Increase societal understanding of the Earth system through scientific Research and education.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
80¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 4 volunteers and 12 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
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $2K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
80%
of spending
Looks good: 80% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$725K
to officers and key staff · 51% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 51% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $123K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$365K
50% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 50% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
2
of 4 voting members
Fine: 2 of 4 voting members are independent, half.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.5M
+0.09% vs prior year
Spent
$1.4M
To programs
80%
Net assets
$365K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.5M
FY2025+0.09%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.2M
FY2021$1.4M
FY2022$1.5M
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$1.5M
FY2025$1.5M
Expenses
$1.4M
FY2025▼ -3%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.2M
FY2021$1.4M
FY2022$1.4M
FY2023$1.4M
FY2024$1.5M
FY2025$1.4M
Net assets
$365K
FY2025▲ +10%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$341K
FY2021$340K
FY2022$437K
FY2023$349K
FY2024$332K
FY2025$365K

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 Jun 1995.

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

Where the money goes

80 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 80% · $1.1M Management & general 20% · $289K

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

9 people listed on the 990; $725K 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
Senior Scientist
$152,334Pt VII · Sec A
President/Senior Scientist
$129,864Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President/Research Scientist
$124,069Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Scientist
$123,623Pt VII · Sec A
Director/Senior Scientist
$114,342Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer/Secretary/Research Scientist
$81,048Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Oleg Melnechenko’s $152K as Senior Scientist is at the 34th percentile of top reported officer pay among 363 $1–10M 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Chelle White—————$237,213
Oleg Melnichenko—$143,830$152,770———
Oleg Melnechenko$152,334—————
Lance Larowe————$141,718$136,114
Laurence Padman—————$140,418
Dr Laurence Padman—$109,998$94,346$130,392$105,318—
Julian Schanze$129,864$119,676$117,425$106,886$93,729$76,714
Michael Town$124,069—————

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 Earth & Space Research 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

Promotes understanding of Earth's systems through research and education.

Questions for Earth & Space Research

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $1.1M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

NASA

[1] produce ICESAT2 iceberg draft estimates around antarctica to improve water depth estimates, improving navigation in the southern ocean; understanding & modelling eddy-sea ice interplay using ICESAT2; SWOTICESAT-2 comparisons to improve satellite retrievals.

$917Kprogram expense
02

National Science Foundation (nsf)

Earth and space scientists supported a field season in south-west greenland in support of the icecaps-melt program. Icecaps-melt is a collaborative effort to understand atmospheresnow interactions on the greenland ice sheet, with a focus on melt processes in the high interior.

$136Kprogram expense
03

Norwegian Polar Institute

Earth and space research scientists installed and supported the integrated cloud and boundary-layer observatory at the troll observing network, a research station in antarctica that is operated by the norwegian polar institute.

$79Kprogram 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$123K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $51K · 2019–2019
Unitemized GrantFY2019$50,965

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.5M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$6K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$5K
Money outPt IX
$1.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.1M
Managementcol C$289K
Owns and owesPt X
$365K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$419K
Total assetsLn 16$730K
LiabilitiesLn 26$365K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A6
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b2
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$5K
Investment incomeLn 3$6K
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Total revenueLn 12$1.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$216K
SavingsLn 2$203K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$419K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$17K
Other assetsLn 15$64K
Total assetsLn 16$730K
LiabilitiesLn 26$365K
Net assetsLn 32$365K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 512
VolunteersI 64
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$465K$419K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$6K$17K
Total assetsLn 16$743K$730K
LiabilitiesLn 26$411K$365K
Net assetsLn 32$332K$365K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$523K$389K$135K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$404K$346K$58K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$40K$32K$8K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$55K$42K$13K
Payroll taxesLn 10$65K$51K$14K
Management feesLn 11a$102K$81K$22K
Accounting feesLn 11c$27K$22K$5K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$39K$39K
Office expensesLn 13$25K$20K$5K
Information technologyLn 14$9K$7K$2K
OccupancyLn 16$55K$44K$11K
TravelLn 17$45K$35K$9K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$1K$1K$268
InsuranceLn 23$22K$17K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$9K$6K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.4M$1.1M$289K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $1.5M$1.4M$34K$365K 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.5M$1.5M−$17K$332K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.3M$1.4M−$88K$349K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.5M$1.4M$97K$437K 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.4M$1.4M−$484$340K 990 PDF
FY2020 $2.2M$2.2M−$13K$341K 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 J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,454,644 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,446,940$1,440,449
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$4,568
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $4,897$6,390
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,528$3,237
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,453,365$1,454,644
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 $1,132,559$1,087,108
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $338,085$334,005
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,470,644$1,421,113
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$17,279$33,531
Part VI · Governance 2 of 4 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members2
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 $1,454,644 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$1,440,449
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,440,449
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $4,568$4,568
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $6,390$6,390
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $3,237$3,237
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $4,568 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $9,627$1,454,644
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,421,113 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $388,580 · Management $134,595$523,175
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $345,505 · Management $58,101$403,606
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $32,470 · Management $7,890$40,360
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $42,215 · Management $12,846$55,061
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $51,354 · Management $13,552$64,906
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $80,555 · Management $21,710$102,265
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $21,641 · Management $5,259$26,900
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $39,217$39,217
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $19,684 · Management $5,195$24,879
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $7,394 · Management $1,949$9,343
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $43,546 · Management $11,492$55,038
IX-17 TravelPrograms $35,455 · Management $9,356$44,811
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $1,017 · Management $268$1,285
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $17,184 · Management $4,535$21,719
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $6,483 · Management $2,065$8,548
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,132,300 · Management $288,813 · Fundraising $0$1,421,113
Part X · Balance sheet $730,488 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $218,401$216,026
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $246,956$203,346
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $156,048$200,049
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $13,535$29,923
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $5,996$17,183
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $102,114$63,961
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $743,050$730,488
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $157,753$196,268
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $152,569$106,109
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $100,968$62,820
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $411,290$365,197
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $331,760$345,603
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictions$19,688
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $331,760$365,291
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $743,050$730,488
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $365,291 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,454,644
XI-2 Total expenses$1,421,113
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$33,531
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$331,760
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$365,291

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

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