The Paleontological Society is an international nonprofit organization devoted exclusively to the advancement of the science of paleontology: invertebrate and vertebrate paleontology, micropaleontology, and paleobotany.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
70¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 20 volunteers.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

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FY2024 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $323K a year · 46% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
70%
of spending
Fine: 70% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
11 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $6.0M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 10.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $18K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
20
of 20 voting members
Looks good: 20 of 20 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$595K
-6% vs prior year
Spent
$399K
To programs
70%
Net assets
$6.4M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$595K
FY2024▼ -6%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$899K
FY2021$835K
FY2022$553K
FY2023$635K
FY2024$595K
Expenses
$399K
FY2024▲ +5%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$313K
FY2021$359K
FY2022$449K
FY2023$380K
FY2024$399K
Net assets
$6.4M
FY2024▲ +10%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$4.9M
FY2021$5.7M
FY2022$4.9M
FY2023$5.8M
FY2024$6.4M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Nov 1965.

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% · $279K Management & general 30% · $120K

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

20 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Past Preside
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financ
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Council Memb
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Council Memb
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Council Memb
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Council Memb
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Ellen Currano’s $5K as Councilmembe is at the 4th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2216 $100K–1M arts & culture 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.

See Paleontological Society executive salaries →

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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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Advances the science of paleontology through research and education.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $279K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Supporting students and others through grants and scholarships

$188Kprogram expense
02

The society usually holds an annual meeting, which is ordinarily in the fall. The sections hold meetings, which are usually in the spring. At the meetings, members present volunteered papers and poster sessions; the society normally hosts an invited speaker symposium. Field trips are occasionally offered.

$53Kprogram expense
03

Publication of the journal of paleontology and paleobiology

$37Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$18K
Grants paid · 10 grants · $546K · 2020–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$94,031
Unitemized GrantFY2023$97,507
Unitemized GrantFY2023$33,600
Unitemized GrantFY2023$2,500
Unitemized GrantFY2022$85,784
Unitemized GrantFY2021$120,253
American Geosciences InstituteFY2021$14,550
Gsa FoundationNV · FY2021$6,000
Unitemized GrantFY2020$81,394

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$595K
Ln 12
Investment incomeLn 3$363K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$129K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$100K
Money outPt IX
$399K
Ln 25
Programscol B$279K
Managementcol C$120K
Owns and owesPt X
$6.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$356K
Total assetsLn 16$6.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
20
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a20
IndependentVI 1b20
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$129K
Government grantsLn 1e$10K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$100K
Investment incomeLn 3$363K
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Gains on assetsLn 7$216K
Total revenueLn 12$595K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$52K
SavingsLn 2$304K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$356K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$6.0M
Total assetsLn 16$6.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$6.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 620
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$208K$356K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$5.6M$6.0M
Total assetsLn 16$5.8M$6.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$5.8M$6.4M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$5K$5K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$94K$94K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$84K$84K
Management feesLn 11a$59K$59K
Legal feesLn 11b$1K$1K
Accounting feesLn 11c$8K$8K
Investment management feesLn 11f$15K$15K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$7K$7K
Office expensesLn 13$5K$5K
Information technologyLn 14$9K$9K
OccupancyLn 16$27K$27K
TravelLn 17$35K$35K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$4K$3K$741
InsuranceLn 23$7K$7K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$36K$24K$12K
All other expensesLn 24e$1K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$399K$279K$120K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $595K$399K$196K$6.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 $635K$380K$255K$5.8M 990 PDF
FY2022 $553K$449K$104K$4.9M 990 PDF
FY2021 $835K$359K$476K$5.7M 990 PDF
FY2020 $899K$313K$585K$4.9M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support F · Foreign O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $594,555 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $209,580$128,740
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $186,337$100,000
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $238,811$363,185
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $115$2,630
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $634,843$594,555
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $192,407$183,269
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefits$0
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $187,707$215,609
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $380,114$398,878
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $254,729$195,677
Part VI · Governance 20 of 20 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body20
VI-1b Independent voting members20
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $594,555 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1b Membership dues$67,794
VIII-1e Government grants$9,999
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$50,947
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$128,740
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $100,000$100,000
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $147,646$147,646
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $215,539$215,539
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $2,630$2,630
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $465,815$594,555
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $398,878 across 16 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $5,000$5,000
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $94,031$94,031
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $84,238$84,238
IX-11a Management feesManagement $59,096$59,096
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $1,497$1,497
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $8,485$8,485
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $15,207$15,207
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $6,783$6,783
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $5,139$5,139
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $9,426$9,426
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $26,773$26,773
IX-17 TravelPrograms $35,106$35,106
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $2,997 · Management $741$3,738
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $7,264$7,264
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $23,691 · Management $12,020$35,711
IX-24e All other expensesManagement $1,384$1,384
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $278,619 · Management $120,259 · Fundraising $0$398,878
Part X · Balance sheet $6,388,031 assets, 9 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $94,648$52,147
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $113,404$303,612
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $5,592,086$6,032,272
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $5,800,138$6,388,031
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $5,220,616$5,829,780
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $579,522$558,251
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $5,800,138$6,388,031
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $5,800,138$6,388,031
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $6,388,031 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$594,555
XI-2 Total expenses$398,878
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$195,677
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$5,800,138
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$392,216
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$6,388,031

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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