Lowell Observatory Foundation EIN 47-2052113 Form 990 (PDF) Claim this org

Lowell Observatory Foundation FY2023 filing

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Generates perpetual financial support to sustain and enhance Lowell Observatory's mission. For fiscal year 2023 it reported $3.8M in revenue, $432K in expenses, and $14.0M in net assets.Pt I

Type
Supporting organization · Science & Technology
Location
Flagstaff, AZ
Website
foundation.lowell.edu
Filings
5 on file (2020–2023)
Revenue
$3.8MFY2023
Expenses
$432K
Net assets
$14.0M
People
11
Filings
5
Updates
0
More identity details & actions ⌄
EIN  47-2052113 Supporting organization Flagstaff, AZ
Form 990 (PDF)
You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →
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Figures match the IRS filing checked 9/11/26 · see original: IRS
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Size
$1–10M
What they do
Generates perpetual financial support to sustain and enhance Lowell Observatory's mission.
Leadership
Ann T Actor · Executive Director
Money in and out
$3.8M revenue, $432K expenses
Bottom line
+88% net inflow
Money in and out · FY2023
Total revenue
$3.8M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$432K
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$14.0M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): $3.3M
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.86 Management & general $0.11 Fundraising $0.03
Net inflow
+88%
revenue over expenses, this year
Pass-through gifts
94%
of revenue from contributions
Program spending
86%
of expenses reach stated programs

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2023 · Form 990
Revenue
$3.8M
FY2023▲ +539%
Expenses
$432K
FY2023▲ +14%
Total assets
$14.0M
FY2023▲ +46%
Total liabilities
$0
FY2023
Total revenue
$3.8M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$432K
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$14.0M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19$3.3M
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$14.0M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B86%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 39
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 48
Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

1 program service account for $372K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2023.
01

The lowell observatory foundation (lof) accepts gifts for endowed funds and manages the funds to support the observatory's general operations and the growth of the endowed funds. In 2023, the lof received several significant gifts. These include $101,195 to establish the william h. D.

$372Kprogram expense

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Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CLowell Observatory Foundation
EINHdr · item D47-2052113
Principal addressHdr · item CFlagstaff, AZ
WebsiteHdr · item Jfoundation.lowell.edu
Year of formationHdr · item Lpending
State of legal domicileHdr · item MAZ
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFScience & Technology (U11)
Ruling yearIRS BMFApr 2015

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a9
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b8
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13No
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aNo
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2No

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Lowell Observatory Foundation executive salaries →

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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$3.5M · 94%
Investment income$225K · 6%
Contributions & grants94%$3.5M
Investment income6%$225K
Total revenueLn 12$3.8M

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.86 Management & general $0.11 Fundraising $0.03
Program services86%$372K
Management & general11%$49K
Fundraising3%$11K
Total functional expensesLn 25$432K

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$582K
Total assetsLn 16$14.0M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$0
Total net assetsLn 32$14.0M
Months of cash on handcomputed16.1

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2023 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $10.7M · Operating expenses (Pt IX) $432K · Less non-cash grants $122K · Cash operating expenses/yr $311K
412.2 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $372K · Total expenses $432K
86%
Management & General
Management & general $49K · Total expenses $432K
11%
Fundraising
Fundraising $11K · Total expenses $432K
3%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $91K · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $1.6M
$0.06 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $3.5M · Total revenue $3.8M
94%
Government reliance
Government grants — · Total revenue $3.8M
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $0 · Total revenue $3.8M
0%
Investment reliance
Investment income $225K · Total revenue $3.8M
+6%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $0 · Total expenses $432K
0%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $3.8M · Prior year $588K
+539%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $14.0M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $3.8M · Expenses $432K
+88%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $14.0M
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $14.0M · Total assets $14.0M
100%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) $10.1M · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $14.0M
72%
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Ann T Actor · Reported title EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · Highest reported compensation $0 · Total expenses $432K
0%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) — · Total expenses $432K
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 86%
Overhead ratio 11%
Fundraising cost ratio 0.3%
Revenue growth 539%
Investment management fee ratio 0.3%
Accounting fee ratio 0.9%

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$16K
Grants paid · 5 grants · $1.6M · 2020–2024
Lowell ObservatoryAZ · FY2024$385,201
Lowell ObservatoryAZ · FY2023$372,198
Lowell ObservatoryAZ · FY2022$310,812
Lowell ObservatoryAZ · FY2021$354,895
Lowell ObservatoryAZ · FY2020$198,195

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Filings & Schedule Manifest

Part IV
III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
FY2024 (Latest)$1.6M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$3.8M revenue · viewing · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2022$588K revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2021$1.1M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2020$2.2M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2023IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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