LOWELL OBSERVATORY

As filed

Subsection

03

NTEE code

U31Z

Classification

8000

Street

1400 W MARS HILL RD

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Other organizations at this address

2 other organizations in the IRS Business Master File list the same street address. matched by us

We match the street line and ZIP code as the IRS gives them, ignoring case and outer spaces and nothing else, so "AVE" and "AVENUE" count as different streets and this list can miss some. A shared address can mean related organizations or a shared office, but it can also be a registered agent, a mail drop or a service provider holding mail for unrelated clients. It is not, by itself, evidence that two organizations are connected.

• LOWELL OBSERVATORY FOUNDATION

  EIN 47-2052113

• PERCIVAL LOWELL TRUST UW

  EIN 04-2007327

Mission and programs · 2025

• CONTINUING A MORE THAN 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 2025, LOWELL SCIENTISTS PUBLISHED OVER 125 PEER-REVIEWED SCHOLARLY ARTICLES IN LEADING SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS, ALONG WITH ANOTHER 40+ ARTICLES 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 260 SCIENCE NIGHTS USED BY ASTRONOMERS ON THE STAFF AT LOWELL, AND OUR PARTNER INSTITUTIONS: BOSTON UNIVERSITY, NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, YALE UNIVERSITY, AND OTHERS. IN TOTAL, THE LDT FEATURED PROMINENTLY IN NEARLY 50 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 2025, LOWELL OBSERVATORY CONTINUED TO ADVANCE ITS SCIENCE VISION, A LONG-TERM PLAN TO ENHANCE ITS 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. IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS CONTINUED IN 2025, INCLUDING SUPPORTING ITS CADRE OF EARLY CAREER SCIENTISTS (ESPECIALLY THE PERCIVAL LOWELL POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS), BRINGING NEW LDT OBSERVING CAPABILITIES ONLINE, AND ADVANCING THE DESIGN FOR SEVERAL FUTURE SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS.LOWELL OBSERVATORY REMAINS COMMITTED TO PIONEERING RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION, AND SHARING DISCOVERY WITH THE BROADER COMMUNITY.

  Expenses $9,774,402 · Grants $218,400 · Revenue $1,769,095

• IN 2025, LOWELL OBSERVATORY'S PUBLIC PROGRAMS SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITIONED FROM A PERIOD OF MAJOR CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION TO FULL-SCALE OPERATION OF THE MARLEY FOUNDATION ASTRONOMY DISCOVERY CENTER (ADC). THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE FOR THIS PERIOD WAS TO LEVERAGE OUR EXPANDED CAPACITY TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT IN ASTRONOMY AND TO PROVIDE IMMERSIVE, NARRATIVE-DRIVEN EXPERIENCES THAT CONNECT VISITORS WITH THE OBSERVATORY'S ONGOING RESEARCH AND THEIR INNATE CURIOSITY ABOUT THE COSMOS. THE LONG-TERM GOAL REMAINS TO INSPIRE CURIOSITY AND PROVIDE WORLD-CLASS STEM EDUCATION TO A GLOBAL AUDIENCE WHILE PRESERVING FLAGSTAFF'S HERITAGE AS THE WORLD'S FIRST INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY CITY.LOWELL OBSERVATORY WELCOMED AN ESTIMATED 141,000 VISITORS IN 2025. THE QUALITY OF THE GUEST EXPERIENCE WAS RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY, WITH THE OBSERVATORY BEING NAMED ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S "WORLD'S GREATEST PLACES AND NEWSWEEK'S "BEST SCIENCE MUSEUM IN THE U.S." FOR 2025.2025 MARKED THE INAUGURAL FULL YEAR OF PROGRAMMING IN THE 40,200-SQUARE-FOOT FACILITY. THE LOWELL UNIVERSE THEATER, FEATURING ITS 160-DEGREE LED WRAP-AROUND SCREEN, HOSTED AN ESTIMATED 1,200 LIVE PRESENTATIONS. THE DARK SKY PLANETARIUM, A UNIQUE OPEN-AIR ROOFTOP VENUE, PROVIDED NIGHTLY GUIDED TOURS OF THE COSMOS TO OVER AN ESTIMATED 90,000 GUESTS, UTILIZING FLAGSTAFF'S PREMIER NIGHT SKY.EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING REACHED RECORD LEVELS IN 2025. AN ESTIMATED 11,000 SCHOOLCHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN ON-SITE FIELD TRIPS AND SPECIALIZED, CURRICULUM-BASED TOURS. THE LOWELL OBSERVATORY ORBITS CURIOSITY CAMPS EXPANDED TO MEET HIGH DEMAND, SERVING OVER AN ESTIMATED 300 CHILDREN, WHILE THE NATIVE AMERICAN ASTRONOMY OUTREACH PROGRAM CONTINUED ITS MISSION BY CONNECTING SCHOOLS ACROSS THE NAVAJO AND HOPI NATIONS.

  Expenses $8,530,888 · Revenue $4,817,500

As filed on the 2025 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Officers and directors · 2025

As listed in Part VII of the 2025 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

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. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

• 2025

  Revenue

  $19,557,310

  Expenses

  $22,235,112

  Contributions

  $12,790,757

  Grants paid

  $218,400

• 2024

  Revenue

  $11,946,368

  Expenses

  $19,482,906

  Contributions

  $7,331,293

  Grants paid

  $175,151

• 2023

  Revenue

  $20,163,990

  Expenses

  $18,645,161

  Contributions

  $18,265,662

  Grants paid

  $434,519

• 2022

  Revenue

  $20,035,165

  Expenses

  $19,188,129

  Contributions

  $12,847,808

  Grants paid

  $539,475

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

• 2021 · 990

  Revenue

  $22,823,113

  Expenses

  $16,074,661

  Assets (EOY)

  $78,377,713

• 2020 · 990

  Revenue

  $16,133,508

  Expenses

  $13,478,815

  Assets (EOY)

  $70,100,548

• 2019 · 990

  Revenue

  $29,221,520

  Expenses

  $14,346,917

  Assets (EOY)

  $65,145,325

• 2018 · 990

  Revenue

  $16,797,299

  Expenses

  $12,829,418

  Assets (EOY)

  $48,062,648

• 2017 · 990

  Revenue

  $22,523,259

  Expenses

  $12,648,803

  Assets (EOY)

  $47,935,722

• 2016 · 990

  Revenue

  $11,056,035

  Expenses

  $12,957,893

  Assets (EOY)

  $48,684,255

• 2015 · 990

  Revenue

  $7,579,056

  Expenses

  $13,157,576

  Assets (EOY)

  $48,545,604

• 2014 · 990

  Revenue

  $8,592,424

  Expenses

  $10,561,464

  Assets (EOY)

  $53,149,284

• 2013 · 990

  Revenue

  $8,056,313

  Expenses

  $10,757,145

  Assets (EOY)

  $54,560,319

• 2012 · 990

  Revenue

  — not reported

  Expenses

  $9,655,904

  Assets (EOY)

  $54,884,676

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all. Showing the 10 most recent; the API carries the rest.

Grants made

• NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY

  $328,074

  2022 · NASA GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

• NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY

  $222,547

  2023 · NASA GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

• NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY

  $111,531

  2025 · NASA GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

• NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY

  $94,935

  2024 · NASA GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

• ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

  $72,817

  2022 · NSF GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

• ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

  $68,822

  2023 · NSF GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

• PLANETARY SCIENCE INSTITUTE

  $67,405

  2025 · NASA GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

• PLANETARY SCIENCE INSTITUTE

  $65,574

  2023 · NASA GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

• PLANETARY SCIENCE INSTITUTE

  $49,906

  2022 · NASA GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

• UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND - COLLEGE PARK

  $46,723

  2024 · NASA GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Where these grants went next →

Grants received

• LOWELL OBSERVATORY FOUNDATION

  $5,511,530

  2025 · OPERATIONAL SUPPORT

• NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TR

  $1,110,000

  2023 · CULTURE & ARTS

• NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TR

  $510,000

  2022 · PUBLIC, SOCIETAL BENEFIT

• LOWELL OBSERVATORY FOUNDATION

  $385,201

  2024 · OPERATIONAL SUPPORT

• LOWELL OBSERVATORY FOUNDATION

  $372,198

  2023 · OPERATIONAL SUPPORT

• LOWELL OBSERVATORY FOUNDATION

  $310,812

  2022 · OPERATIONAL SUPPORT

• PERCIVAL LOWELL TRUST UW

  $298,235

  2025 · OPERATIONAL SUPPORT

• PERCIVAL LOWELL TRUST UW

  $282,184

  2024 · OPERATIONAL SUPPORT

• NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TR

  $250,000

  2024 · PUBLIC, SOCIETAL BENEFIT

• JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

  $231,805

  2022 · SUB-AWARD

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Related organizations

From Schedule R Part II, where a filer lists the tax-exempt organizations it is related to by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

Other IRS files