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Worcester Natural History Society
Also known as Ecotarium
Worcester Natural History Society reported $10.5 million in revenue and $5.9 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $70.47 went to program services, $19.06 to management and general costs and $10.47 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 71.0% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $226,718 (PRESIDENT AND CEO). 2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 165% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $5.9MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $10MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 70.5% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 19.1% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 10.5% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.08 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 71.0% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 3.2% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 19.0% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $226,718 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.83% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 2 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 51.6 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 14 of 17 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseExhibits & collections: visits to the ecotarium are educational and fun. In 2024, 136,699 visitors explored 45 acres of outdoor exhibits, nature explore playground, and wildlife zoological park habitats; 36,812 guests rode the open-air replica 1863 c.p. Huntington steam locomotive. Inside the museum, guests enjoyed three levels of exhibits, including mount washington, cityscience, african communities, animals and traveling exhibits. In 2024 the alden digital planetarium provided educational programs for 19,741 visitors
Educational programs: the ecotarium offers interactive, hands-on, educator-led programs that align with massachusetts curriculum frameworks for pre-k to 12, as well as hosted birthday parties with fun, educational components. In 2024 the ecotarium's educational programming inside the museum and in the community at public schools and youth-serving agencies provided in-person education at the museum for 7,741 youth and adults, as well as traveling programs in the community and schools for 9,088 youth. Since 1885, the ecotarium has offered seasonal science and nature day camps for children…
Guest services: the ecotarium offers a variety of visitor services, including special activities, hosted special year-round, seasonal community events, purchases from our museum shop, seasonal food service and food vending machines
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT AND CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $210,502 | $0 | $16,216 | $226,718 |
| CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $113,955 | $0 | $12,487 | $126,442 |
2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Worcester Natural History Society (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $353K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b17 · 14 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5113
- Volunteers Part I, line 6318
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| NON PROFIT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC Accounting & tax | $135,630 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 1 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
7 private foundations reported grants to Worcester Natural History Society totaling $173K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Worcester Natural History Society's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Worcester Natural History Society, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Worcester Natural History Society spent in 2024, $70.47 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Zachary Scott Theatre CenterAustin, TX · revenue $10M · programs 60.8% · FY2025
- Santa Barbara Museum of Natural HistorySanta Barbara, CA · revenue $10M · programs 42.2% · 2024
- Maryland Academy of SciencesBaltimore, MD · revenue $10M · programs 68.7% · FY2025
- The Epc Museum Dba LA NubeEl Paso, TX · revenue $10M · programs 78.0% · 2024
- Channel 5 Public BroadcastingReno, NV · revenue $10M · programs 54.3% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of Worcester Natural History Society's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Worcester Natural History Society reported that 70.5% of its $5.9 million in expenses went to program services, 19.1% to management and general and 10.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Worcester Natural History Society pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Worcester Natural History Society reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $226,718, for the role of PRESIDENT AND CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Worcester Natural History Society get its money?
Of $10.5 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 71.0% came from contributions and grants (including 3.2% from government grants) and 19.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Worcester Natural History Society a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-2105868 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202503189349303355 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202433189349301863 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202313119349304146 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202243149349306314 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202103199349312360 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019 (amended), object 202122469349300832 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-2105868: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.