The purpose of the Aiaa Foundation, in conjunction with Aiaa, is to promote education and recognize excellence within the aerospace community by inspiring and supporting the next generation of aerospace professionals, practicing aerospace professionals, and the institutions engaged in aerospace education and practice.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
74¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 150 volunteers.
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
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $711K a year · 35% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
74%
of spending
Fine: 74% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.2M
to officers and key staff · 106% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 106% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $22.9M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 1.4 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $16K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$317K
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.5M
+19% vs prior year
Spent
$1.1M
To programs
74%
Net assets
$22.7M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.5M
FY2025▲ +19%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.4M
FY2021$4.8M
FY2022$2.0M
FY2023$1.4M
FY2024$1.2M
FY2025$1.5M
Expenses
$1.1M
FY2025▼ -7%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$703K
FY2021$811K
FY2022$2.5M
FY2023$1.8M
FY2024$1.2M
FY2025$1.1M
Net assets
$22.7M
FY2025▲ +9%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$17.4M
FY2021$21.9M
FY2022$16.1M
FY2023$17.3M
FY2024$20.9M
FY2025$22.7M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending September 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 Mar 1997.

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

Where the money goes

74 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 74% · $809K Management & general 23% · $252K Fundraising 3% · $28K

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

14 people listed on the 990; $1.2M 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
Executive Director/Secretary (outgoing Fy25)
$487,884Pt VII · Sec A
SVP, Finance, Admin & CFO (outgoing Fy25)
$340,364Pt VII · Sec A
SVP, Membership Engagement
$223,688Pt VII · Sec A
CEO/Secretary (incoming Fy25)
$107,142Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer (incoming Fy25)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Aiaa President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Immediate Past President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Daniel L Dumbacher’s $488K as Executive Director/Secretary (outgoing Fy25) is at the 99th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3395 $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.

See Aiaa Foundation INC 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Supports education for aerospace professionals.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $809K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Education

The aiaa foundation promotes educational advancement and technical excellence in the aerospace community by providing financial support for undergraduate and graduate scholarships, student technical paper conferences, aerospace design competitions, and awards recognizing outstanding achievement in various aerospace fields.

$809Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$16K
Grants paid · 156 grants · $1.2M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$17,875
Unitemized GrantFY2024$16,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$15,000
University of Wisconsin-MadisonFY2024$10,000
Spelman CollegeGA · FY2024$10,000
The Howard UniversityDC · FY2024$10,000
Wheaton CollegeIL · FY2024$10,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$10,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$10,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$7,500
Unitemized GrantFY2024$4,900
Unitemized GrantFY2024$3,500
See all 156 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.5M
Ln 12
Investment incomeLn 3$1.2M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$329K
Money outPt IX
$1.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$809K
Managementcol C$252K
Fundraisingcol D$28K
Owns and owesPt X
$22.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$132K
Total assetsLn 16$23.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$317K
PeoplePt VI, VII
14
listed · VII A
PaidVII A4
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$329K
Investment incomeLn 3$1.2M
Gains on assetsLn 7$296K
Total revenueLn 12$1.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$132K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$132K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$22.9M
Total assetsLn 16$23.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$317K
Net assetsLn 32$22.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 6150
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
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$54K$132K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$21.1M$22.9M
Total assetsLn 16$21.2M$23.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$321K$317K
Net assetsLn 32$20.9M$22.7M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$184K$184K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$107K$107K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$22K$22K
Legal feesLn 11b$10K$10K
Investment management feesLn 11f$34K$30K$4K$9
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1K$684$33$680
Advertising and promotionLn 12$19K$16K$3K−$151
Office expensesLn 13$43K$26K$9K$7K
TravelLn 17$146K$142K$5K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$124K$123K$802$1
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$399K$158K$230K$10K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.1M$809K$252K$28K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $1.5M$1.1M$389K$22.7M 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.2M$1.2M$75K$20.9M 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.4M$1.8M−$362K$17.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.0M$2.5M−$455K$16.1M 990 PDF
FY2021 $4.8M$811K$4.0M$21.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.4M$703K$670K$17.4M 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 F · Foreign J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,479,316 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $559,429$329,096
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $682,224$1,150,220
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,241,653$1,479,316
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $298,174$313,099
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 $868,106$776,922
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,166,280$1,090,021
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $75,373$389,295
Part VI · Governance 8 of 9 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members8
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
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
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,479,316 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$329,096
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$329,096
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $854,081$854,081
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $296,139$296,139
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,150,220$1,479,316
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,090,021 across 11 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $184,225$184,225
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $106,999$106,999
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $21,875$21,875
IX-11b Legal feesFundraising $10,440$10,440
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $29,720 · Management $4,212 · Fundraising $9$33,941
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $684 · Management $33 · Fundraising $680$1,397
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $16,206 · Management $2,842 · Fundraising −$151$18,897
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $26,098 · Management $9,427 · Fundraising $7,171$42,696
IX-17 TravelPrograms $141,708 · Management $4,684$146,392
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $123,479 · Management $802 · Fundraising $1$124,282
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $158,249 · Management $230,500 · Fundraising $10,128$398,877
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $809,243 · Management $252,500 · Fundraising $28,278$1,090,021
Part X · Balance sheet $23,017,664 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $53,705$131,667
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $21,146,144$22,885,997
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $21,207,769$23,017,664
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $14,625$15,496
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $305,995$301,037
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $320,620$316,533
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $15,637,149$16,992,131
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $5,250,000$5,709,000
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $20,887,149$22,701,131
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $21,207,769$23,017,664
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $22,701,131 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,479,316
XI-2 Total expenses$1,090,021
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$389,295
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$20,887,149
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$1,421,828
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$141
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$3,000
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$22,701,131

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

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