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Discovery Place
Discovery Place reported $16.4 million in revenue and $16.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $75.08 went to program services, $19.57 to management and general costs and $5.35 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 49.8% of the total. Government grants made up 8.2%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $538,162 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 14 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 61% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $17MFor 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
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $16MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 75.1% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 19.6% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.3% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.14 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 39.0% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 8.2% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 49.8% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $538,162 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.20% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 14 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 87.7 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 26 of 26 | 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
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseEducational programs, experiences & exhibits: Discovery Place, inc, operates four museums serving 539,951 guests annually. This includes 64,384 through welcome, an economic accessibility program.significant progress was made on two major capital facility projects during fiscal year 2025. Construction of the charlotte museum of nature continued steadily and remains on track for a mid-to-late 2026 opening. Although renovations at Discovery Place kids rockingham were completed in fiscal year 2024, final expenditures from the project's allocated funds were completed in fiscal year 2025. We…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Officer, 55.00 hrs/week | $500,572 | $0 | $37,590 | $538,162 |
| FORMER CFO Officer, 60.00 hrs/week | $222,781 | $0 | $19,161 | $241,942 |
| CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $188,723 | $0 | $20,997 | $209,720 |
| CHIEF TALENT OFFICER Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $176,446 | $0 | $20,563 | $197,009 |
| CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $172,725 | $0 | $16,428 | $189,153 |
| CHIEF LEARNING OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $148,865 | $0 | $10,571 | $159,436 |
| FORMER CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER Former, 50.00 hrs/week | $151,542 | $0 | $1,975 | $153,517 |
| CHIEF EXHIBIT & ENVIRONMENT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $135,768 | $0 | $13,258 | $149,026 |
14 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Discovery Place (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.5M (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 · 26 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 5253
- Volunteers Part I, line 6194
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| KRAEMER DESIGN AND PRODUCTION LLC Exhibit design | $759,451 |
| TENJI INC Exhibit fabrication | $741,864 |
| KUBIK MALTBIE INC Exhibit fabrication | $231,609 |
| LIOLLIO ARCHITECTURE PC Exhibit design | $226,754 |
| LCK LLC Project management | $197,016 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 7 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
14 private foundations reported grants to Discovery Place totaling $953K 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 Discovery Place's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Discovery Place, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Discovery Place spent in FY2025, $75.08 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Holocaust Memorial Foundation of IllinoisSkokie, IL · revenue $16M · programs 75.2% · 2025
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- Saratoga Performing Arts CenterSaratoga Springs, NY · revenue $16M · programs 75.3% · 2024
- Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra EndowmentMilwaukee, WI · revenue $16M · programs 88.6% · FY2025
- Museum of Discovery and ScienceFort Lauderdale, FL · revenue $16M · programs 85.1% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in North Carolina
Questions people ask
How much of Discovery Place's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Discovery Place reported that 75.1% of its $16.8 million in expenses went to program services, 19.6% to management and general and 5.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Discovery Place pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Discovery Place reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $538,162, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Discovery Place get its money?
Of $16.4 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 39.0% came from contributions and grants (including 8.2% from government grants) and 49.8% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Discovery Place a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 56-0529944 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
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202630439349300913 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202510429349301666 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202303139349301130 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202213189349313761 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202200219349300490 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202130149349301308 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 56-0529944: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.