To inspire & nurture everyday exploration for lifelong engagement with Science & technology.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
71¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 90 volunteers and 3 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
4 of 7
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $60K a year · 11% of revenue · last 7 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 4 of the last 7 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 7 filings
Spent on programs
71%
of spending
Fine: 71% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$306K
to officers and key staff · 40% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 40% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $133K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$7K
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 10 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 10 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$713K
+19% vs prior year
Spent
$760K
To programs
71%
Net assets
$540K
By yearFY2019–FY2025
Revenue
$713K
FY2025▲ +19%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2019$403K
FY2020$296K
FY2021$504K
FY2022$564K
FY2023$600K
FY2024$601K
FY2025$713K
Expenses
$760K
FY2025▲ +34%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2019$325K
FY2020$308K
FY2021$507K
FY2022$376K
FY2023$418K
FY2024$568K
FY2025$760K
Net assets
$540K
FY2025▼ -8%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2019$200K
FY2020$187K
FY2021$184K
FY2022$371K
FY2023$554K
FY2024$586K
FY2025$540K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 2018.

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

Where the money goes

71 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 71% · $541K Management & general 8% · $60K Fundraising 21% · $159K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

13 people listed on the 990; $306K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Chief Learning Officer
$144,955Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Development
$114,111Pt VII · Sec A
Interim Exec Dir
$47,000Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director, CEO
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Caleb Cheung’s $145K as Chief Learning Officer is at the 84th percentile of top reported officer pay among 312 $100K–1M science & technology 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 · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Caleb Cheung$144,955$144,955$134,633$144,217$138,217
Cynthia Margulis$114,111————
Michael Mosby$47,000————
Katherine Young————$42,739

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.

See Quest Science Center executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to add context

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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Inspires and nurtures everyday exploration for lifelong engagement with science and technology.

Questions for Quest Science Center

Tap to ask. Quest Science Center sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Quest Science Center answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

3 programs · $541K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Community Science and Engineering Programs

Quest fielded hands-on activities at over 50 events throughout the tri-valley and surrounding region, reaching over 20,000 attendees. These events included: science at stockmen's park, student and family science events at schools, library events, various community, festival, and holiday events, and several events sponsored by local…

$231Kprogram expense
02

Tri-Valley Innovation Fair

Quest planned and led the 7TH annual tri-valley innovation fair which was held at the alameda county fairgrounds. This popular event had 3,000 attendees in 2025, primarily youth and their families to see hands-on exhibits and demonstrations that showcased innovative regional science, technology, and education organizations.

$185Kprogram expense
03

Planetary Health/Sustainability Program

Quest ran a planetary health program with 50 high school volunteer interns from the tri-valley region. Projects included urban heat mapping, carbon garden, water management, stopwaste art, and school district climate literacy curriculum.

$125Kprogram 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 3 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$713K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$671K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$26K
Investment incomeLn 3$16K
Money outPt IX
$760K
Ln 25
Programscol B$541K
Managementcol C$60K
Fundraisingcol D$159K
Owns and owesPt X
$540K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$383K
Total assetsLn 16$547K
LiabilitiesLn 26$7K
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$671K
Government grantsLn 1e$8K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$36K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$26K
Investment incomeLn 3$16K
Other incomeLn 4–11$377
Total revenueLn 12$713K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$383K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$383K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$80K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$35K
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$547K
LiabilitiesLn 26$7K
Net assetsLn 32$540K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 53
VolunteersI 690
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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$427K$383K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$121K$80K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$45K$35K
Total assetsLn 16$608K$547K
LiabilitiesLn 26$22K$7K
Net assetsLn 32$586K$540K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$306K$167K$28K$111K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$77K$77K$604
Other employee benefitsLn 9$4K−$925$5K
Payroll taxesLn 10$26K$18K$46$8K
Legal feesLn 11b$77$77
Accounting feesLn 11c$8K$8K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$149K$125K$2K$22K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$38K$38K
Information technologyLn 14$14K$642$4K$9K
OccupancyLn 16$36K$30K$5K
TravelLn 17$3K$3K$138
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$10K$10K
InsuranceLn 23$7K$7K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$81K$73K$4K$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$760K$541K$60K$159K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $713K$760K−$46K$540K 990 PDF
FY2024 $601K$568K$33K$586K 990 PDF
FY2023 $600K$418K$183K$554K 990 PDF
FY2022 $564K$376K$188K$371K 990 PDF
FY2021 $504K$507K−$3K$184K 990 PDF
FY2020 $296K$308K−$11K$187K 990 PDF
FY2019 $403K$325K$79K$200K 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $713,386 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $562,123$671,173
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $17,397$26,000
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $20,081$15,836
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,425$377
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $601,026$713,386
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 $270,566$413,648
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $297,790$346,096
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $568,356$759,744
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $32,670−$46,358
Part VI · Governance 10 of 10 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body10
VI-1b Independent voting members10
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $713,386 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$7,650
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$663,523
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$36,000
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$671,173
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $26,000$26,000
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $15,836$15,836
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $377$377
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $26,377 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $15,836$713,386
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $759,744 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $166,968 · Management $28,100 · Fundraising $110,998$306,066
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $76,568 · Management $604$77,172
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms −$925 · Fundraising $5,068$4,143
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $18,310 · Management $46 · Fundraising $7,911$26,267
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $77$77
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $8,431$8,431
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $125,160 · Management $1,939 · Fundraising $21,653$148,752
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $38,468$38,468
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $642 · Management $4,197 · Fundraising $9,101$13,940
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $30,342 · Management $5,400$35,742
IX-17 TravelPrograms $2,552 · Fundraising $138$2,690
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $9,903$9,903
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $7,457$7,457
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $73,047 · Management $3,638 · Fundraising $3,951$80,636
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $541,035 · Management $59,889 · Fundraising $158,820$759,744
Part X · Balance sheet $546,985 assets, 13 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $427,096$383,457
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $14,000$42,000
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$6,000
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $45,388$35,485
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $121,178$80,043
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $807$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $608,469$546,985
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $22,005$6,879
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $22,005$6,879
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $510,733$448,163
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $75,731$91,943
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $586,464$540,106
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $608,469$546,985
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $540,106 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$713,386
XI-2 Total expenses$759,744
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$46,358
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$586,464
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$540,106

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

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.