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First Flight Venture Center
First Flight Venture Center reported $1.9 million in revenue and $2.3 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $12.44 went to program services, $83.39 to management and general costs and $4.17 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 47.9% of the total. Government grants made up 17.0%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $188,642 (PRESIDENT). 1 person received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 31% between 2020 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $2.3MFor context, the median across 479 covered community improvement & capacity building charities: $90.45 programs, $9.31 management, $0.24 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $1.9M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$19.35 $376K
- Government grants$16.77 $326K
- Program service revenue$47.26 $919K
- Investment income$16.62 $323K
Other revenue was negative: −$27,122. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 12.4% | 89.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 83.4% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.2% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.13 | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 36.6% | 80.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 17.0% | 14.9% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 47.9% | 11.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $188,642 | $291,103 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 8.33% | 1.49% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 64.2 | 9.2 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 8 of 8 | 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
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseScience incubator services is a program that provides flexible leases to more than 30 north carolina technology companies. It connects these companies with potential investors and supports entrepreneurs in developing patent strategies to expand their intellectual property portfolios
Subsidized grant writing services offer non-dilutive funding strategies to accepted candidates. These services support both phase I and phase ii sbir government grant applications, helping entrepreneurs secure critical early-stage funding
The advanced prototyping facility is a subscription-based community resource designed to support the development of advanced technology product prototypes. It offers design contract services and maintains a wide range of high-tech prototyping equipment to assist innovators in bringing their ideas to life
Highest reported compensation
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here1 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from First Flight Venture Center (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $189K (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
2025 · 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–1b8 · 8 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bNo
- 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 59
- Volunteers Part I, line 6100
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| CUSTOM COATINGS Coating & maint. | $157,510 |
| PROVAN MADE INC Operation of hangar6 | $125,975 |
| STEVENSON CONNER GLOBAL STRATEGIES Consulting | $103,364 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 3 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
1 private foundation reported grants to First Flight Venture Center totaling $17,500 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 First Flight Venture Center's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for First Flight Venture Center, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 First Flight Venture Center spent in 2025, $12.44 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Wolf Run VillageWatford City, ND · revenue $1.9M · programs 96.3% · 2025
- Indianapolis Cultural TrailIndianapolis, IN · revenue $2.4M · programs 91.9% · 2025
- Hwd on SecondFlint, MI · revenue $755K · programs 95.3% · 2025
- College Park City- University PartnershipCollege Park, MD · revenue $3.6M · programs 51.9% · FY2025
- Uptown Reinvestment CorporationFlint, MI · revenue −$1.3M · programs 98.8% · 2025
All community improvement & capacity building charities · Largest charities in North Carolina
Questions people ask
How much of First Flight Venture Center's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, First Flight Venture Center reported that 12.4% of its $2.3 million in expenses went to program services, 83.4% to management and general and 4.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does First Flight Venture Center pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation First Flight Venture Center reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $188,642, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does First Flight Venture Center get its money?
Of $1.9 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 36.6% came from contributions and grants (including 17.0% from government grants) and 47.9% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is First Flight Venture Center a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 56-1752731 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 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202602439349300545 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202543179349305369 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202412569349301306 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202323059349300547 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202203199349314945 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202113209349301311 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 56-1752731: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.