Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy reported $468.8 million in revenue and $465.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $90.97 went to program services, $9.03 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 52.6% of the total. Government grants made up 52.3%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $667,437 (PRESIDENT). 861 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 31% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $465MFor 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 September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $469MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 91.0% | 83.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 9.0% | 15.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 52.6% | 51.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 52.3% | 3.2% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 47.2% | 19.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $667,437 | $513,729 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.14% | 1.72% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 861 | 27 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 0.7 | 14.7 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 15 of 16 | 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 expenseAura operated the national science foundation's (nsf) national optical infrared laboratory (noirlab), the national solar observatory (nso), and the vera c. Rubin observatory construction (rubin construction or lsstpo) under cooperative agreements with the nsf. Aura also operated the space telescope science institute (stsci) under an agreement with the national aeronautics and space administration (nasa). The federal agreements are dependent on annual congressional appropriation
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $603,661 | $0 | $63,776 | $667,437 |
| NOIRLAB - GEMINI/STSCI DIR Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $448,598 | $0 | $69,998 | $518,596 |
| ASTRONOMER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $387,279 | $0 | $60,415 | $447,694 |
| VP FOR SCIENCE Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $349,384 | $0 | $69,883 | $419,267 |
| ASSO. DIR. ENG&IT (THRU 9/24) Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $380,347 | $0 | $30,094 | $410,441 |
| VP OF OPERATIONS/CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $335,494 | $0 | $66,735 | $402,229 |
| NOIRLAB DIRECTOR Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $359,483 | $0 | $36,382 | $395,865 |
| INTERIM DIRECTOR, STSCI Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $331,291 | $0 | $60,131 | $391,422 |
861 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $6.3M (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–1b16 · 15 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 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 51,607
- Volunteers Part I, line 620
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| RAYTHEON COMPANY INC Testing, support and maintenance of jwst | $15,163,978 |
| SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE Provide highly efficient spectrograph to | $4,330,866 |
| UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON Lsst data management services agreement | $3,730,573 |
| PRINCETON UNIVERSITY Data mgmt services- rubin operations | $2,454,425 |
| MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY Support to noirlab and gemini observ. | $2,280,751 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 99 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
1 private foundation reported grants to Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy totaling $118K 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 Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy spent in FY2025, $90.97 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Sri InternationalMenlo Park, CA · revenue $438M · programs 74.1% · 2024
- NoblisReston, VA · revenue $614M · programs 93.8% · FY2025
- National Academy of SciencesWashington, DC · revenue $362M · programs 79.4% · 2024
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- Climateworks FoundationSan Francisco, CA · revenue $351M · programs 93.9% · 2024
All science & technology charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy reported that 91.0% of its $465.0 million in expenses went to program services, 9.0% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $667,437, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy get its money?
Of $468.8 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 52.6% came from contributions and grants (including 52.3% from government grants) and 47.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 86-0138043 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 September 30, 2025, object 202602249349301735 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202532249349301418 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202432289349300338 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202322269349302317 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202212279349303406 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202132259349302908 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 86-0138043: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.