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Marmarth Research Foundation

Tax-deductible

Marmarth, ND501(c)(3)Science & Technology EIN 43-2001286Revenue $167K in FY2024Latest return filed Nov 11, 2025

On file with the IRSmrfdigs.com402 S Main St, 58643-7716 · Marmarth, NDTax-exempt since Mar 2006Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Education of the general public, curation of fossils, and Research on fossil material.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
92¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $122K a year · 81% 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
92%
of spending
Looks good: 92% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
14 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $2.3M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 14.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 4 voting members
Looks good: 4 of 4 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$167K
-41% vs prior year
Spent
$21K
To programs
92%
Net assets
$2.7M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$167K
FY2024▼ -41%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$73K
FY2021$136K
FY2022$95K
FY2023$283K
FY2024$167K
Expenses
$21K
FY2024▼ -43%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$26K
FY2021$32K
FY2022$29K
FY2023$36K
FY2024$21K
Net assets
$2.7M
FY2024▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.1M
FY2021$2.2M
FY2022$2.3M
FY2023$2.5M
FY2024$2.7M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Mar 2006.

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

Where the money goes

92 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 92% · $19K Management & general 8% · $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

4 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Tyler Lyson
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Ranse Lyson
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Steven Cohen
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Lou Taylor
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Marmarth Research Foundation 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Educates the public about fossils, curates specimens, and researches ancient life.

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2 programs · $19K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The organization operates a field program for education and research purposes. Individuals were educated in basic paleontological field techniques, anatomy and geology.

$19Kprogram expense
02

The organization operates a laboratory for research and curation of fossils. Approximately 50 individuals were trained in fossil preparation techniques and anatomy through hands-on preparation of specimens for research purposes. In addition, the prepared fossils were used for scientific research.

Pt IX · col B

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$167K
Ln 12
Investment incomeLn 3$162K
Other incomeLn 4–11$5K
Money outPt IX
$21K
Ln 25
Programscol B$19K
Managementcol C$2K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$25K
Total assetsLn 16$2.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
4
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Investment incomeLn 3$162K
Other incomeLn 4–11$5K
Gains on assetsLn 7$33K
Total revenueLn 12$167K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$25K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$25K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$212K
Other assetsLn 15$133K
Total assetsLn 16$2.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$2.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$32K$25K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.1M$2.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$220K$212K
Total assetsLn 16$2.5M$2.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$2.5M$2.7M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Accounting feesLn 11c$1K$1K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$540$540
OccupancyLn 16$2K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$8K$8K
InsuranceLn 23$8K$8K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1K$1K$232
All other expensesLn 24e$141$141
Total functional expensesLn 25$21K$19K$2K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 11, 2025 $167K$21K$146K$2.7M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 12, 2024 $283K$36K$247K$2.5M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 14, 2023 $95K$29K$66K$2.3M 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 14, 2022 $136K$32K$105K$2.2M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Nov 10, 2021 $73K$26K$47K$2.1M 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $166,624 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $0$0
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $283,088$161,624
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$5,000
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $283,088$166,624
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 $0$0
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $36,101$20,636
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $36,101$20,636
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $246,987$145,988
Part VI · Governance 4 of 4 board members independent, 5 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members4
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $166,624 across 4 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $121 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $128,438$128,438
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $5,000$5,000
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $33,065$33,065
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $166,624$166,624
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $20,636 across 7 lines filed
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $1,345$1,345
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $540$540
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,780$1,780
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $7,910$7,910
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $7,573$7,573
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,115 · Management $232$1,347
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $141$141
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $19,059 · Management $1,577 · Fundraising $0$20,636
Part X · Balance sheet $2,680,290 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $32,355$24,870
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $219,884$211,974
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $2,148,963$2,310,346
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $133,100$133,100
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,534,302$2,680,290
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,534,302$2,680,290
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,534,302$2,680,290
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,680,290 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$166,624
XI-2 Total expenses$20,636
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$145,988
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,534,302
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,680,290

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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