Aspen Center for Physics

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
846059504
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Aspen, CO, USA
Phone
9709252585
Rating
79
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$3,354,485
Expenses
$4,108,037
Assets
$8,471,391
Liabilities
$749,234

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

23 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MATTHIAS TROYER (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • AMANDA JENKINS (ADMIN VICE P): $169,791 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Aspen center for physics is a scientific organization which promotes organized research in physics, astrophysics, and related fields through programs of individual and collaborative research, workshops, and conferences, as well as promotes the education of the general public through public lectures and other activities.

What it reported doing in 2024

Summer and winter programs: since its inception in 1962, aspen center for physics has provided a unique physical and scientific environment ideally suited for stimulating interactions, collaborations, and innovation in physics research. For 16 weeks each summer, more than 500 leading international researchers, freed from the usual constraints and distractions of their home institutions, come to aspen to engage in research at the forefront of their fields. Research is conducted: (a) in the context of workshops in areas at the forefront of physics research; (b) in small groups focused on specific projects; or, (c) by individual investigators carrying out their own research. The scientific programs emphasize open problems at the cutting edge and are designed to maximize informal interactions within each area and cross-fertilization between different areas. While continuing to provide leadership in the central areas of physics (particle physics, astrophysics, and condensed matter physics), aspen center for physics has been open to new directions in physics as well as to science at the interface between physics and other disciplines (biology, chemistry, engineering, material science, and mathematics). In addition, 8 one- week winter conferences bring together up to 110 researchers per week in areas of current interest in physics and inter-disciplinary physics research. The center provides office space, office supplies, meeting space, library facilities, and network access to its participants. Support is provided to all individuals during the summer session for whom lodging is arranged by the center. Physicists' summer bills are reduced by the amount of support; overpayments are refunded by check. Winter support is usually awarded to junior scientists and those with a demonstrated need in order to attend. During the fiscal year ended march 31, 2025 there were 561 summer participants (summer 2024) and 576 winter participants (between january and march 2025).

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 73% for direct work, and 27% for grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of voting board members are independent and the filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 96
  • Transparency & Controls: 67
  • Accountability: 67
  • Sustainability: 36
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 91.1%; rating input score 91
  • Fundraising efficiency: $215 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 43.4%; rating input score 43; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -22.5%; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.06; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.09; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 4.1%; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 9.1% per year; rating input score 100; 60th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4.2% per year; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 6.2% per year; rating input score 100; 41st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 91.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 36 of 83 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $3.7M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $170K · 23 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $132K reported
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 9 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 13 filed money-flow records
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 43/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 6/100.