Mount Washington Observatory FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

North Conway, NH501(c)(3)Science & TechnologyEIN 02-0225135Revenue $6.2M in FY2023

On file with the IRSmountwashington.orgPo Box 2310, 03860-2310 · North Conway, NHTax-exempt since Oct 1951Publicly supported — 509(a)(2)

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Scientific research for government education and industry.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
70¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$204K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2023 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $868K a year · 30% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
70%
of spending
Fine: 70% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$204K
to officers and key staff · 11% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 11% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $111K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.3M
13% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 13% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
21
of 21 voting members
Looks good: 21 of 21 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$6.2M
+195% vs prior year
Spent
$1.9M
To programs
70%
Net assets
$8.6M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$6.2M
FY2023▲ +195%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.8M
FY2021$1.8M
FY2022$2.1M
FY2023$6.2M
FY2024$2.6M
FY2025$2.7M
Expenses
$1.9M
FY2023▲ +18%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.1M
FY2021$1.7M
FY2022$1.6M
FY2023$1.9M
FY2024$2.3M
FY2025$2.4M
Net assets
$8.6M
FY2023▲ +92%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$3.5M
FY2021$4.2M
FY2022$4.5M
FY2023$8.6M
FY2024$9.6M
FY2025$10.1M

From the FY2023 Form 990 (year ending March 2023) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 1951.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

70 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 70% · $1.3M Management & general 10% · $181K Fundraising 20% · $378K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

26 people listed on the 990; $204K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
Interim Executive Director
$97,300Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Fin/Admin
$71,911Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director
$35,078Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Drew Bush’s $117K as Executive Director is at the 18th percentile of top reported officer pay among 363 $1–10M science & technology nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Sharon Schilling—————$121,335
Drew Bush$116,778$111,748$35,078———
Donna Dunn——$97,300$113,257$60,112—
Brenda Sullivan$76,066$78,849$71,911$69,506$74,515$67,135

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Conducts scientific research for government, education, and industry.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $1.3M · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

Observatory and Research

Observations tracked and submitted to NWS- over the course of a year, we did 8,760 hourly observations- we perform two daily QC checks, a weekly QC, and a monthly QC- NCON3 cooperative weather station continued as a joint mwobs STAFF/VOLUNTEER effort observing and reporting the climate of north CONWAY.- continue to send data to NWS…

$870Kprogram expense
02

Educationvirtual classroom- free weekly program for middle school classrooms covering topics in weather, climate and climate CHANGE.- 28 programs offered in spring and fall of 2022 school years, with classrooms across new hampshire, maine and new jersey regularly PARTICIPATING.- 14 hours' worth of free programming produced, with…

$463Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2025
Weld FoundationFY2025$30K
Total grants receivedfrom 3 funders$111K
See all 3 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$6.2M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5.9M
Other incomeLn 4–11$144K
Investment incomeLn 3$108K
Money outPt IX
$1.9M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.3M
Managementcol C$181K
Fundraisingcol D$378K
Owns and owesPt X
$8.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$725K
Total assetsLn 16$9.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.3M
PeoplePt VI, VII
26
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a21
IndependentVI 1b21
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5.9M
Government grantsLn 1e$303K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$174K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$98K
Investment incomeLn 3$108K
Other incomeLn 4–11$144K
Gains on assetsLn 7$2K
Total revenueLn 12$6.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$357K
SavingsLn 2$368K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$725K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$3.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.2M
Other assetsLn 15$117K
Total assetsLn 16$9.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.3M
Net assetsLn 32$8.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 531
VolunteersI 615
Fiscal year endsHeaderMarch
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$704K$725K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$3.2M$3.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.2M$1.2M
Total assetsLn 16$5.7M$9.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.2M$1.3M
Net assetsLn 32$4.5M$8.6M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$209K$148K$12K$48K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$741K$526K$44K$172K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$26K$19K$978$6K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$104K$75K$4K$26K
Payroll taxesLn 10$95K$67K$6K$22K
Legal feesLn 11b$16K$1K$15K$85
Accounting feesLn 11c$25K$2K$22K$129
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$93K$8K$84K$486
Advertising and promotionLn 12$5K$2K$550$3K
Office expensesLn 13$119K$51K$10K$57K
Information technologyLn 14$29K$4K$14K$11K
OccupancyLn 16$176K$158K$14K$5K
TravelLn 17$42K$37K$6K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$6K$3K$3K$150
InterestLn 20$33K$22K$8K$3K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$264K$179K$64K$21K
InsuranceLn 23$38K$25K$9K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$31K$6K$24K$556
All other expensesLn 24e−$159K−$159K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.9M$1.3M$181K$378K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $2.7M$2.4M$330K$10.1M 990 PDF
FY2024 $2.6M$2.3M$313K$9.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $6.2M$1.9M$4.3M$8.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.1M$1.6M$503K$4.5M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.8M$1.7M$59K$4.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.8M$2.1M−$310K$3.5M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $6,202,733 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,771,803$5,852,659
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $71,851$97,907
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $99,279$108,156
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $157,986$144,011
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,100,919$6,202,733
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $969,633$1,174,887
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $628,039$717,563
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,597,672$1,892,450
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $503,247$4,310,283
Part VI · Governance 21 of 21 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body21
VI-1b Independent voting members21
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $6,202,733 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $96,940 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1b Membership dues$436,717
VIII-1c Fundraising events$173,944
VIII-1e Government grants$302,746
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$4,939,252
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$5,852,659
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $97,907$97,907
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $106,578$106,578
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossUnrelated business $47,071$47,071
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $1,578$1,578
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $194,847 · Unrelated business $47,071 · Excluded from tax $108,156$6,202,733
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,892,450 across 19 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $148,029 · Management $12,237 · Fundraising $48,249$208,515
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $526,255 · Management $43,503 · Fundraising $171,529$741,287
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $18,791 · Management $978 · Fundraising $6,412$26,181
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $74,915 · Management $3,900 · Fundraising $25,565$104,380
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $67,105 · Management $5,547 · Fundraising $21,872$94,524
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $1,453 · Management $14,828 · Fundraising $85$16,366
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $2,197 · Management $22,411 · Fundraising $129$24,737
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $8,251 · Management $84,235 · Fundraising $486$92,972
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,595 · Management $550 · Fundraising $3,006$5,151
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $50,989 · Management $10,441 · Fundraising $57,413$118,843
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $4,032 · Management $14,144 · Fundraising $11,256$29,432
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $157,512 · Management $13,947 · Fundraising $4,610$176,069
IX-17 TravelPrograms $36,629 · Management $5,794$42,423
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $3,368 · Management $2,824 · Fundraising $150$6,342
IX-20 InterestPrograms $22,042 · Management $7,930 · Fundraising $2,621$32,593
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $178,556 · Management $64,241 · Fundraising $21,237$264,034
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $25,394 · Management $9,136 · Fundraising $3,020$37,550
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $5,749 · Management $24,226 · Fundraising $556$30,531
IX-24e All other expensesManagement −$159,480−$159,480
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,332,862 · Management $181,392 · Fundraising $378,196$1,892,450
Part X · Balance sheet $9,906,612 assets, 19 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $395,712$357,115
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $307,874$367,911
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $457,226$4,379,736
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $28,116$41,686
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $36,243$81,899
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $12,062$7,901
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,230,112$1,165,825
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $455,870$521,535
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $2,755,008$2,865,678
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$117,326
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $5,678,223$9,906,612
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $103,031$140,819
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $26,940$35,694
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $68,034$143,855
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,176,896$1,269,658
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $3,587,657$7,787,860
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $913,670$849,094
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $4,501,327$8,636,954
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $5,678,223$9,906,612
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $8,636,954 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$6,202,733
XI-2 Total expenses$1,892,450
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$4,310,283
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$4,501,327
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$174,656
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$8,636,954

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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