Earth & Space Research FY2021 filing

Tax-deductible

Seattle, WA501(c)(3)Science & TechnologyEIN 91-1663391Revenue $1.4M in FY2021

On file with the IRSesr.org1107 Ne 45th St Ste 320, 98105-4656 · Seattle, WATax-exempt since Jun 1995Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
86¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$520K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2021 · 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
86%
of spending
Looks good: 86% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$520K
to officers and key staff · 38% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 38% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.5 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
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
$155K
31% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 31% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.4M
-37% vs prior year
Spent
$1.4M
To programs
86%
Net assets
$340K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.4M
FY2021▼ -37%
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
FY2021▼ -37%
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
$340K
FY2021-0.1%
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 FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

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

86 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 86% · $1.2M Management & general 14% · $196K

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

8 people listed on the 990; $520K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
Chief Financial Officer
$141,718Pt VII · Sec A
$122,662Pt VII · Sec A
President and Senior Scientist
$105,318Pt VII · Sec A
VP and SR. Scientist
$93,729Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary/Research Scientist
$56,586Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt 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.

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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.

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2 programs · $1.2M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Nasaprimary Research Studies Include

Ocean surface current analyses real-time (oscar) oscar is a global surface database. Global ocean surface mixed layer velocities are calculated from satellite-sensed sea surface height gradients, ocean vector winds, and sea surface temperature fields using ocean dynamical equations.

$1.2Mprogram expense
02

National Science Foundation Primary Research Studies Include

Cosmogenic surface exposure dating of arctic NW laurentide ice-sheet deglaciation: implications for abrupt climate change this project will provide new understanding of the relationship among arctic ice-sheet retreat, atlantic meridional overturning circulation, and climate change.

$23Kprogram 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 FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2K
Other incomeLn 4–11$158
Money outPt IX
$1.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.2M
Managementcol C$196K
Owns and owesPt X
$340K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$176K
Total assetsLn 16$495K
LiabilitiesLn 26$155K
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A5
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2K
Investment incomeLn 3$31
Other incomeLn 4–11$158
Total revenueLn 12$1.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$81K
SavingsLn 2$95K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$176K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4K
Other assetsLn 15$3K
Total assetsLn 16$495K
LiabilitiesLn 26$155K
Net assetsLn 32$340K
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$244K$176K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4K$4K
Total assetsLn 16$546K$495K
LiabilitiesLn 26$205K$155K
Net assetsLn 32$341K$340K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$8K$8K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$465K$367K$98K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$335K$299K$36K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$36K$31K$5K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$46K$41K$5K
Payroll taxesLn 10$63K$53K$10K
Management feesLn 11a$108K$89K$18K
Accounting feesLn 11c$36K$30K$6K
Office expensesLn 13$16K$13K$2K
Information technologyLn 14$25K$21K$4K
OccupancyLn 16$42K$35K$7K
TravelLn 17$97$81$16
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$249$249
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$407$340$67
InsuranceLn 23$15K$12K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$188K$187K$494
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.4M$1.2M$196K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $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 Viewing $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 I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,382,010 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,186,545$1,380,255
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,042$1,566
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $197$31
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $236$158
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,188,020$1,382,010
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $106,915$7,650
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,318,408$945,229
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $775,369$429,615
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,200,692$1,382,494
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$12,672−$484
Part VI · Governance 3 of 5 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members3
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 $1,382,010 across 6 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $158 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$1,379,979
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$276
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,380,255
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,566$1,566
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $31$31
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,566 · Unrelated business $158 · Excluded from tax $31$1,382,010
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,382,494 across 16 lines filed
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $7,650$7,650
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $366,709 · Management $98,340$465,049
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $298,616 · Management $36,411$335,027
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $31,100 · Management $5,188$36,288
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $40,797 · Management $5,052$45,849
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $52,619 · Management $10,397$63,016
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $89,297 · Management $18,477$107,774
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $29,744 · Management $5,864$35,608
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $13,072 · Management $2,492$15,564
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $21,266 · Management $4,034$25,300
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $35,018 · Management $6,903$41,921
IX-17 TravelPrograms $81 · Management $16$97
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $249$249
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $340 · Management $67$407
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $12,444 · Management $2,453$14,897
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $187,304 · Management $494$187,798
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,186,306 · Management $196,188 · Fundraising $0$1,382,494
Part X · Balance sheet $495,294 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $129,316$81,209
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $114,878$95,011
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $260,371$294,218
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $33,888$17,947
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $3,985$3,579
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $3,330$3,330
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $545,768$495,294
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $203,404$152,603
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $1,566$455
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$1,922
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $204,970$154,980
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $340,798$340,314
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $340,798$340,314
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $545,768$495,294
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $340,314 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,382,010
XI-2 Total expenses$1,382,494
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$484
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$340,798
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$340,314

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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