Form 990 for tax year 2022

Totals

Total revenue

$2,616,814

Total expenses

$2,038,200

Contributions and grants received

$1,819,217

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$602,261

Investment income

$51,462

Other revenue

$143,874

Total assets, end of year

$7,535,301

Total liabilities, end of year

$204,684

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$7,330,617

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$1,466,699

Management and general expenses

$296,287

Fundraising expenses

$275,214

Program service expenses (Part III)

$1,466,699

Program services were 72.0% 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.

Mission and programs · 2022

• SCIENCE CENTRAL'S MISSION IS TO BE A "REGIONAL RESOURCE THAT PROVIDES INSPIRING AND FUN HANDS-ON SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR ALL PEOPLE OF ALL AGES." OUR PURPOSE IS TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY AND THE SURROUNDING REGION WITH STEM CONCEPTS IN WAYS THAT INSPIRE LIFELONG LEARNING AND FUTURE CAREERS. OUR SCIENCE CENTER PROVIDES VISITORS WITH OVER 200 PERMANENT EXHIBITS THAT EXPLORE AND DEMONSTRATE THE PHYSICAL, NATURAL, AND APPLIED SCIENCES. IN 2022, NEW PERMANENT EXHIBITS SUCH AS DRAW ALIVE AND THE TOPOGRAPHY BOX WERE ADDED TO THE FLOOR, BRINGING COLOR, MOVEMENT, AND A THIRD DIMENSION TO THE EXPERIENCE. DRAW ALIVE ALLOWS CHILDREN'S ANIMAL DESIGNS TO COME TO LIFE ON-SCREEN. THROUGH DIGITAL IMAGING AND REAL-TIME RESPONSE, VISITORS SEE THE HEIGHTS AND DEPTHS OF GEOGRAPHY COME TO LIFE AS THEY MOVE THE SAND AROUND THE TOPOGRAPHY BOX. A GIANT KALEIDOSCOPE DISPLAY AND AN EROSION TABLE WERE ALSO ADDED TO OUR PERMANENT COLLECTION. NEW EXHIBITS IN OUR EARLY LEARNERS AREA, KIDS CENTRAL, INCLUDED BLOCKS (BUILDING), LILY PAD (SOUND), AND LIGHT TABLE (SHAPES). WITH THESE NEW EXHIBITS, WE STRIVE TO PROVIDE LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT ARE RELEVANT TO SIGNIFICANT CAREERS IN OUR REGION, ADDRESS CONTEMPORARY ISSUES, ENGAGE DIVERSE AGE GROUPS, AND REACH OUT TO TRADITIONALLY UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS SUCH AS GIRLS AND WOMEN. IN ADDITION TO NEW EXHIBITS, SCIENCE CENTRAL UNVEILED OUR COMPLETELY- REMODELED NATURE NOOK (FORMERLY THE SWAP SHOP). THE ANIMALS ALL RECEIVED UPDATED LIVING ENCLOSURES. THESE NEW, LARGE-WINDOWED ENCLOSURES PROVIDE THE ANIMALS WITH BRIGHTER AND ROOMIER HABITATS, WHILE ALSO ALLOWING VISITORS TO SEE THEM AT BETTER VANTAGE POINTS. A FOOD STORAGE AND PREP STATION WAS ADDED TO THE GALLERY WHERE VISITORS CAN LEARN ABOUT WHAT THE ANIMALS EAT AND WATCH AS THE ANIMALS ARE FED EACH DAY. THIS PROVIDES ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR STAFF AND VISITORS TO ENGAGE AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ANIMALS. WE HAVE SEEN A LOT MORE ACTIVITY BETWEEN THE ANIMALS AND VISITORS SINCE THE REMODEL. OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO PRESENT THE COMMUNITY WITH THREE TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS IN OUR TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS GALLERY. THE FIRST, "OUR WEAKENING WEB," USED REALISTIC DIORAMAS AND INTERACTIVE STATIONS TO TEACH VISITORS ABOUT NATURAL EXTINCTIONS AND THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE MANY ORGANISMS THAT MAKE UP ECOSYSTEMS. NEXT WAS "A-MAZE-D" ABOUT MAZES, GAMES, PUZZLES AND PROBLEM-SOLVING. THE THIRD WAS "EAT WELL, PLAY WELL" ABOUT HEALTH, DIET, NUTRITION, AND EXERCISE. FINALLY, WE HOSTED "TACTILE DA VINCI," A UNIQUE EXHIBITION ABOUT THE INVENTIONS OF LEONARDO DA VINCI THAT WAS DESIGNED FOR VISITORS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS, AND USED 3- DIMENSIONAL, BRAILLE AND AUDITORY COMPONENTS. EVERY DAY, THE DEMONSTRATION THEATER AND THE NOAA SCIENCE ON A SPHERE ALLOW US THE OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER OUR MISSION WITH LIVE PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR VISITORS TO EXPERIENCE. DEMONSTRATIONS FOR SCHOOL GROUPS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC COMPLEMENT OUR EXHIBITS BY PROVIDING MORE IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS OF TOPICS SHOWN IN OUR EXHIBITS. THEY ALSO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR VISITORS TO ENGAGE WITH OUR EDUCATION STAFF, WHO ARE TRAINED TO EXPLAIN DIFFICULT SCIENCE CONCEPTS IN A STRAIGHTFORWARD MANNER. FUNDRAISING, ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION CONTINUED TO PROGRESS FOR THE EVENTUAL INSTALLATION OF OUR PLANETARIUM CAPITAL PROJECT. THIS EXPANSION, USING BOTH A CLASSIC STARBALL PROJECTOR AND CUTTING-EDGE DIGITAL EQUIPMENT WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE THE REGION'S ONLY PUBLIC PLANETARIUM IN THE REGION'S ONLY SCIENCE CENTER. EVERYONE FROM MOBILITY-IMPAIRED VISITORS TO MOMS WITH STROLLERS ENJOYED OUR MODIFIED DEMONSTRATION THEATER, WHICH WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY ANOTHER RECENT RENOVATION. A BLEACHER-STYLE RETRACTABLE FRONT ROW ENABLES VISITORS USING WHEELCHAIRS TO SIT WITH THE REST OF THE AUDIENCE. STANDARD-SIZED STEPS WITH SAFETY STRIPS FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND TWO HANDRAILS MAKE THE UPPER ROWS OF SEATING MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO NEED ADDED STABILITY. THE ADDITION OF TWO LARGE TELEVISION SCREENS HAS ALLOWED VISITORS TO SIMULTANEOUSLY VIEW OUR TALK-TO-TEXT TECHNOLOGY AND VIEW SLIDESHOWS THAT ENHANCED OUR EDUCATIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS. A NEW CAMERA WILL SOON BE INSTALLED THAT WILL ALLOW VISITORS TO SEE SMALL ASPECTS OF OUR DEMONSTRATIONS MORE CLEARLY. A NEW AUDIO SYSTEM WAS ADDED TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY TO THOSE WHO ARE DEAF, HARD-OF-HEARING, OR HAVE AUDITORY PROCESSING DISORDERS. THIS AUDIO SYSTEM NOW INCLUDES BLUETOOTH-ENABLED HEADPHONES THAT CONNECT TO HEARING AIDS, AND THE TALK-TO-TEXT SYSTEM. AS SCIENCE CENTRAL BECOMES MORE ACCESSIBLE, FULFILLING THE MISSION OF "EDUCATION FOR ALL" BECOMES EASIER. STUDY TRIPS ("FIELD TRIPS") RETURNED TO SCIENCE CENTRAL, BRINGING STUDENTS FROM FORT WAYNE AND THE SURROUNDING AREA BACK INTO THE BUILDING. STUDENTS ONCE AGAIN WERE ABLE TO EXPLORE SCIENCE IN A HANDS-ON WAY, OFTEN FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR MANY OF OUR YOUNGER STUDENTS. IN 2022 SCIENCE CENTRAL HOSTED 296 STUDY TRIPS FROM SCHOOL THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEAST INDIANA AND OHIO AREA. STUDY TRIPS INCLUDE FLOOR EXPLORATION AND OFTEN SCHOOLS REQUEST ADDITIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS AND LABS, WHICH ARE LED BY OUR EDUCATION STAFF. 732 OUTREACH PROGRAMS BROUGHT LABS, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS TO SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS THROUGHOUT NORTHEAST INDIANA. THESE HANDS-ON PROGRAMS MEET INDIANA'S SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS AND HELP STUDENTS UNDERSTAND STEM CONCEPTS THAT ARE OFTEN DIFFICULT TO COMPREHEND WITHOUT FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE. FOLLOWING THE CHANGES NECESSITATED BY THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, SCIENCE CENTRAL HAS BECOME ADEPT IN CREATING OUTREACH KITS (CALLED "SCIENCE2GO KITS"), WHICH ALLOW LOCAL STUDENTS TO BENEFIT FROM PERSONAL, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AS THEY FOLLOW ALONG WITH A LAB OR DEMONSTRATION PRESENTED THROUGH OUR ESTABLISHED INTERACTIVE VIDEO CONFERENCING (IVC) PROGRAM. EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO THE MISSION OF SCIENCE CENTRAL TO BE ABLE TO REACH THOSE WHO COULD NOT DIRECTLY VISIT OUR CENTER. MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE REMOTE SOLUTIONS FOR STEM EDUCATION FOR AS LONG AS CLASSROOMS FIND THIS OPTION USEFUL. OUR EXPANDED CATALOG OF INTERACTIVE VIDEO CONFERENCING PROGRAMMING REMAINS AVAILABLE, AS DO THE CORRESPONDING SCIENCE2GO KITS, WHICH ALLOW LOCAL AND REGIONAL STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES IN THEIR OWN HOMES OR CLASSROOMS WHILE RECEIVING REMOTE INSTRUCTION. SCIENCE CENTRAL AGAIN WON A NATIONAL AWARD FOR OUR INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL LEARNING. SCIENCE CENTRAL'S PARTNERSHIPS WITH SEVERAL LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS HELP ENSURE OUR PROGRAMMING IS FINANCIALLY ACCESSIBLE. IN 2022, WE HOSTED THREE FREE ADMISSION DAYS: DOCTORS DAY, MHS DAY, AND BE A TOURIST IN YOUR OWN HOMETOWN. WE OFFER DISCOUNTED ADMISSION ON THE LAST SATURDAY OF MOST MONTHS. WE HOSTED DISABILITY DAYS (FORMERLY SPECIAL ABILITIES DAYS) WHICH ENABLED INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH DISABILITIES TO VISIT SCIENCE CENTRAL AT NO CHARGE WHILE ALSO OFFERING THEM ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO MAKE OUR SITE EVEN MORE ACCESSIBLE. THESE SPECIAL ADMISSION OPPORTUNITIES PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN EXPANDING THE REACH OF OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TO ALL PEOPLE.

  Expenses $1,466,699 · Revenue $602,261

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

Listed in Part VII

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.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2022

Filed

10 February 2024

IRS schema version

2022v5.0

Source object

202420419349300007

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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