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I D E A Museum Foundation FY2021 filing

Tax-deductible

Mesa, AZ501(c)(3)Arts & CultureEIN 94-2621572

The i.d.e.a. Museum Foundation's mission is to provide sustainable resources to fulfill the i.d.e.a. Museum's mission.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
85¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

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
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $103K a year · 17% 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
85%
of spending
Looks good: 85% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
29 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 28.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $250K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$25K
6% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 6% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
19
of 19 voting members
Looks good: 19 of 19 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$273K
Spent
$143K
To programs
85%
Net assets
$385K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$273K
FY2021
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$273K
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$241K
FY2024$1.0M
FY2025$486K
Expenses
$143K
FY2021
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$143K
FY2022$248K
FY2023$350K
FY2024$712K
FY2025$1.1M
Net assets
$385K
FY2021
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$385K
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$1.4M
FY2025$768K

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · see the original

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

Status and standing

Is it real, and can you give to it?

Tax-deductible?
Yes
Per the IRS master file.
Can I give now?
No revocation on IRS record
Not on the IRS revocation list.
Filing up to date?
Filed FY2025 (typical filing lag)
Legal name (IRS)Hdr · item CI D E A Museum Foundation
EINHdr · item D94-2621572
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
Ruling yearIRS BMFMar 1980
Latest filingForm 990FY2025 · Form 990
Principal addressHdr · item CMesa, AZ
NTEE classificationIRS BMFArts & Culture (A115)
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.ideamuseum.org

Where the money goes

What each dollar paid for.

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.85 Management & general $0.13 Fundraising $0.02
Program services85%$121K
Management & general13%$18K
Fundraising2%$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$143K

Financial health

Is it on solid ground?

Program efficiency
85%
of spending reaches programs
Operating runway
28.9mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate
Surplus margin
+48%
revenue over expenses, this year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2021 · Form 990
Total assets
$409K
FY2021
Total assets by fiscal year
FY2021$409K
FY2022$1.4M
FY2023$1.2M
FY2024$1.4M
FY2025$1.2M
Total liabilities
$25K
FY2021
Total liabilities by fiscal year
FY2021$25K
FY2022$150K
FY2023$97K
FY2024$32K
FY2025$414K
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19$130K
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$409K
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B85%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 319
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 419

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$342K
Total assetsLn 16$409K
Total liabilitiesLn 26$25K
Total net assetsLn 32$385K
Months of cash on handcomputed28.7

Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$216K · 79%
Program service revenue$56K · 20%
Contributions & grants79%$216K
Program service revenue20%$56K
Investment income$173
Other revenue$776
Total revenueLn 12$273K

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2021 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $342K · Operating expenses (Pt IX) $143K · Less non-cash grants $660 · Cash operating expenses/yr $142K
28.9 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $121K · Total expenses $143K
85%
Management & General
Management & general $18K · Total expenses $143K
13%
Fundraising
Fundraising $3K · Total expenses $143K
2%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense $3K · Solicited contributions $216K
$0.02 to raise $1
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $216K · Total revenue $273K
79%
Government reliance
Government grants — · Total revenue $273K
—
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $56K · Total revenue $273K
20%
Investment reliance
Investment income $173 · Total revenue $273K
+0.06%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $56K · Total expenses $143K
39%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $273K · Prior year —
No prior year on file
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $385K · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $273K · Expenses $143K
+48%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $409K
—
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $385K · Total assets $409K
94%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) — · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $409K
Excludes program-related investments (Pt X, ln 13)
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Lora Lassitter · Reported title Board Chair · Highest reported compensation $0 · Total expenses $143K
0%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) — · Total expenses $143K
—
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 85%——
Overhead ratio 13%——
Fundraising cost ratio 2%——
Accounting fee ratio 8%——

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Leadership and pay

Who runs it, and what are they paid?

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
Lora Lassitter
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Erica Snyder
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Dawn Giles
Immediate Past President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
David Luna Ed D
Councilmember Liaison
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Julie Spilsbury
Councilmember Liaison
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Thomas Assante
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Jessica Barnett
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See I D E A Museum Foundation executive salaries →

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Governance & Policies

Part VI
  • 19Voting board membersPt VI · Ln 1a
  • 19Independent board membersPt VI · Ln 1b
  • Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
  • Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13No
  • Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
  • Top official’s pay independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aNo
  • Family or business ties among leadersPt VI · Ln 2Yes

Mission and programs

What it does.

Supports a museum that inspires creativity through art, science, and technology.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until I D E A Museum Foundation claims this page.

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Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

1 program service account for $121K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2020.
01

The idea Museum is owned by the City of Mesa and is supported by the nonprofit organization, the idea Museum Foundation. The Museum inspires children of all ages to experience their world differently through art, creativity and imagination.

$121Kprogram expense

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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
Donor Advised Charitable Giving INCFY2024$250K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$250K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $900K · 2024–2024
City of MesaFY2024$900,237

Filing history

Every return on file.

YearRevenueExpensesChangeFiling
FY2025 Latest $486K$1.1M-52% 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.0M$712K+317% 990 PDF
FY2023 $241K$350K-78% 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.1M$248K+296% 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $273K$143K 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

Full filing: Form 990 for FY2021

Every line we hold from the return, cited to its Part and line.
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $142,991 across 8 lines filed
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $11,844$11,844
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $9,897 · Management $1,071 · Fundraising $3,025$13,993
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,499 · Management $1,999$3,498
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,383 · Management $1,642 · Fundraising $272$3,297
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $1,082$1,082
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $108,467 · Management $810$109,277
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $121,246 · Management $18,448 · Fundraising $3,297$142,991

Not shown yet: ratings, outcomes, and peer benchmarks. A Form 990 doesn’t report them.

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2021IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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