Kid museum is our region's pioneering experiential museum and educational makerspace. We foster the "mind of a maker" in kids and youth, empowering the next generation with the skills to invent the future.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
72¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 184 volunteers and 63 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
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $93K a year · 2% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
72%
of spending
Fine: 72% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$864K
to officers and key staff · 12% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 12% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.9 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
9
named funders · $570K
Looks good: 9 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$10.0M
94% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 94% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 12 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 12 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$6.4M
+2% vs prior year
Spent
$7.1M
To programs
72%
Net assets
$647K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$6.4M
FY2025▲ +2%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$3.2M
FY2022$5.1M
FY2023$7.1M
FY2024$6.3M
FY2025$6.4M
Expenses
$7.1M
FY2025▼ -1%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$2.3M
FY2022$4.7M
FY2023$6.6M
FY2024$7.1M
FY2025$7.1M
Net assets
$647K
FY2025▼ -56%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$1.3M
FY2022$1.7M
FY2023$2.2M
FY2024$1.5M
FY2025$647K

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 Apr 2012.

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

Where the money goes

72 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 72% · $5.1M Management & general 17% · $1.2M Fundraising 11% · $747K

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; $864K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Founder and Executive Director
$154,661Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Program Officer
$146,000Pt VII · Sec A
Chief People and Culture Officer
$145,056Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Offier
$142,250Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Strategy Officer
$137,891Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Development Officer
$137,743Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Cara Lesser’s $155K as Founder and Executive Director is at the 69th 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Cara Lesser$154,661$153,528$143,813$139,520$90,730
Lisa O'Brien——$153,503$127,527—
Jacqueline Eyl$146,000$143,577$135,116——
Monica Goodwyn-Caul$145,056$142,047$131,987——
Holly Christensen$142,250$137,491$129,095$125,851—
Amy Kurz$137,891————
Phyllis Kim$137,743————
Susan Hullinger—$134,524———

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 hands-on STEAM learning for youth, families, and educators to build future skills.

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1 program · $5.1M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

In its eleventh year of operations, and its fourth at the flagship location at bethesda metro center, kid museum is open six days a week, serving thousands of children, families, and educators each year with a range of innovative programs.

$5.1Mprogram 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 9 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$6.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5.6M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$757K
Investment incomeLn 3$61K
Money outPt IX
$7.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$5.1M
Managementcol C$1.2M
Fundraisingcol D$747K
Owns and owesPt X
$647K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.1M
Total assetsLn 16$10.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$10.0M
PeoplePt VI, VII
17
listed · VII A
PaidVII A6
Voting boardVI 1a12
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5.6M
Government grantsLn 1e$3.6M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$178K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$91K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$757K
Investment incomeLn 3$61K
Other incomeLn 4–11$59K
Gains on assetsLn 7$761
Total revenueLn 12$6.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.0M
SavingsLn 2$97K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$453K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$601K
Other assetsLn 15$8.3M
Total assetsLn 16$10.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$10.0M
Net assetsLn 32$647K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 563
VolunteersI 6184
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$807K$1.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$568K$453K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$711K$601K
Total assetsLn 16$10.1M$10.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$8.6M$10.0M
Net assetsLn 32$1.5M$647K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$417$417
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$205K$68K$56K$82K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.5M$2.5M$565K$415K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$58K$43K$15K$715
Other employee benefitsLn 9$240K$144K$76K$20K
Payroll taxesLn 10$268K$191K$41K$35K
Accounting feesLn 11c$90K$90K
Investment management feesLn 11f$5K$5K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$499K$353K$50K$96K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$7K$4K$283$2K
Office expensesLn 13$111K$76K$26K$8K
Information technologyLn 14$117K$71K$28K$18K
OccupancyLn 16$1.2M$1.1M$60K$54K
TravelLn 17$53K$41K$6K$6K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$8K$3K$4K$652
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$132K$21K$112K
InsuranceLn 23$30K$6K$24K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$465K$388K$67K$9K
All other expensesLn 24e$11K$11K
Total functional expensesLn 25$7.1M$5.1M$1.2M$747K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $6.4M$7.1M−$615K$647K 990 PDF
FY2024 $6.3M$7.1M−$791K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2023 $7.1M$6.6M$518K$2.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $5.1M$4.7M$424K$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2021 $3.2M$2.3M$931K$1.3M 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 J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $6,446,548 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $4,736,830$5,569,265
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,614,635$757,040
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $58,794$60,901
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$66,047$59,342
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $6,344,212$6,446,548
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $1,109$417
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $4,090,744$4,288,157
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $3,043,838$2,773,366
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $7,135,691$7,061,940
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$791,479−$615,392
Part VI · Governance 11 of 12 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body12
VI-1b Independent voting members11
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 $6,446,548 across 12 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$91,000
VIII-1e Government grants$3,560,290
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,917,975
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$177,857
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$5,569,265
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $757,040$757,040
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $60,140$60,140
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $51,152$51,152
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $761$761
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$117,781−$117,781
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $125,971$125,971
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $757,040 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $120,243$6,446,548
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $7,061,940 across 19 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $417$417
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $67,534 · Management $55,657 · Fundraising $81,698$204,889
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,537,840 · Management $564,804 · Fundraising $414,765$3,517,409
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $43,180 · Management $14,559 · Fundraising $715$58,454
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $143,989 · Management $75,607 · Fundraising $20,186$239,782
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $190,915 · Management $41,434 · Fundraising $35,274$267,623
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $90,131$90,131
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $4,736$4,736
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $353,290 · Management $49,848 · Fundraising $96,092$499,230
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $4,437 · Management $283 · Fundraising $2,191$6,911
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $76,249 · Management $25,821 · Fundraising $8,488$110,558
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $71,027 · Management $27,843 · Fundraising $17,772$116,642
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,133,002 · Management $60,432 · Fundraising $53,612$1,247,046
IX-17 TravelPrograms $40,613 · Management $6,379 · Fundraising $5,906$52,898
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $3,322 · Management $3,615 · Fundraising $652$7,589
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $20,820 · Management $111,572$132,392
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $5,691 · Management $24,483$30,174
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $388,445 · Management $66,590 · Fundraising $9,480$464,515
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $10,544$10,544
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $5,091,315 · Management $1,223,794 · Fundraising $746,831$7,061,940
Part X · Balance sheet $10,692,417 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $597,936$1,011,556
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $209,192$97,032
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $495,516$212,534
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $102,977$8,095
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $710,786$600,869
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $567,753$453,428
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $7,415,523$8,308,903
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $10,099,683$10,692,417
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $171,044$519,546
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $330,892$399,337
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $8,142,528$9,126,301
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $8,644,464$10,045,184
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,455,219$647,233
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,455,219$647,233
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $10,099,683$10,692,417
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $647,233 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$6,446,548
XI-2 Total expenses$7,061,940
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$615,392
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,455,219
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$1,782
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$194,376
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$647,233

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

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