Paleontological Research Institution

Tax-deductible

Ithaca, NY501(c)(3)Since 1932EIN 15-0554849Revenue $4.3M in FY2025

On file with the IRSpriweb.org1259 Trumansburg Rd, 14850-1313 · Ithaca, NYTax-exempt since Sep 1951Publicly supported — 509(a)(2)

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Disseminate human understanding of the history of life on earth. The Institution conducts and facilitates Paleontological Research, and communicates knowledge resulting from this Research. IT houses, curates, and makes available specimen collections and a Research library; publishes technical and popular Paleontological books and journals; and promotes education in earth history and paleontology by providing exhibits to the general public and educational materials and programs to schools and students at all levels through the museum of the earth.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
93¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 32 volunteers and 52 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $385K a year · 12% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
93%
of spending
Looks good: 93% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
16 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 15.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $35K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$3.0M
32% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 32% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
15
of 15 voting members
Looks good: 15 of 15 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$4.3M
+88% vs prior year
Spent
$2.6M
To programs
93%
Net assets
$6.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$4.3M
FY2025▲ +88%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.8M
FY2021$2.8M
FY2022$4.5M
FY2023$3.4M
FY2024$2.3M
FY2025$4.3M
Expenses
$2.6M
FY2025▼ -20%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$3.0M
FY2021$2.7M
FY2022$3.0M
FY2023$3.1M
FY2024$3.2M
FY2025$2.6M
Net assets
$6.3M
FY2025▲ +66%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$3.8M
FY2021$4.0M
FY2022$5.4M
FY2023$5.6M
FY2024$3.8M
FY2025$6.3M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

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

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

Where the money goes

93 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 93% · $2.4M Management & general 7% · $184K Fundraising 0% · $2K

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

16 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Finance Committee Chair, T
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Paleontological Research Institution 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 15aYes
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II2 listed

Programs and updates

Researches and educates the public about Earth's life history through museums and nature centers.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $2.4M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The museum's 8,000-SQUARE-FOOT permanent exhibition takes visitors on a journey through 4.5 billion years of history, from the earth's origin to the present day. Through hands-on, visual exhibitions and outreach, the museum of the earth encourages critical thinking about life on earth in the past and today, and how our species is…

$2.4Mprogram expense
02

The nature center cultivates an awareness, appreciation, and responsibility for the natural world through outdoor and environmental education.

Pt IX · col B

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
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$35K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$4.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.2M
Other incomeLn 4–11$438K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$369K
Money outPt IX
$2.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.4M
Managementcol C$184K
Fundraisingcol D$2K
Owns and owesPt X
$6.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.4M
Total assetsLn 16$9.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.0M
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a15
IndependentVI 1b15
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.2M
Government grantsLn 1e$133K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$369K
Investment incomeLn 3$270K
Other incomeLn 4–11$438K
Total revenueLn 12$4.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.5M
SavingsLn 2$1.9M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$3.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5.0M
Other assetsLn 15$445K
Total assetsLn 16$9.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.0M
Net assetsLn 32$6.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 552
VolunteersI 632
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$572K$3.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5.3M$5.0M
Total assetsLn 16$7.1M$9.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.3M$3.0M
Net assetsLn 32$3.8M$6.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$349$349
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$973K$973K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$262K$262K
Payroll taxesLn 10$84K$84K
Legal feesLn 11b$11K$11K
Accounting feesLn 11c$40K$40K
Investment management feesLn 11f$15K$15K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$94K$92K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$21K$21K
OccupancyLn 16$236K$236K
TravelLn 17$25K$25K
InterestLn 20$92K$92K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$309K$305K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$90K$90K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$233K$233K
All other expensesLn 24e$92K$92K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.6M$2.4M$184K$2K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $4.3M$2.6M$1.7M$6.3M 990 PDF
FY2024 $2.3M$3.2M−$964K$3.8M 990 PDF
FY2023 $3.4M$3.1M$262K$5.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $4.5M$3.0M$1.4M$5.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 $2.8M$2.7M$108K$4.0M 990 PDF
FY2020 $2.8M$3.0M−$208K$3.8M 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $4,252,609 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,618,431$3,175,179
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $461,347$369,038
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $49,169$270,365
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $133,286$438,027
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,262,233$4,252,609
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $15$349
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,877,916$1,319,561
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,348,464$1,257,309
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $3,226,395$2,577,219
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$964,162$1,675,390
Part VI · Governance 15 of 15 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body15
VI-1b Independent voting members15
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 $4,252,609 across 9 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $137,838 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1b Membership dues$28,139
VIII-1e Government grants$132,712
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$3,014,328
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,175,179
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $369,038$369,038
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $270,365$270,365
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $7,843$7,843
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $292,346$292,346
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $799,222 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $278,208$4,252,609
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,577,219 across 16 lines filed
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for membersPrograms $349$349
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $973,428$973,428
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $261,641$261,641
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $84,492$84,492
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $11,477$11,477
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $40,225$40,225
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $15,281$15,281
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $92,008 · Fundraising $2,049$94,057
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $20,852$20,852
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $236,128$236,128
IX-17 TravelPrograms $24,619$24,619
IX-20 InterestManagement $92,100$92,100
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $304,750 · Management $3,852$308,602
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $89,523$89,523
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $232,671$232,671
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $91,774$91,774
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,391,383 · Management $183,787 · Fundraising $2,049$2,577,219
Part X · Balance sheet $9,267,918 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $182,425$1,546,588
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $389,574$1,871,571
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $420,500$177,543
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $98,159$99,274
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $134,262$78,046
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $78,143$2,561
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $5,307,186$5,047,035
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $494,972$445,300
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $7,105,221$9,267,918
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $323,254$263,880
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $120,024$1,171
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $3,337,821$3,002,380
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,801,840$4,676,852
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,965,560$1,588,686
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $3,767,400$6,265,538
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $7,105,221$9,267,918
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $6,265,538 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$4,252,609
XI-2 Total expenses$2,577,219
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$1,675,390
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$3,767,400
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$822,302
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$446
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$6,265,538

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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