Aurora Fossil Museum Foundation Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
562181393
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Aurora, NC, USA
Phone
2523224238
Rating
86
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Natural History, Natural Science Museums

Reported finances

Revenue
$412,960
Expenses
$543,000
Assets
$629,044
Liabilities
$5,438

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

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

People named in this filing

  • KELLE BEATTY (MEMBER)
  • DR MARGARET BLOME (SECRETARY)
  • WILLIAM COOK (CHAIRMAN)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

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

Overview

Mission

To educate the public about paleontology in an enjoyable manner while emphasizing the natural and cultural history of eastern North Carolina.

What it reported doing in 2024

The imagine-nc (integrating mathematics and geology in eastern North Carolina) project is a collaborative venture between the aurora fossil museum, east carolina university, and nutrien. Awarded through the burroughs wellcome fund student science enrichment program, the imagine-nc project is intended to introduce local and regional area middle and elementary school aged children to stem concepts through engaging, hands- on, inquiry-based methods. Learning about the world around them, while interacting with scientists, engineers, technology specialists, mathematicians, and educators, students will build on classroom instruction knowledge while being introduced to new science and math concepts through engaging activities and opportunities. The project includes two 1-week, non-residential summer camps at the aurora fossil museum and in the aurora, nc area; one week for thirty 6-8 grade students and one week for thirty 3-5 grade students, plus four weekend activities during the school year. Part of the result of the imagine-nc project is the development of science and math modules based on the camp activities. The modules will include equipment, instructions, and curriculum in compliance with current state and national science and math education standards. These modules will be available for area/regional teachers to borrow for use in their classrooms. 34 camp participants and 16,453 teacher kit programs

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 86% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
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.

The verdict

STRONG - 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: 86
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 88
  • Sustainability: 31
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 86.8%; rating input score 87
  • Fundraising efficiency: $3.67 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • 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: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -31.5%; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.16; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 9.2% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 10% per year; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 3.7% per year; rating input score 100; 41st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 86.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 9 of 9 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $471K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 9 people listed
  • Consistency: 26 of 26 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 12 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 16/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 9/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 45/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 46/100.