The Seattle Aquarium Society
Also known as Seattle Aquarium
The Seattle Aquarium Society reported $54.1 million in revenue and $34.3 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $77.69 went to program services, $13.18 to management and general costs and $9.13 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 48.6% of the total. Government grants made up 8.0%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $407,283 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 30 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 70% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $34MFor context, the median across 245 covered animal-related charities: $83.96 programs, $9.42 management, $6.62 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 $54MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 77.7% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 13.2% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 9.1% | 6.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.12 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 48.6% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 8.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 46.5% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $407,283 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.19% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 30 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 41.8 | 26.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 53 of 53 | 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 expenseThe Seattle Aquarium is a conservation organization working to regenerate the health of earth's one ocean. We advance animal well-being, marine and ecosystem science, public policy, field conservation, education and species recovery that benefits the ocean and its inhabitants. We thoughtfully bring the ocean to life for the public with experiences that inspire awe, empathy, and conservation action. We manage five facilities and welcomed over 1 million people in 2024, plus many more people through our community programming outside of our campus. Our work supports a healthy future for marine…
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 & CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $391,372 | $0 | $15,911 | $407,283 |
| VP OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $247,511 | $0 | $11,974 | $259,485 |
| VP OF PHILANTHROPY Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $223,418 | $0 | $11,369 | $234,787 |
| CHIEF CONSERVATION OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $204,643 | $0 | $10,341 | $214,984 |
| SR. DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE AND CULTURE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $175,828 | $0 | $9,118 | $184,946 |
| VP OF FACILITIES & OPERATIONS Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $166,826 | $0 | $8,723 | $175,549 |
| VP OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $163,274 | $0 | $8,690 | $171,964 |
| SR. DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL PROJECTS Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $163,063 | $0 | $7,182 | $170,245 |
30 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Seattle Aquarium Society (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.2M (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–1b53 · 53 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 11aNo
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- 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 5263
- Volunteers Part I, line 61,092
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| LMN ARCHITECTS Architects | $1,788,803 |
| K&L GATES LLP Construction contract review and gmp | $882,673 |
| COPACINO & FUJIKADO Media management | $639,660 |
| HKA GLOBAL LLC Construction consultant | $456,161 |
| DOXTATER & CO LLC Event consulting and planning | $445,725 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 9 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
41 private foundations reported grants to The Seattle Aquarium Society totaling $8.1M 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 The Seattle Aquarium 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 The Seattle Aquarium Society, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Seattle Aquarium Society spent in 2024, $77.69 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Saint Louis Zoo AssociationSaint Louis, MO · revenue $54M · programs 83.6% · 2025
- National AquariumBaltimore, MD · revenue $54M · programs 69.5% · 2025
- Friends of the Zoo Inc. of Kansas City Missouri C/O Linda FalkKansas City, MO · revenue $54M · programs 93.0% · 2024
- New England Aquarium CorporationBoston, MA · revenue $55M · programs 77.4% · 2024
- Jacksonville Zoological SocietyJacksonville, FL · revenue $51M · programs 84.8% · FY2025
All animal-related charities · Largest charities in Washington
Questions people ask
How much of The Seattle Aquarium Society's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, The Seattle Aquarium Society reported that 77.7% of its $34.3 million in expenses went to program services, 13.2% to management and general and 9.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Seattle Aquarium Society pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Seattle Aquarium Society reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $407,283, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Seattle Aquarium Society get its money?
Of $54.1 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 48.6% came from contributions and grants (including 8.0% from government grants) and 46.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Seattle Aquarium Society a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 91-1189249 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 202533219349316828 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202413189349307966 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202323199349309757 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202223189349320257 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202123179349301142 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202023219349321227 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 91-1189249: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.