The luminarium opened in april 2023 with more than 125 interactive exhibits and a kaleidoscope of engaging programs focused on science, art, and human perception. The luminarium is an innovative community space and learning environment that is part workshop, part museum where people of all ages, identities, and backgrounds can explore.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
85¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

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FY2020 · 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
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $14.2M a year · 66% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
85%
of spending
Looks good: 85% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
36 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 36.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
10
named funders · $1.2M
Looks good: 10 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.7M
3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 3% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$64.7M
Spent
$3.3M
To programs
85%
Net assets
$61.4M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$64.7M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$64.7M
FY2021$35.5M
FY2022$4.8M
FY2023$8.7M
FY2024$9.5M
FY2025$6.1M
Expenses
$3.3M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$3.3M
FY2021$1.8M
FY2022$3.5M
FY2023$12.4M
FY2024$13.2M
FY2025$10.0M
Net assets
$61.4M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$61.4M
FY2021$95.1M
FY2022$96.4M
FY2023$92.7M
FY2024$89.0M
FY2025$86.4M

From the FY2020 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 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 Jul 2019.

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

Where the money goes

85 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 85% · $2.8M Management & general 4% · $131K Fundraising 11% · $362K

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

11 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Mathew Sinclair’s $404K as CEO (since 2/18/2025) is at the 98th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3394 $1–10M education 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
Silva Raker—$597,740$371,768$317,510$206,349
Mathew Sinclair$403,666————
Emily Mwaja—$180,552$149,901——
Shaun Ilahi—$180,108$150,007——
Sirisha Sualy$112,327$177,194$160,000$162,212—
Julie Dewitt—$168,195$151,731——
Christopher Stratman$117,958$103,746———
Laura Lenaghan$110,784————

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 2Yes

Programs and updates

Builds a science center in downtown Omaha focused on engineering and math.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $2.8M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

As disclosed above, the mission of the Organization is to create the Kiewit Luminarium, a state of the art science center in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The Luminarium is privately funded, with the majority of the funds expended on design and construction of the facility which is reflected on the balance sheet as construction in process.

$2.8Mprogram 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 · FY2024
See all 10 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$64.7M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$64.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$4K
Money outPt IX
$3.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.8M
Managementcol C$131K
Fundraisingcol D$362K
Owns and owesPt X
$61.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$9.9M
Total assetsLn 16$63.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.7M
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$64.6M
Government grantsLn 1e$0
Noncash giftsLn 1g$507K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Investment incomeLn 3$4K
Gains on assetsLn 7$2K
Total revenueLn 12$64.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$51K
SavingsLn 2$9.9M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$9.9M
Other assetsLn 15$7.7M
Total assetsLn 16$63.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.7M
Net assetsLn 32$61.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5145
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$5K$9.9M
Total assetsLn 16$5K$63.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$1.7M
Net assetsLn 32$5K$61.4M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Legal feesLn 11b$16K$16K
Accounting feesLn 11c$3K$3K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$350K$350K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$431K$431K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$111K$111K
InsuranceLn 23$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2.4M$2.3M$652$12K
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.3M$2.8M$131K$362K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $6.1M$10.0M−$3.8M$86.4M 990 PDF
FY2024 $9.5M$13.2M−$3.7M$89.0M 990 PDF
FY2023 $8.7M$12.4M−$3.7M$92.7M 990 PDF
FY2022 $4.8M$3.5M$1.3M$96.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 $35.5M$1.8M$33.7M$95.1M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $64.7M$3.3M$61.4M$61.4M 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 M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $64,651,062 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grants$64,646,611
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$4,451
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $0$64,651,062
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefits$0
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$350,000
I-17 Other expenses$2,913,563
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $0$3,263,563
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $0$61,387,499
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $64,651,062 across 12 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$0
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$64,646,611
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$506,786
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$64,646,611
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,044$2,044
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,407$2,407
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $4,451$64,651,062
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,263,563 across 7 lines filed
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $16,114$16,114
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $2,794$2,794
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $350,000$350,000
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $430,771$430,771
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $111,340$111,340
IX-23 Insurance$0
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,339,687 · Management $652 · Fundraising $12,205$2,352,544
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,770,458 · Management $130,900 · Fundraising $362,205$3,263,563
Part X · Balance sheet $63,083,214 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $5,307$51,311
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$9,866,886
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$45,488,991
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$12,654
X-15 Other assets$7,663,372
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $5,307$63,083,214
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$1,690,408
X-25 Other liabilities$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$1,690,408
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $0$7,678,071
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $5,307$53,714,735
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $5,307$61,392,806
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $5,307$63,083,214
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $61,392,806 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$64,651,062
XI-2 Total expenses$3,263,563
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$61,387,499
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$5,307
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$61,392,806

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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