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Hands on Discovery Center

Tax-deductible

Gray, TN501(c)(3)Since 1986EIN 62-1282542Revenue $861K in FY2025

On file with the IRSvisithandson.org1212 Suncrest Dr, 37615-4114 · Gray, TNTax-exempt since Dec 1986Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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The Discovery center's mission is to support education for learners of all ages by providing out-of-school learning experiences which cannot realistically be offered within the constraints of a formal school program. The Discovery center's role in relationship to area schools is to complement existing programs by offering learning opportunities which will extend and enhance, but not supplant the school experience. Toward these ends, the Discovery Center conducts participatory programs and such other activities as the board of directors deems necessary to promote the expressed purposes of the Discovery Center.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
61¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 84 volunteers and 35 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 $3K a year · under 1% 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
61%
of spending
Worth a look: 61% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$174K
to officers and key staff · 19% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 19% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
9 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 9.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $17
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$675K
39% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 39% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
12
of 12 voting members
Looks good: 12 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
$861K
-4% vs prior year
Spent
$915K
To programs
61%
Net assets
$1.0M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$861K
FY2025▼ -4%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$534K
FY2022$805K
FY2023$781K
FY2024$898K
FY2025$861K
Expenses
$915K
FY2025▲ +8%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$613K
FY2022$760K
FY2023$730K
FY2024$846K
FY2025$915K
Net assets
$1.0M
FY2025▼ -6%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$1.0M
FY2022$1.0M
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$1.1M
FY2025$1.0M

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 Dec 1986.

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

Where the money goes

61 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 61% · $557K Management & general 33% · $300K Fundraising 6% · $57K

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; $174K 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
Dale McCreedy
President &
$120,000Pt VII · Sec A
Heather Watson
President &
$54,400Pt VII · Sec A
Sarah Black
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Helen Harmon
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Dale McCreedy$120,000$66,213———
Andy Marquart Thru 61522———$95,000—
Andy Marquart————$93,269
Heather Watson$54,400—$42,500——

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

Provides hands-on learning experiences beyond school to enrich education for all ages.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $557K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Education Museum

Hands on educational experience for adults and children in the arts and sciences.

$557Kprogram 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 · FY2023
Amazonsmile FoundationFY2023$17
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$17

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$861K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$483K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$300K
Other incomeLn 4–11$48K
Money outPt IX
$915K
Ln 25
Programscol B$557K
Managementcol C$300K
Fundraisingcol D$57K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$686K
Total assetsLn 16$1.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$675K
PeoplePt VI, VII
14
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a12
IndependentVI 1b12
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$300K
Government grantsLn 1e$168K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$27K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$483K
Investment incomeLn 3$30K
Other incomeLn 4–11$48K
Total revenueLn 12$861K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$261K
SavingsLn 2$425K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$686K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$265K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$633K
Other assetsLn 15$50K
Total assetsLn 16$1.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$675K
Net assetsLn 32$1.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 535
VolunteersI 684
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$721K$686K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$263K$265K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$675K$633K
Total assetsLn 16$1.8M$1.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$708K$675K
Net assetsLn 32$1.1M$1.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$61K$36K$18K$6K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$106K$64K$32K$11K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$305K$183K$91K$30K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$2K$1K$671$224
Other employee benefitsLn 9$44K$26K$13K$4K
Payroll taxesLn 10$36K$22K$11K$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c$10K$10K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$70K$1K$68K$217
Advertising and promotionLn 12$13K$7K$6K$745
Office expensesLn 13$11K$9K$1K$1K
OccupancyLn 16$2K$1K$163
TravelLn 17$8K$8K$836
InterestLn 20$30K$30K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$88K$71K$18K
InsuranceLn 23$14K$12K$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$89K$71K$18K
All other expensesLn 24e$26K$15K$10K
Total functional expensesLn 25$915K$557K$300K$57K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $861K$915K−$54K$1.0M 990 PDF
FY2024 $898K$846K$52K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $781K$730K$51K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $805K$760K$45K$1.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 $534K$613K−$79K$1.0M 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $860,911 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $397,939$299,840
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $443,997$482,986
I-10 Investment incomePrior year −$1,970$30,188
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $58,243$47,897
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $898,209$860,911
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $544,616$553,935
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $301,755$361,042
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $846,371$914,977
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $51,838−$54,066
Part VI · Governance 12 of 12 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body12
VI-1b Independent voting members12
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 $860,911 across 8 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $45,542 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$167,890
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$131,950
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$26,520
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$299,840
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $482,806 · Excluded from tax $180$482,986
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $30,188$30,188
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$2,355
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $528,348 · Excluded from tax $30,368$860,911
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $914,977 across 17 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $36,473 · Management $18,237 · Fundraising $6,079$60,789
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $63,692 · Management $31,846 · Fundraising $10,615$106,153
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $182,935 · Management $91,467 · Fundraising $30,489$304,891
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,343 · Management $671 · Fundraising $224$2,238
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $26,343 · Management $13,172 · Fundraising $4,391$43,906
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $21,575 · Management $10,787 · Fundraising $3,596$35,958
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $9,700$9,700
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,305 · Management $68,415 · Fundraising $217$69,937
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $6,704 · Management $5,916 · Fundraising $745$13,365
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $8,920 · Management $1,115 · Fundraising $1,115$11,150
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,471 · Management $163$1,634
IX-17 TravelPrograms $7,529 · Management $836$8,365
IX-20 InterestPrograms $29,630$29,630
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $70,686 · Management $17,672$88,358
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $12,209 · Management $1,357$13,566
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $71,073 · Management $18,337$89,410
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $15,498 · Management $10,429$25,927
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $557,386 · Management $300,120 · Fundraising $57,471$914,977
Part X · Balance sheet $1,721,784 assets, 17 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $50,000; see the IRS return.
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $315,412$261,051
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $405,981$424,600
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,000$27,100
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $2,286$5,216
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $13,628$5,854
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $674,558$633,410
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $262,779$264,553
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $100,000$50,000
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,825,644$1,721,784
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $20,160$23,385
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $8,000$36,000
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $679,615$615,481
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $707,775$674,866
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $833,596$766,484
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $284,273$280,434
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,117,869$1,046,918
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,825,644$1,721,784
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,046,918 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$860,911
XI-2 Total expenses$914,977
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$54,066
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,117,869
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$16,885
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,046,918

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

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