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← LOWELL OBSERVATORY

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by LOWELL OBSERVATORY.

Totals

Total revenue
$11,946,368
Total expenses
$19,482,906
Contributions and grants received
$7,331,293
Grants paid
$175,151
Program service revenue
$3,967,818
Investment income
$86,613
Other revenue
$560,644
Total assets, end of year
$102,618,903
Total liabilities, end of year
$53,834,242
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$48,784,661
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$15,171,860
Management and general expenses
$2,553,523
Fundraising expenses
$1,757,523
Program service expenses (Part III)
$15,171,860

Program services were 77.9% 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.

  • 1b · Membership dues

    $197,904

  • 1d · Related organizations

    $667,386

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $2,189,822

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $4,276,181

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $169,702

  • 2a · Program service revenue: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

    total $2,337,003 · related or exempt $2,337,003

  • 2b · Program service revenue: TELESCOPE ACCESS FEES

    total $1,630,815 · related or exempt $1,630,815

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $16,425 · excluded $16,425

  • 6a · Gross rents

    real property $4,050

  • 6b · Less rental expenses

    real property $0

  • 6c · Rental income or loss

    real property $4,050

  • 6d · Net rental income or loss

    total $4,050 · excluded $4,050

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $121,010 · other assets $4,978

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

    securities $4,794 · other assets $51,006

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $116,216 · other assets -$46,028

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $70,188 · excluded $70,188

  • 10a · Gross sales of inventory

    $789,802

  • 10b · Cost of goods sold

    $331,142

  • 10c · Net income from sales of inventory

    total $458,660 · related or exempt $458,660

  • 11a · Other revenue: MISCELLANEOUS INCOME

    total $97,934 · related or exempt $97,934

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $97,934

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $175,151 · program services $175,151

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $1,392,929 · program services $575,169 · management and general $584,500 · fundraising $233,260

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $8,443,893 · program services $7,211,416 · management and general $438,834 · fundraising $793,643

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $387,080 · program services $330,965 · management and general $17,175 · fundraising $38,940

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $683,268 · program services $559,751 · management and general $56,547 · fundraising $66,970

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $740,149 · program services $590,784 · management and general $73,926 · fundraising $75,439

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $169,661 · program services $14,443 · management and general $155,218

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $79,050 · management and general $79,050

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $53 · management and general $53

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $455,359 · program services $302,804 · management and general $142,879 · fundraising $9,676

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $423,792 · program services $129,737 · management and general $263,687 · fundraising $30,368

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $740,633 · program services $542,367 · management and general $27,468 · fundraising $170,798

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $359,742 · program services $131,767 · management and general $130,003 · fundraising $97,972

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $789,929 · program services $628,343 · management and general $97,669 · fundraising $63,917

  • 17 · Travel

    total $332,597 · program services $265,498 · management and general $35,604 · fundraising $31,495

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $134,748 · program services $38,292 · management and general $35,544 · fundraising $60,912

  • 20 · Interest

    total $110,579 · management and general $110,579

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $2,183,557 · program services $2,085,343 · management and general $48,189 · fundraising $50,025

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $923,820 · program services $909,643 · management and general $10,776 · fundraising $3,401

  • 24a · Other expenses: TRAINING AND DEVELOPMEN

    total $475,567 · program services $332,420 · management and general $138,283 · fundraising $4,864

  • 24b · Other expenses: REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE

    total $254,709 · program services $244,661 · management and general $8,631 · fundraising $1,417

  • 24c · Other expenses: EE RECRUITMENT AND RELO

    total $119,411 · program services $33,609 · management and general $76,166 · fundraising $9,636

  • 24d · Other expenses: DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

    total $87,991 · program services $65,957 · management and general $21,369 · fundraising $665

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $19,238 · program services $3,740 · management and general $1,373 · fundraising $14,125

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $557,767 · end of year $844,868

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $294,575 · end of year $132,940

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $16,184,399 · end of year $11,034,634

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $95,506 · end of year $159,395

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $105,908 · end of year $128,622

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $320,331 · end of year $580,418

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

    $120,912,656

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

    $31,787,626

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $67,256,449 · end of year $89,125,030

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $20,539

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $622,735 · end of year $592,457

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $1,517,114 · end of year $3,909,128

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $6,316,461 · end of year $6,981,215

  • 23 · Secured mortgages and notes payable

    beginning of year $1,953,513 · end of year $12,004,059

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $19,237,461 · end of year $30,939,840

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $38,488,526 · end of year $46,101,630

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $17,924,595 · end of year $2,683,031

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

THE MISSION OF LOWELL OBSERVATORY IS TO PURSUE THE STUDY OF ASTRONOMY, ESPECIALLY THE STUDY OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM AND ITS EVOLUTION; TO CONDUCT PURE RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA; AND TO MAINTAIN QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO BRING THE RESULTS OF ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH TO THE PUBLIC.

Activities or mission (Part I)

LOWELL'S MISSION IS TO PURSUE THE STUDY OF ASTRONOMY AND SHARE THE RESULTS WITH THE PUBLIC.

  • CONTINUING A 130+-YEAR-LONG LEGACY OF ASTRONOMICAL DISCOVERY, LOWELL OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMERS, PLANETARY SCIENTISTS, AND OTHER RESEARCHERS CONDUCTED FOREFRONT RESEARCH IN MANY AREAS OF ASTRONOMY FROM THE SUN AND OUR SOLAR SYSTEM TO EXOPLANETS, STARS, GALAXIES, AND COSMOLOGY. IN 2024, LOWELL SCIENTISTS PUBLISHED OVER 120 PEER-REVIEWED PAPERS IN LEADING SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS, ALONG WITH ANOTHER 69 PAPERS IN OTHER VENUES. LOWELL SCIENTISTS ALSO GAVE NUMEROUS PRESENTATIONS AT SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCES AND PUBLIC OUTREACH EVENTS AND PARTICIPATED IN MAJOR SCIENTIFIC MISSIONS USING WORLD-LEADING TELESCOPES ACROSS THE GLOBE AND IN SPACE. LOWELL SCIENTIFIC STAFF CONTINUE TO BE VERY SUCCESSFUL AT OBTAINING GRANTS IN SUPPORT OF THEIR RESEARCH FROM NASA, THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, AND OTHER AGENCIES.THE 4.3-METER LOWELL DISCOVERY TELESCOPE (LDT) DELIVERED APPROXIMATELY 257 SCIENCE NIGHTS USED BY ASTRONOMERS ON THE STAFF AT LOWELL, AND OUR PARTNER INSTITUTIONS: BOSTON UNIVERSITY, NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO, AND YALE UNIVERSITY. IN TOTAL, THE LDT FEATURED PROMINENTLY IN MORE THAN 45 SCIENTIFIC OR TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS. THE LDT'S GROWING SUITE OF STATE-OF-THE-ART INSTRUMENTS, SUCH AS THE HIGH-PRECISION SPECTROGRAPH EXPRES, ENABLE CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH ACROSS MULTIPLE FIELDS, INCLUDING THE SEARCH FOR EXOPLANETS. LOWELL OBSERVATORY ALSO CONTINUED TO OPERATE OTHER SMALLER RESEARCH TELESCOPES AT ITS ANDERSON MESA AND MARS HILL SITES; AT THE MESA THEY ARE OPERATING A MODERN 1-METER TELESCOPE EQUIPPED WITH BOTH IMAGING AND SPECTROSCOPIC CAPABILITIES. ACCESS TO LOCAL TELESCOPES EQUIPPED WITH WORLD-CLASS INSTRUMENTS HAS ENABLED SCIENCE THAT COULD NOT BE DONE ELSEWHERE. IN 2024, LOWELL OBSERVATORY LAUNCHED ITS SCIENCE VISION, A LONG-TERM PLAN TO ADVANCE OBSERVATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE. THIS STRATEGIC INITIATIVE OUTLINES MAJOR NEW GOALS, INCLUDING SIGNIFICANT UPGRADES TO THE LDT, THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEXT-GENERATION INSTRUMENTATION, NEW PATHWAYS FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WITH SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY, AND EXPANDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF ASTRONOMERS AND ENGINEERS. EARLY IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS BEGAN IN 2024, INCLUDING PLANNING FOR AN UPGRADED ADAPTIVE OPTICS SYSTEM AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES FOR FUTURE LARGE-APERTURE FACILITIES.LOWELL OBSERVATORY REMAINS COMMITTED TO PIONEERING RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION, AND SHARING DISCOVERY WITH THE BROADER COMMUNITY.

    Expenses $10,283,002 · Grants $175,151 · Revenue $1,728,749

  • LOWELL OBSERVATORY'S PUBLIC PROGRAMS WERE IN FULL OPERATION THROUGHOUT 2024. THE BIG CHANGE IN 2024 WAS THAT AFTER FOUR YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION AND RAISING $53.6 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE NEW FACILITY, LOWELL OBSERVATORY CELEBRATED THE GRAND OPENING OF THE MARLEY FOUNDATION ASTRONOMY DISCOVERY CENTER (ADC) IN NOVEMBER 2024. THE ADC IS A PLACE THAT SPARKS CURIOSITY AND DISCOVERY FOR VISITORS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE. THE THREE-STORY, 40,200-SQUARE-FOOT ADC FEATURES A STATE-OF-THE-ART THEATER, EXHIBIT GALLERIES, AND A ROOFTOP AMPHITHEATER FOR EXPLORING FLAGSTAFF'S FAMOUSLY DARK SKIES. THE COST OF THE FACILITY WAS FUNDED BY PHILANTHROPIC DONATIONS AND STATE GRANTS A TESTAMENT TO THE INCREDIBLE SUPPORT FROM OUR COMMUNITIES AND A SHOW OF HOW MUCH SUCH A SCIENCE CENTER IS NEEDED IN NORTHERN ARIZONA. GENERAL ADMISSION OFFERINGS FOR OVER 90,000 VISITORS DURING 2024 INCLUDED REGULARLY SCHEDULED DAYTIME GUIDED TOURS OF THE MARS HILL CAMPUS AND NIGHTTIME DARK SKY TOURS. STAFF HOSTED OPEN HOUSES OF THE HISTORIC CLARK AND PLUTO TELESCOPES, AND PROVIDED REGULARLY SCHEDULED TALKS, DESCRIBING THE HISTORY AND IMPORTANCE OF THE DISCOVERY OF PLUTO, CURRENT ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH, THE LIFE CYCLE OF STARS AND OUTDOOR CONSTELLATION TALKS. SPECIAL TOURS AND PROGRAMS PROVIDED SMALL GROUP ACCESS TO THE 24-INCH DYER TELESCOPE AND INSTRUCTION IN ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY.PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON ELEMENTARY EDUCATION ALSO GREW IN 2024. ROUGHLY 9,000 SCHOOL CHILDREN VISITED LOWELL AS PART OF SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS. THE LOWELL OBSERVATORY ORBITS CURIOSITY CAMP PROGRAMS CONTINUED A DECADE-LONG GROWTH TREND IN THE SUMMER AND SERVED MORE THAN 275 CHILDREN, WITH A WAITING LIST OF OVER 50. THE NATIVE AMERICAN ASTRONOMY OUTREACH PROGRAM TEAM CONDUCTED CLASSROOM VISITS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR AND HOSTED CAMPS FOR STUDENTS.WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, THE OUTREACH TEAM CONTINUED TO PROVIDE ON-LINE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING. REGULAR OFFERINGS INCLUDED OPERATING TELESCOPES FOR THE "INTERACTIVE STARGAZING" SEGMENTS ON YOUTUBE AND PROVIDING CONTENT FOR SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATES REGARDING PHENOMENA IN THE NIGHT SKY. SPECIAL PROGRAMMING IN 2024 INCLUDED THE ANNUAL I HEART PLUTO FESTIVAL, THE APRIL TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE (HOSTED JOINTLY WITH DISCOVERY CHANNEL, BAYLOR UNIVERSITY, AND THE CITY OF WACO, TX) AND LIVESTREAMS HIGHLIGHTING LUNAR ECLIPSES, METEOR SHOWERS, AND NATIONAL ASTRONOMY DAY.PRIVATE EVENTS AND FACILITY RENTALS WERE HOSTED AT LOWELL, WITH STRONG INTEREST IN THE SPACES IN THE NEW ASTRONOMY DISCOVERY CENTER.

    Expenses $4,888,858 · Revenue $2,795,663

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Hall Jeffrey

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $236,831
    From this org
    $201,538
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $35,293
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $201,538
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $10,593
    Nontaxable benefits
    $24,700
    Filer's total
    $236,831

  • Bosh Amanda

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/COO

    Total calculated
    $216,305
    From this org
    $182,918
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $33,387
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $182,918
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $9,679
    Nontaxable benefits
    $23,708
    Filer's total
    $216,305

  • Currie Leslie

    CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $204,171
    From this org
    $188,531
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $15,640
    Hours/week
    38 + 2 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $171,156
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $17,375
    Deferred
    $4,700
    Nontaxable benefits
    $10,940
    Filer's total
    $204,171

  • Hunter Deidre

    ASTRONOMER

    Total calculated
    $203,090
    From this org
    $179,553
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $23,537
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $179,553
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,989
    Nontaxable benefits
    $14,548
    Filer's total
    $203,090

  • Massey Philip

    ASTRONOMER

    Total calculated
    $201,797
    From this org
    $184,820
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $16,977
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $184,820
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $9,096
    Nontaxable benefits
    $7,881
    Filer's total
    $201,797

  • Levine Stephen

    DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

    Total calculated
    $201,006
    From this org
    $180,027
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $20,979
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $180,027
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $9,124
    Nontaxable benefits
    $11,855
    Filer's total
    $201,006

  • Labruzzo Anne

    CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $198,721
    From this org
    $176,555
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $22,166
    Hours/week
    36 + 4 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $176,555
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,977
    Nontaxable benefits
    $13,189
    Filer's total
    $198,721

  • Van Belle Gerard T

    DIRECTOR OF SCIENCE

    Total calculated
    $196,055
    From this org
    $163,586
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $32,469
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $163,586
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $4,374
    Nontaxable benefits
    $28,095
    Filer's total
    $196,055

  • West Michael

    ASTRONOMER

    Total calculated
    $192,667
    From this org
    $180,726
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $11,941
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $180,726
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,989
    Nontaxable benefits
    $2,952
    Filer's total
    $192,667

  • Kuehn Kyler

    DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY

    Total calculated
    $187,047
    From this org
    $156,865
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $30,182
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $156,865
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,183
    Nontaxable benefits
    $21,999
    Filer's total
    $187,047

  • Grundy William

    ASTRONOMER

    Total calculated
    $185,914
    From this org
    $153,632
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $32,282
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $153,632
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,255
    Nontaxable benefits
    $24,027
    Filer's total
    $185,914

  • Prato Lisa A

    ASTRONOMER

    Total calculated
    $179,173
    From this org
    $158,354
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $20,819
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $158,354
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,064
    Nontaxable benefits
    $12,755
    Filer's total
    $179,173

  • Putnam Lowell

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $18,684
    From this org
    $6
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $18,678
    Hours/week
    30 + 4 related

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 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 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

  • NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY

    $94,935

    NASA GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

  • UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND - COLLEGE PARK

    $46,723

    NASA GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

  • NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY

    $17,752

    NSF GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

  • PLANETARY SCIENCE INSTITUTE

    $15,741

    NASA GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

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.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
13 August 2025
IRS schema version
2024v5.2
Source object
202532259349302723

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