Project Exploration creates transformative learning opportunities for youth underrepresented in the sciences -- particularly students of color and girls -- by equipping them with the skills, practices, and mindset needed for a lifelong pursuit of learning.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
77¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$328K 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

FY2023 · 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 7
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $47K a year · 3% of revenue · last 7 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 4 of the last 7 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 7 filings
Spent on programs
77%
of spending
Looks good: 77% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$328K
to officers and key staff · 22% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 22% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: 0.2 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
15
named funders · $265K
Looks good: 15 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$233K
59% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 59% of assets; 50% to 65%.
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
$1.3M
-10% vs prior year
Spent
$1.5M
To programs
77%
Net assets
$163K
By yearFY2019–FY2025
Revenue
$1.3M
FY2023▼ -10%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2019$744K
FY2020$969K
FY2021$1.5M
FY2022$1.4M
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$2.1M
FY2025$2.2M
Expenses
$1.5M
FY2023▲ +15%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2019$735K
FY2020$823K
FY2021$1.5M
FY2022$1.3M
FY2023$1.5M
FY2024$1.9M
FY2025$2.8M
Net assets
$163K
FY2023▼ -55%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2019$139K
FY2020$285K
FY2021$229K
FY2022$365K
FY2023$163K
FY2024$348K
FY2025−$61K

From the FY2023 Form 990 (year ending August 2023) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 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 Sep 1999.

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

Where the money goes

77 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 77% · $1.1M Management & general 16% · $234K Fundraising 8% · $112K

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

23 people listed on the 990; $328K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
$113,671Pt VII · Sec A
$113,671Pt VII · Sec A
Key Employee
$101,104Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Natasha Smith-Walker’s $132K as Executive Di is at the 56th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $1–10M 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.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Natasha Smith-Walker$131,976$119,100$113,671$115,050$115,200$112,400
Kelli Beyer Patel——$101,104———

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 Project Exploration 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

Programs and updates

Empowers underrepresented youth with science skills and a lifelong learning mindset.

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Provided by the organization

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4 programs · $1.5M · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

"discover" programs spark interest, and engagement and introduce students to a broad range of scientific and engineering disciplines and topics, as well as the basics of the nature of science, scientific inquiry, and engineering design process.

$379Kprogram expense
02

"discover" programs spark interest, and engagement and introduce students to a broad range of scientific and engineering disciplines and topics, as well as the basics of the nature of science, scientific inquiry, and engineering design process.

$379Kprogram expense
03

Chicago stem pathways cooperative (stem co-op) is dedicated to building cradle-to-career pathways of high-quality stem learning for chicago's youth through partnerships between the in- and out-of-school time sector, as well as deep support from stakeholders involved in chicago's stem learning landscape.

$379Kprogram expense
04

Chicago stem pathways cooperative (stem co-op) is dedicated to building cradle-to-career pathways of high-quality stem learning for chicago's youth through partnerships between the in- and out-of-school time sector, as well as deep support from stakeholders involved in chicago's stem learning landscape.

$379Kprogram 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 15 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.2M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$102K
Investment incomeLn 3$103
Money outPt IX
$1.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.1M
Managementcol C$234K
Fundraisingcol D$112K
Owns and owesPt X
$163K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$23K
Total assetsLn 16$397K
LiabilitiesLn 26$233K
PeoplePt VI, VII
23
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.2M
Government grantsLn 1e$337K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$102K
Investment incomeLn 3$103
Total revenueLn 12$1.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$23K
Total assetsLn 16$397K
LiabilitiesLn 26$233K
Net assetsLn 32$163K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 526
VolunteersI 66
Fiscal year endsHeaderAugust
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $2.2M$2.8M−$540K−$61K 990 PDF
FY2024 $2.1M$1.9M$175K$348K 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $1.3M$1.5M−$202K$163K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.4M$1.3M$136K$365K 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.5M$1.5M−$56K$229K 990 PDF
FY2020 $969K$823K$146K$285K 990 PDF
FY2019 $744K$735K$9K$139K 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 FY2023 990 (1 part)
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

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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