The Explorers Club FY2021 filing

Claim this org

(tell your story, add context, and more) Claim it free, then get the verified mark for $2,500 a year, plus $10 a year for the ID check.

How does your 990 look to donors? Take the 10-Question Audit

To champion the pursuit of exploration and scientific understanding for the betterment of humanity and all life; to grow a global community of excellence, leveraging member credibility and expertise; and to inspire the next generation of Explorers.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
62¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$236K 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

FY2021 · 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
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.5M a year · 24% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
62%
of spending
Worth a look: 62% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$236K
to officers and key staff · 6% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 6% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $7.6M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 5.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $74K
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.5M
9% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 9% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
19
of 19 voting members
Looks good: 19 of 19 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$4.4M
-19% vs prior year
Spent
$3.8M
To programs
62%
Net assets
$14.0M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$4.4M
FY2021▼ -19%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$5.5M
FY2021$4.4M
FY2022$7.2M
FY2023$5.4M
FY2024$6.4M
FY2025$9.0M
Expenses
$3.8M
FY2021▲ +1%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$3.7M
FY2021$3.8M
FY2022$4.1M
FY2023$5.0M
FY2024$5.7M
FY2025$6.5M
Net assets
$14.0M
FY2021▲ +16%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$12.1M
FY2021$14.0M
FY2022$15.1M
FY2023$15.9M
FY2024$17.0M
FY2025$19.9M

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2021 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 Nov 1935.

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

Where the money goes

62 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 62% · $2.3M Management & general 24% · $908K Fundraising 14% · $529K

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

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

26 people listed on the 990; $236K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$141,117Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Finance
$94,608Pt VII · Sec A
President as of April 2021
$0Pt VII · Sec A
President to April 2021
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer/Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

William J Roseman’s $157K as Executive Director is at the 37th 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 · 6 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
William J Roseman$156,841$153,600$148,153$141,165$141,117$141,118
Valerie Kilbridge$138,724$134,297$129,602$124,542$94,608—
Kevin Murphy$116,530—————
Gracie Almeida$114,879—————
Brittany Barbezat—$113,903————
Milbry Polk—————$2,500

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.

See The Explorers Club executive salaries →

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

Advance field research, scientific exploration, and resource conservation through hands-on projects.

Questions for The Explorers Club

Tap to ask. The Explorers Club sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. The Explorers Club answers here, for everyone.

1 program · $2.3M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Membership and House

Programs for approximately 3,000 members and other interested groups such as students interested in club programs for educations and EXPLORATION.PUBLICATIONS - publication of the explorers journal on a quarterly basis for members and others on a subscription basis; publication of newsletters and other pertinent INFORMATION.LIBRARY -…

$2.3Mprogram 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
See all 4 funders →
Grants paid · 32 grants · $940K · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$34,965
Unitemized GrantFY2024$20,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$4,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$1,500
Unitemized GrantFY2023$50,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$30,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$20,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$20,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$19,950
Unitemized GrantFY2023$5,935
Unitemized GrantFY2023$5,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$5,000
Unitemized GrantFY2022$55,000
Unitemized GrantFY2022$35,300
Unitemized GrantFY2022$30,240
Unitemized GrantFY2022$10,000
Unitemized GrantFY2022$8,931
Unitemized GrantFY2022$7,500
See all 32 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$4.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$420K
Other incomeLn 4–11$401K
Money outPt IX
$3.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.3M
Managementcol C$908K
Fundraisingcol D$529K
Owns and owesPt X
$14.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.6M
Total assetsLn 16$15.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.5M
PeoplePt VI, VII
26
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a19
IndependentVI 1b19
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.5M
Government grantsLn 1e$728K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$142K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$116K
Investment incomeLn 3$420K
Other incomeLn 4–11$401K
Gains on assetsLn 7$379K
Total revenueLn 12$4.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.1M
SavingsLn 2$505K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.6M
Pledges and grants receivableLn 3$2.5M
Accounts receivableLn 4$34K
Inventories for sale or useLn 8$81K
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$339K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$3.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$7.6M
Total assetsLn 16$15.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.5M
Net assetsLn 32$14.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 520
VolunteersI 650
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3More from this return
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Grants to other countriesSch F Pt II–III$574K
Investment feesPt IX, Sch D
Investment fees, as reportedPt IX 11f$17K
Share of the $2.6M endowmentSch D 1g0.65%
Typical, median of 1,806 orgs0.44%
EndowmentSch D · Pt V
LineFY21FY20FY19FY18FY17
End of yearLn 1g$2.6M$2.6M$2.7M$2.6M$2.5M
Given inLn 1b$0$2K$100K$4K$7K
SpentLn 1d–1f$1.7M$1.5M$44K$35K
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.4M$1.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$5.2M$7.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$3.2M$3.3M
Total assetsLn 16$13.9M$15.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.9M$1.5M
Net assetsLn 32$12.1M$14.0M
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$819K$819K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$314K$119K$144K$52K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$677K$424K$161K$92K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$32K$18K$10K$4K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$216K$124K$64K$29K
Payroll taxesLn 10$84K$46K$26K$12K
Legal feesLn 11b$233K$233K
Accounting feesLn 11c$48K$48K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$162K$162K
Investment management feesLn 11f$17K$17K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$157K$59K$11K$87K
Office expensesLn 13$193K$106K$59K$27K
OccupancyLn 16$77K$42K$23K$11K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$129K$71K$39K$18K
InsuranceLn 23$171K$110K$41K$19K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$456K$409K$32K$15K
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.8M$2.3M$908K$529K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 LatestFiled with the IRS May 13, 2026 $9.0M$6.5M$2.4M$19.9M 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS May 13, 2025 $6.4M$5.7M$651K$17.0M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS May 7, 2024 $5.4M$5.0M$351K$15.9M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS May 12, 2023 $7.2M$4.1M$3.1M$15.1M 990 PDF
FY2021 ViewingFiled with the IRS May 9, 2022 $4.4M$3.8M$658K$14.0M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS May 11, 2021 $5.5M$3.7M$1.8M$12.1M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $4,443,470 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $4,659,371$3,505,345
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $156,405$116,215
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $255,486$420,484
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $426,164$401,426
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $5,497,426$4,443,470
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $292,156$819,360
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,426,135$1,323,424
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $137,045$162,000
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,881,882$1,480,832
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $3,737,218$3,785,616
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,760,208$657,854
Part VI · Governance 19 of 19 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body19
VI-1b Independent voting members19
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 $4,443,470 across 12 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $93,602 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1b Membership dues$1,062,596
VIII-1c Fundraising events$142,213
VIII-1e Government grants$727,991
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,572,545
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,505,345
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $116,215$116,215
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $41,096$41,096
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $249,200$249,200
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $379,388$379,388
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $58,624$58,624
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $209,817 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $728,308$4,443,470
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,785,616 across 16 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $819,360$819,360
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $118,579 · Management $143,568 · Fundraising $52,282$314,429
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $423,977 · Management $161,353 · Fundraising $91,957$677,287
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $17,969 · Management $9,867 · Fundraising $3,691$31,527
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $123,918 · Management $63,662 · Fundraising $28,689$216,269
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $46,335 · Management $25,620 · Fundraising $11,957$83,912
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $232,886$232,886
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $48,350$48,350
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $162,000$162,000
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $17,100$17,100
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $58,512 · Management $10,886 · Fundraising $87,330$156,728
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $106,473 · Management $58,872 · Fundraising $27,475$192,820
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $42,395 · Management $23,442 · Fundraising $10,940$76,777
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $71,234 · Management $39,388 · Fundraising $18,382$129,004
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $110,417 · Management $41,123 · Fundraising $19,192$170,732
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $409,316 · Management $32,124 · Fundraising $14,995$456,435
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,348,485 · Management $908,241 · Fundraising $528,890$3,785,616
Part X · Balance sheet $15,490,739 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,499,556$1,079,924
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $913,521$505,408
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,975,000$2,538,040
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $73,775$33,987
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $41,219$80,699
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $102,348$339,433
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $3,186,544$3,270,481
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $5,157,534$7,642,767
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $13,949,497$15,490,739
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,316,481$996,843
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $557,907$454,975
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,874,388$1,451,818
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $6,348,998$8,486,206
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $5,726,111$5,552,715
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $12,075,109$14,038,921
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $13,949,497$15,490,739
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $14,038,921 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$4,443,470
XI-2 Total expenses$3,785,616
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$657,854
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$12,075,109
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$1,305,958
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$14,038,921

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.