Experimental Aircraft Association
Experimental Aircraft Association reported $53.9 million in revenue and $49.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending February 28, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $87.62 went to program services, $11.24 to management and general costs and $1.14 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 62.2% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $851,092 (CEO/CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD). 24 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 21% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending February 28, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $49MFor context, the median across 192 covered science & technology charities: $84.33 programs, $15.67 management, $0.00 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending February 28, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $54MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 87.6% | 83.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 11.2% | 15.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.1% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.06 | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 18.6% | 51.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 3.2% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 62.2% | 19.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $851,092 | $513,729 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.74% | 1.72% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 24 | 27 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 10.6 | 14.7 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 25 of 26 | 94.3% |
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
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseAirventure - the largest aviation event of its kind is held each year in late july. Airventure educates those attending on aviation and aircraft through exhibits, demonstration airshows, educational sessions, and interactive displays. There were approximately 686,000 airventure attendees
Membership and publications - "sport aviation" is a monthly publication issued to members with a variety of educational information on aviation. "airventure today" is a daily newspaper printed every day during airventure. Other various printed and digital publications are produced on a periodic basis to inform and educate members or airventure attendees. Includes costs associated with providing knowledge and information to assist with technical questions on aviation matters and promoting membership in the organization
Eaa provides flight experiences in vintage and historical aircraft at local airports to educate the public about the history and role of aircraft over time and inspire a future generation to engage in aviation. These aircraft serve as a living history that holds a remarkable connection to the past. Making these aircraft accessible to the public increases the public's knowledge about the role of aviation in commerce and security, the engineering advances that promoted aviation and the ways in which aircraft redefined world travel. This year over 59,000 flight experiences were provided and…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO/CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Director/trustee, officer, 32.50 hrs/week | $511,737 | $275,551 | $63,804 | $851,092 |
| VP, MEMB, MARKETING, PUBLICATIONS Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $345,139 | $0 | $66,891 | $412,030 |
| VP, COMMUNITIES & MEMB PROG Key employee, 49.00 hrs/week | $281,530 | $5,746 | $31,691 | $318,967 |
| VP, ADVOCACY & SAFETY Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $257,070 | $0 | $61,401 | $318,471 |
| DIR FINANCE & HR, CFO Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $202,057 | $67,352 | $27,007 | $296,416 |
| GENERAL COUNSEL Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $194,869 | $0 | $16,333 | $211,202 |
| VP GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $163,510 | $0 | $46,571 | $210,081 |
| DIRECTOR, IT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $166,878 | $0 | $41,908 | $208,786 |
24 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Experimental Aircraft Association (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.8M (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
FY2025 · 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–1b26 · 25 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 4Yes
- 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 51,170
- Volunteers Part I, line 66,000
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| QUAD GRAPHICS Printing & mailing | $1,858,977 |
| JANI-KING OF GREEN BAY Janitorial | $433,873 |
| TEUTEBERG INC Membership renewal solicitations | $378,659 |
| REAL CONSTRUCTION Building & maintenance | $229,632 |
| KOBUSSEN TRAILWAYS Transportation | $206,617 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 17 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Experimental Aircraft Association's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Experimental Aircraft Association, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Experimental Aircraft Association spent in FY2025, $87.62 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Hudson-Alpha Institute for BiotechnologyHuntsville, AL · revenue $52M · programs 72.9% · 2024
- Marine Biological LaboratoryWoods Hole, MA · revenue $55M · programs 84.6% · FY2025
- Santa Fe InstituteSanta Fe, NM · revenue $52M · programs 62.7% · 2024
- American Geophysical UnionWashington, DC · revenue $56M · programs 88.4% · 2024
- American Society for MicrobiologyWashington, DC · revenue $51M · programs 72.3% · 2024
All science & technology charities · Largest charities in Wisconsin
Questions people ask
How much of Experimental Aircraft Association's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending February 28, 2025, Experimental Aircraft Association reported that 87.6% of its $49.0 million in expenses went to program services, 11.2% to management and general and 1.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Experimental Aircraft Association pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Experimental Aircraft Association reported for one person in the fiscal year ending February 28, 2025 was $851,092, for the role of CEO/CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Experimental Aircraft Association get its money?
Of $53.9 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending February 28, 2025, 18.6% came from contributions and grants and 62.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Experimental Aircraft Association a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 39-0917537 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending February 28, 2025, object 202533579349300803 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending February 29, 2024, object 202510159349301096 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending February 28, 2023, object 202430169349302398 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending February 28, 2022, object 202311389349301511 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending February 28, 2021, object 202210149349300501 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending February 29, 2020, object 202140129349300744 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 39-0917537: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.