Guided Discoveries INC FY2021 filing

Tax-deductible

San Clemente, CA501(c)(3)Since 1978EnvironmentEIN 95-3285562Revenue $11.1M in FY2021

On file with the IRSgdi.org302 N El Camino Real Ste 206, 92672-4778 · San Clemente, CATax-exempt since Feb 1979Publicly supported — 509(a)(2)

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Guided Discoveries purpose is to make a positive difference in the lives of children through unique opportunities for discovery. Guided Discoveries provides educational programs for schools and individuals in marine and physical science, as well as ocean and mountain adventure.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
77¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$874K 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 deficit $1.1M a year · 7% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
77%
of spending
Looks good: 77% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$874K
to officers and key staff · 9% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 9% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.4 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
7
named funders · $276K
Looks good: 7 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$11.4M
52% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 52% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$11.1M
+9% vs prior year
Spent
$10.3M
To programs
77%
Net assets
$10.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$11.1M
FY2021▲ +9%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$10.2M
FY2021$11.1M
FY2022$15.4M
FY2023$22.7M
FY2024$22.1M
FY2025$23.0M
Expenses
$10.3M
FY2021▼ -32%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$15.0M
FY2021$10.3M
FY2022$16.3M
FY2023$21.4M
FY2024$24.1M
FY2025$24.2M
Net assets
$10.5M
FY2021▲ +4%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$10.1M
FY2021$10.5M
FY2022$9.0M
FY2023$10.4M
FY2024$4.6M
FY2025$5.3M

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending August 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 Feb 1979.

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

Where the money goes

77 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 77% · $7.9M Management & general 23% · $2.4M

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

13 people listed on the 990; $874K 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
$269,294Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Admin
$174,893Pt VII · Sec A
Finance Director
$138,243Pt VII · Sec A
Astrocamp Director
$106,257Pt VII · Sec A
Camp Director
$103,021Pt VII · Sec A
CFO/Secretary
$82,050Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Craig Turner’s $293K as CEO/President is at the 61st percentile of top reported officer pay among 324 $10–100M environment 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
Ross Turner$159,000$157,892$158,608$319,886$269,294$413,620
Craig Turner$293,038$223,249$195,742$181,032$174,893$155,503
Andy Balendy$229,445$148,170$136,184$123,369$106,257$117,008
Matt Mishalow$227,228$185,929————
Matthew Mishalow——$165,295$151,011$138,243$132,655
Paul Kupferman$144,747$136,216$116,088$108,610——
David Work———$140,289$103,021$123,448
Jeff Chace$135,856$122,979$101,806———

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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Offers marine and physical science programs, plus ocean and mountain adventures for children's discovery.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $7.9M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

The Catalina Island Marine Institute and Catalina Sea Camp provide marine science, island ecology and ocean adventure programs for approximately 20,000 students annually. Schools and other educational groups attend for three or five days during the school year at one of three unique Catalina Island locations.

$6.1Mprogram expense
02

AstroCamp California provides physical science, astronomy and mountain adventure programs for approximately 11,000 students annually. Schools and other educational groups attend for three or five days during the school year.

$1.1Mprogram expense
03

AstroCamp Virginia and Camp Motorsport provides physical science, astronomy and adventure programs for approximately 800 students annually. Schools and other educational groups attend for up to seven days during the school year.

$683Kprogram 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
See all 7 funders →
Grants paid · 3 grants · $32K · 2019–2024
Rmhc-SCCA · FY2024$9,500
Rmhc-SCCA · FY2023$5,500

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$11.1M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$6.2M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$832K
Money outPt IX
$10.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$7.9M
Managementcol C$2.4M
Owns and owesPt X
$10.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.2M
Total assetsLn 16$21.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$11.4M
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A6
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.0M
Government grantsLn 1e$3.7M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$6.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$832K
Other incomeLn 4–11$86K
Gains on assetsLn 7$752K
Total revenueLn 12$11.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.1M
SavingsLn 2$68K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.2M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$17.7M
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$21.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$11.4M
Net assetsLn 32$10.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5344
VolunteersI 68
Fiscal year endsHeaderAugust
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$641K$1.2M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$4.3M$2.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$18.4M$17.7M
Total assetsLn 16$23.9M$21.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$13.7M$11.4M
Net assetsLn 32$10.1M$10.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$296K$296K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.4M$3.1M$288K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$432K$339K$92K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$144K$144K
Accounting feesLn 11c$100K$100K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$131K$131K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$144K$78K$66K
Office expensesLn 13$171K$171K
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$0
TravelLn 17$139K$114K$25K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$5K$5K
InterestLn 20$278K$261K$17K
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$844K$739K$105K
InsuranceLn 23$1.1M$1.1M
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.7M$1.2M$430K
All other expensesLn 24e$1.5M$1.0M$487K
Total functional expensesLn 25$10.3M$7.9M$2.4M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $23.0M$24.2M−$1.3M$5.3M 990 PDF
FY2024 $22.1M$24.1M−$2.0M$4.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $22.7M$21.4M$1.3M$10.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $15.4M$16.3M−$894K$9.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $11.1M$10.3M$845K$10.5M 990 PDF
FY2020 $10.2M$15.0M−$4.8M$10.1M 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 $11,115,230 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $11,818$3,967,537
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $8,882,465$6,230,017
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $890,095$831,536
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $368,117$86,140
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $10,152,495$11,115,230
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $17,691$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $5,983,804$4,079,791
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $8,995,001$6,190,002
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $14,996,496$10,269,793
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$4,844,001$845,437
Part VI · Governance 7 of 9 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members7
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 $11,115,230 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $21,916 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$3,719,120
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$248,417
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,967,537
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $6,230,017$6,230,017
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $79,802$79,802
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $751,734$751,734
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $64,224$64,224
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $7,045,975 · Excluded from tax $101,718$11,115,230
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $10,269,793 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $296,318$296,318
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $3,064,231 · Management $287,731$3,351,962
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefits$0
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $339,463 · Management $92,048$431,511
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $143,944$143,944
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $100,056$100,056
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $130,655$130,655
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $78,257 · Management $65,755$144,012
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $170,693$170,693
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 Occupancy$0
IX-17 TravelPrograms $114,198 · Management $25,012$139,210
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $5,288$5,288
IX-20 InterestPrograms $260,821 · Management $17,296$278,117
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $739,047 · Management $105,184$844,231
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $1,061,159$1,061,159
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,229,137 · Management $429,965$1,659,102
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $1,026,476 · Management $487,059$1,513,535
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $7,912,789 · Management $2,357,004 · Fundraising $0$10,269,793
Part X · Balance sheet $21,916,756 assets, 20 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $501,286$1,121,329
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $139,438$68,222
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $141,337$53,441
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $173,786$145,189
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $263,562$400,777
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $18,351,762$17,742,170
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $4,281,215$2,385,628
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assets$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $23,852,386$21,916,756
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $45,482$298,630
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $4,209,153$3,722,224
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $13,742,281$11,393,055
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $10,110,105$10,306,911
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictions$216,790
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $10,110,105$10,523,701
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $23,852,386$21,916,756
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $10,523,701 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$11,115,230
XI-2 Total expenses$10,269,793
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$845,437
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$10,110,105
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$431,841
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$10,523,701

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

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