Griffith Observatory Foundation: FY2022 Nonprofit Profile & Form 990 (EIN 95-3374645)

Benjamin Roudenis’s $130K as Director of Information Technology is at the 22nd 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 · 6 named individuals · Part VII

Name	FY2025	FY2024	FY2023	FY2022	FY2021	FY2020
Ann Marie Bedtke	—	$133,081	$205,625	$170,000	$150,000	$152,000
Benjamin Roudenis	$129,659	$125,500	$118,306	$115,000	—	—
Elizabeth Greenway	$118,307	—	—	—	—	—
Melanie Flavin	—	$111,500	—	—	—	—
Troy Powers	$101,254	—	—	—	—	—
Julie Lacouture	—	$50,000	—	—	—	—

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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Supports and promotes the Griffith Observatory.

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3 programs · $1.2M · in their own filed words · FY2022

01

Griffith observatory foundation works to ensure that griffith observatory has the resources to develop educational and inspirational programs and support facilities to continue to inform millions of visitors. Funding from the foundation has helped to innovate and sustain technology and specialized staffing that animates the building.

$866Kprogram expense

02

The foundation fully funds all staffing, materials, and equipment for both the griffith observatory's in-person 5TH-GRADE school program and the on-line school program, which are free S.T.E.A.M.

$221Kprogram expense

03

The foundation is funding the development of a new celestial globe exhibit at griffith observatory. It will be a permanent piece of astronomical art, inspired by the sphere held aloft by the farnese atlas sculpture in the naples archaeological museum, will teach millions of visitors each year about the history and lore of the…

$73Kprogram 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

Windsong TrustFY2024$125K

Nesbitt FoundationFY2024$50K

American Online Giving Foundation INCFY2024$27K

Jess & Palma Morgan FoundationFY2024$25K

Max H Gluck Foundation INCFY2024$25K

Steinmetz FoundationFY2024$20K

Vanguard Charitable Endowment ProgramFY2024$18K

Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFY2024$15K

Total grants receivedfrom 16 funders$328K

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By the numbers

The FY2022 990, line by line.

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from philanthropy.org

1The main four

Money inPt VIII

$1.7M

Ln 12

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.5M

Fees for servicesLn 2g$227K

Investment incomeLn 3$2K

Money outPt IX

$1.6M

Ln 25

Programscol B$1.2M

Managementcol C$337K

Fundraisingcol D$152K

Owns and owesPt X

$2.2M

net assets · Ln 32

Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.1M

Total assetsLn 16$2.3M

LiabilitiesLn 26$54K

PeoplePt VI, VII

18

listed · VII A

PaidVII A2

Voting boardVI 1a15

IndependentVI 1b14

2In more detail

Revenue in detailPt VIII

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.5M

Government grantsLn 1e$340K

Fees for servicesLn 2g$227K

Investment incomeLn 3$2K

Total revenueLn 12$1.7M

Assets in detailPt X, end of year

CashLn 1$417K

SavingsLn 2$1.7M

Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.1M

Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$62K

Total assetsLn 16$2.3M

LiabilitiesLn 26$54K

Net assetsLn 32$2.2M

OperationsPt I, VI

EmployeesI 514

VolunteersI 639

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

Line	Start FY22	End FY22
Cash and savingsLn 1–2	$2.4M	$2.1M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c	$206K	$62K
Total assetsLn 16	$2.6M	$2.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26	$457K	$54K
Net assetsLn 32	$2.1M	$2.2M

4Every line

Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line

Line	Total	Programs	Management	Fundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5	$181K	$60K	$60K	$60K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7	$401K	$326K	$29K	$46K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8	$6K	$5K	$149	$446
Other employee benefitsLn 9	$42K	$31K	$5K	$6K
Payroll taxesLn 10	$55K	$37K	$8K	$10K
Accounting feesLn 11c	$64K		$64K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g	$95K	$6K	$88K	$945
Office expensesLn 13	$25K	$10K	$9K	$6K
TravelLn 17	$3K	$76	$556	$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22	$146K	$85K	$61K
InsuranceLn 23	$14K	$9K	$2K	$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24	$607K	$590K	$3K	$13K
All other expensesLn 24e	$9K	$745	$7K	$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25	$1.6M	$1.2M	$337K	$152K

Filing history

Year	Money in	Money out	In minus out	Net assets	Download
FY2025 Latest	$2.0M	$2.4M	−$320K	$2.3M	990 PDF
FY2024	$1.9M	$2.7M	−$863K	$2.6M	990 PDF
FY2023	$3.7M	$2.4M	$1.2M	$3.4M	990 PDF
FY2022 Viewing	$1.7M	$1.6M	$81K	$2.2M	990 PDF
FY2021	$2.1M	$1.1M	$969K	$2.1M	990 PDF
FY2020	$993K	$1.8M	−$832K	$1.2M	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 FY2022 990 (6 parts)

Part I · Summary $1,729,095 revenue, 12 lines filed

I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,078,073$1,499,568

I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $35,047$227,067

I-10 Investment incomePrior year $90$2,460

I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0

I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,113,210$1,729,095

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 $616,361$685,651

I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0

I-17 Other expensesPrior year $527,992$962,802

I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,144,353$1,648,453

I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $968,857$80,642

Part VI · Governance 14 of 15 board members independent, no flags

VI-1a Voting members of the governing body15

VI-1b Independent voting members14

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

VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes

Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,729,095 across 7 lines filed

VIII-1b Membership dues$198,960

VIII-1e Government grants$340,442

VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$960,166

VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,499,568

VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $227,067$227,067

VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $2,460$2,460

VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $227,067 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,460$1,729,095

Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,648,453 across 13 lines filed

IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $60,493 · Management $60,493 · Fundraising $60,494$181,480

IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $325,590 · Management $28,809 · Fundraising $46,438$400,837

IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $5,152 · Management $149 · Fundraising $446$5,747

IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $30,954 · Management $4,953 · Fundraising $6,498$42,405

IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $36,952 · Management $8,263 · Fundraising $9,967$55,182

IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $63,550$63,550

IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $5,818 · Management $88,341 · Fundraising $945$95,104

IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $10,397 · Management $9,440 · Fundraising $5,589$25,426

IX-17 TravelPrograms $76 · Management $556 · Fundraising $2,374$3,006

IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $84,707 · Management $60,939$145,646

IX-23 InsurancePrograms $8,679 · Management $1,529 · Fundraising $3,733$13,941

IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $590,010 · Management $3,398 · Fundraising $13,270$606,678

IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $745 · Management $6,938 · Fundraising $1,768$9,451

IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,159,573 · Management $337,358 · Fundraising $151,522$1,648,453

Part X · Balance sheet $2,279,624 assets, 13 lines filed

X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,453,876$416,742

X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $903,341$1,730,801

X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $29,222$59,433

X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $9,415$10,242

X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $206,087$62,406

X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,601,941$2,279,624

X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $116,436$53,919

X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $340,442$0

X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $456,878$53,919

X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,659,229$1,830,713

X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $485,834$394,992

X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,145,063$2,225,705

X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,601,941$2,279,624

Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,225,705 net assets at year end

XI-1 Total revenue$1,729,095

XI-2 Total expenses$1,648,453

XI-3 Revenue less expenses$80,642

XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,145,063

XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0

XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,225,705

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2022 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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Griffith Observatory Foundation FY2022 filing

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