Astronomical Society of the Pacific

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
940294860
IRS 990 coverage
2015–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
San Francisco, CA, USA
Phone
4153371100
Rating
74
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Astronomy

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,423,133
Expenses
$2,789,781
Assets
$3,323,084
Liabilities
$966,884

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

Leadership & pay

14 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • ENRICO RAMIREZ (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • JOYCELIN CRAIG (DIR. MBRS &): $161,676 total reported compensation
  • CHRISTOPHER FORD (COO): $159,230 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Improving science literacy through education and public outreach programs advancing the public understanding in the science and study of astronomy since 1889; collecting and publishing information concerning the science of astronomy.

What it reported doing in 2024

Night sky network - as part of society's work with the amateur astronomy community, the society administrates the nasa night sky network, a nationwide coalition of astronomy clubs bringing the science and inspiration of nasa's missions to the public. In the 20th year of this program, the asp provides nasa speakers and outreach materials for amateur astronomy clubs, as well as a forum for those involved in community outreach to exchange ideas and learn from each other. The program was developed and is operated for nasa by the society and is currently supported by nasa's science activation program under the science mission directorate. Eclipse ambassadors - to extend the reach of the eclipse ambassadors off the path program whose volunteers reached more than 200,000 people with engaging eclipse science and safety information in 2023 and 2024, selected students participated in an intensive winter field school experience in fairbanks, ak. These students learned about the aurora first hand and trained with heliophysicists on the latest scientific instruments to make a real contribution to science. In addition, they returned to their communities to share the information with school children and the public. Annual meeting - every year since 1889, the asp has held an annual meeting of scientists and now educators to share the latest discoveries and pedagogy with interested practitioners. In 2025, more than 150 people attended virtually to learn about the topic of "embracing the future: questioning, investigating, adapting, connecting" in four strands that united the conversation. The astronomical society of the pacific offers several innovative educational programs which support astronomers, teachers, and other science educators.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • 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. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 77
  • Transparency & Controls: 70
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 21
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 61.4%; rating input score 61
  • Fundraising efficiency: $2.48 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -96%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.19; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.29; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 11.5%; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 0.5% per year; rating input score 100; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -5.5% per year; rating input score 0; 5th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 5.1% per year; rating input score 100; 39th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 61.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 12 of 12 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.7M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $162K · 14 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $466K reported
  • Consistency: 36 of 36 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 10 filing years from 2015 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 6 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

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

Grant-readiness screening is separate from the live rating, not a measure of program quality. Review the source records before making a grant decision.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 7/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 1/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 48/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 25/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 32/100.
  • High — Grant Readiness: Federal audit findings: this organization reported findings in its latest federal Single Audit.