327

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $5,024,467 · end of year $5,027,277

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $1,606,953 · end of year $1,001,229

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $7,741,206 · end of year $8,181,742

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $378,483 · end of year $492,280

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $1,624,761 · end of year $1,407,754

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

    $20,999,550

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

    $18,621,738

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $2,244,314 · end of year $2,377,812

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $3,322,586 · end of year $4,516,450

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $2,490,292 · end of year $2,782,168

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $516,069 · end of year $0

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $19,959,840 · end of year $17,290,726

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $7,534,725 · end of year $12,412,077

Mission and programs · 2022

Mission

Be a catalyst! Ignite our community's passion for nature and science.

  • Exhibits, Digital Media, Programs & Partnerships: To advance its mission of igniting our community's passion for nature and science, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science presents a dynamic menu of permanent and temporary exhibits (Survival of the Slowest, Guitar, Egypt: The Time of the Pharaohs, Mazes & Brain Games, Apollo, and Unseen Oceans), engaging programming, films in the newly renovated Infinity theater, offsite science play areas and awe-inspiring shows in its digital Planetarium. Diverse program offerings for people of all ages include exciting science theater shows and facilitations, lectures, documentary film screenings, school break camps, and family activity programs. ExciteEd programs for schools include rigorous teacher professional development classes and school group Field Trips. In 2022, the Museum served 1.8 million adults, families, and students, including 650,000 offsite in the community and virtually.

    Expenses $20,680,753 · Grants $34,230 · Revenue $15,647,919

  • Science Division: Museum researchers contribute to scientific knowledge through collection and analysis of data, which are then used to generate and publish new understandings about the earth, its inhabitants, and beyond. The Science staff manages, preserves, and provides access to the Museum's collection of 4.3 million objects and specimens. During 2022, staff fielded 587 research requests from collaborators inside and outside the museum. The Science Division also engaged in abundant educational outreach, communicating science to 126,234 members of the general public and its research community through courses, events, tours, lectures, and fieldtrips in 2022 alone. 4,445 of these guests attended collection open houses or behind the scenes tours of the Avenir Collections Center, and 44,404 of these guests attended virtual programs. Science staff supervised 33 interns, hosted 20 Teen Science Scholars, and mentored 24 undergraduate and graduate students. Our volunteer program continued to rebound following the pandemic in 2020. In 2022, 320 returning volunteers contributed over 46,000 hours. In addition, staff published 26 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, produced 20 popular books, book chapters, articles, and other non-peer reviewed publications, and were cited 1,944 times. Research highlights for 2022 include earth sciences publications on using fossil turtle shells to estimate timing and burial depth of terrestrial rocks (Petermann, Lyson, Hagadorn), documenting that placental mammals evolved brains before brawn after the end-Cretaceous extinction event (Lyson), and describing a new species of fossil laurel from the Cretaceous of Utah (Maccracken). Zoology publications included several on Rocky Mountain bird species and their genetic responses to shifting climate (Spellman), natural history of a spider ant symbiont (Cushing), and genomic insights into chipmunk diversification, along with recognition of two new species (Demboski). Anthropology published a comprehensive catalog of the Peace Medal collection (Nash) and a study of Moche worldview concepts (Koons).

    Expenses $6,374,462 · Grants $194,148

  • Educational Programs: In 2022, diverse program offerings included After Hours virtual lectures, in-person facilitated family programs, summer and school break camps, numerous virtual program offerings, a Dia Del Nino celebration, Scientists in Action broadcasts from the field, and many more. ExciteEd programs for schools included teacher professional development classes, field trips and overnight stays at the Museum, virtual science labs, camps and offsite programs. We launched our Museum on Wheels: Curiosity Cruiser and a new community engagement team and together they connected nearly 18,000 people with nature and science by going to their events and communities.

    Expenses $9,097,252 · Grants $150,000 · Revenue $6,306,986

As filed on the 2022 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Kristin Richardson

    Chair

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Richard Ambrose

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Lisa Levin Appel

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Matthew Burkett

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Christopher S Chavez

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • John M Couzens

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1 + 1 related
  • Jandell Allen-Davis

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Peter A Dea

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • John E Freyer

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1 + 1 related
  • Henry H Gordon

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Steven C Halstedt

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jena Hausmann

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Happy Haynes

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • John M Levisay

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • David L Liniger

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Naresh Mandava MD

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Christine Marquez-Hudson

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Anne M McCarthy

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Stephen G McConahey

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Susan B McIntire

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Montgomery C Cleworth

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Don Law

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Mark S Sexton

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Leo M Tilman

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Mark Spiecker

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jenny Hopkins

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Alice Jackson

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Hal Logan

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jesus Salazar

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Paul Washington

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • George Sparks

    President & CEO

    Total calculated
    $480,389
    From this org
    $464,535
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $15,854
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $381,696
    Bonus
    $80,699
    Other
    $2,140
    Deferred
    $15,250
    Nontaxable benefits
    $604
    Filer's total
    $480,389
  • Edward Scholz

    VP, Finance & Business Operations

    Total calculated
    $300,345
    From this org
    $277,287
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $23,058
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $230,474
    Bonus
    $45,000
    Other
    $1,813
    Deferred
    $12,899
    Nontaxable benefits
    $10,159
    Filer's total
    $300,345
  • Nancy Walsh

    VP, Experiences & Partnerships

    Total calculated
    $266,354
    From this org
    $239,736
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $26,618
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $203,301
    Bonus
    $35,000
    Other
    $1,435
    Deferred
    $12,467
    Nontaxable benefits
    $14,151
    Filer's total
    $266,354
  • Freeda Warren

    VP, Advancement & Marketing

    Total calculated
    $229,615
    From this org
    $228,938
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $677
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $201,575
    Bonus
    $15,000
    Other
    $12,363
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $677
    Filer's total
    $229,615
  • Eric Boen

    Director, Technology

    Total calculated
    $181,908
    From this org
    $159,292
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $22,616
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $151,618
    Bonus
    $6,920
    Other
    $754
    Deferred
    $8,460
    Nontaxable benefits
    $14,156
    Filer's total
    $181,908
  • Nicole Lucero-Holub

    Director, Human Resources

    Total calculated
    $167,035
    From this org
    $145,404
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $21,631
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $136,186
    Bonus
    $8,892
    Other
    $326
    Deferred
    $7,632
    Nontaxable benefits
    $13,999
    Filer's total
    $167,035
  • Jeffrey Joplin

    Director, Facilities

    Total calculated
    $154,386
    From this org
    $140,387
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $13,999
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $132,685
    Bonus
    $7,564
    Other
    $138
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $13,999
    Filer's total
    $154,386
  • Ashley Bassim

    Director, Controller

    Total calculated
    $161,111
    From this org
    $155,562
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $5,549
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $144,135
    Bonus
    $11,337
    Other
    $90
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $5,549
    Filer's total
    $161,111
  • Elizabeth Davis

    Director, Experiences & Partnerships

    Total calculated
    $156,109
    From this org
    $139,298
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $16,811
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $130,095
    Bonus
    $8,907
    Other
    $296
    Deferred
    $7,241
    Nontaxable benefits
    $9,570
    Filer's total
    $156,109

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
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments

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
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

The filer's explanations (Part III)

Part I, Line 7
Each year, bonuses are discussed and approved by the Compensation Committee. Decisions are based on general performance by personnel.

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.

  • DMNS Foundation

    501(c)(3) · Support the activities of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science · CO

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2022
Filed
2 October 2023
IRS schema version
2022v5.0
Source object
202312799349300531

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