To provide an online resource for the geological and earth sciences.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
97¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.2M 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
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $851K a year · 9% 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
97%
of spending
Looks good: 97% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.2M
to officers and key staff · 15% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 15% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$4.8M
101% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 101% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 10 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 10 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$8.9M
Spent
$8.1M
To programs
97%
Net assets
−$56K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$8.9M
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$8.9M
FY2022$9.9M
FY2023$10.2M
FY2024$9.2M
FY2025$10.0M
Expenses
$8.1M
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$8.1M
FY2022$8.7M
FY2023$9.3M
FY2024$8.8M
FY2025$9.1M
Net assets
−$56K
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021−$56K
FY2022$492K
FY2023$1.7M
FY2024$2.8M
FY2025$4.0M

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

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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 Oct 2004.

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

Where the money goes

97 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 97% · $7.8M Management & general 3% · $274K

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

17 people listed on the 990; $1.2M 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
COO (interim CEO 08/1/2020-11/15/2020)
$296,813Pt VII · Sec A
CEO Terminated 07/31/2020
$247,410Pt VII · Sec A
Cco Terminated 06/01/2020
$162,060Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Human Resources, Administration, and L
$156,226Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Publishing Technologies
$155,317Pt VII · Sec A
Global Sales Director
$135,922Pt VII · Sec A
CEO Started 11/16/2020
$32,813Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Phoebe McMellon’s $371K as CEO is at the 49th percentile of top reported officer pay among 139 $10–100M 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Christopher S Straub$353,909$333,032$314,035$437,781$296,813
Phoebe McMellon$370,811$344,995$323,715$288,931$32,813
Alexandra B Vance————$247,410
Christy Iredell$143,213$233,003$197,609$137,973$135,922
Angela Anderson$188,025$178,009$167,962$162,457$156,226
Brett Rubinstein————$162,060
Robert M Segers———$155,620$155,317
Lauren Comi$139,449$138,631$129,050——

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

Offers an online resource for geological and earth sciences information.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $7.8M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

The organization has built a comprehensive, widely-accessible easy to use online resource for peer-reviewed journals as well as books, field guides, maps, databases and other information relative to the geological and earth sciences.

$7.8Mprogram expense

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$8.9M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$8.1M
Other incomeLn 4–11$732K
Investment incomeLn 3$6K
Money outPt IX
$8.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$7.8M
Managementcol C$274K
Owns and owesPt X
−$56K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$4.1M
Total assetsLn 16$4.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.8M
PeoplePt VI, VII
17
listed · VII A
PaidVII A7
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Fees for servicesLn 2g$8.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$6K
Other incomeLn 4–11$732K
Total revenueLn 12$8.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$242K
SavingsLn 2$3.9M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$4.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$143K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$4.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.8M
Net assetsLn 32−$56K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 510
VolunteersI 60
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.1M$4.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$155K$143K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$207$0
Total assetsLn 16$3.9M$4.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.7M$4.8M
Net assetsLn 32−$840K−$56K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$728K$620K$107K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$685K$578K$106K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$35K$30K$5K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$86K$77K$9K
Payroll taxesLn 10$94K$82K$12K
Legal feesLn 11b$74K$63K$11K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$283K$283K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$115K$115K
Office expensesLn 13$15K$13K$2K
Information technologyLn 14$718K$718K
RoyaltiesLn 15$4.8M$4.8M
OccupancyLn 16$22K$19K$3K
TravelLn 17$916$779$137
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$2K$788$1K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$207$207
InsuranceLn 23$29K$25K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$397K$386K$11K
All other expensesLn 24e$15K$14K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$8.1M$7.8M$274K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $10.0M$9.1M$942K$4.0M 990 PDF
FY2024 $9.2M$8.8M$328K$2.8M 990 PDF
FY2023 $10.2M$9.3M$970K$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2022 $9.9M$8.7M$1.2M$492K 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $8.9M$8.1M$783K−$56K 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 J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $8,852,508 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $0$0
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $7,631,493$8,114,551
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $49,002$5,808
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $675,128$732,149
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $8,355,623$8,852,508
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 $1,864,440$1,627,073
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $6,802,221$6,442,086
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $8,666,661$8,069,159
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$311,038$783,349
Part VI · Governance 10 of 10 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body10
VI-1b Independent voting members10
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 $8,852,508 across 5 lines filed
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $8,114,551$8,114,551
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $5,808$5,808
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $705,688$705,688
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $26,461$26,461
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $8,141,012 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $711,496$8,852,508
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $8,069,159 across 18 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $620,306 · Management $107,240$727,546
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $578,362 · Management $106,224$684,586
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $30,040 · Management $4,590$34,630
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $76,648 · Management $9,374$86,022
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $81,842 · Management $12,447$94,289
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $62,519 · Management $11,033$73,552
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $282,957$282,957
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $114,964$114,964
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $12,841 · Management $2,267$15,108
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $718,212$718,212
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $4,770,816$4,770,816
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $18,717 · Management $3,303$22,020
IX-17 TravelPrograms $779 · Management $137$916
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $788 · Management $1,183$1,971
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $207$207
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $24,936 · Management $4,400$29,336
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $386,248 · Management $11,064$397,312
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $13,505 · Management $1,210$14,715
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $7,794,687 · Management $274,472 · Fundraising $0$8,069,159
Part X · Balance sheet $4,764,011 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $186,725$242,259
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $2,906,179$3,883,307
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $560,221$427,152
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $66,762$68,381
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $207$0
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $51,229$39,473
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $103,439$103,439
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $3,874,762$4,764,011
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,476,649$1,626,143
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $3,186,415$3,154,577
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $51,229$39,473
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $4,714,293$4,820,193
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$839,531−$56,182
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$839,531−$56,182
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $3,874,762$4,764,011
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$56,182 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$8,852,508
XI-2 Total expenses$8,069,159
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$783,349
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$839,531
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year−$56,182

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

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