Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
340714338
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Cleveland, OH, USA
Phone
2162314600
Rating
77
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Natural History, Natural Science Museums

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$31,637,866
Expenses
$26,327,697
Assets
$437,275,018
Liabilities
$96,434,227

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

Leadership & pay

47 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • SONIA WINNER (CEO)
  • TOM CONNORS (SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • SONIA WINNER (CEO): $723,992 total reported compensation
  • MELISSA SANTEE (CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER): $297,975 total reported compensation
  • MEENAKSHI SHARMA (SENIOR VP & CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER): $230,491 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

To inspire, through science and education, a passion for nature, the protection of natural diversity, the fostering of health, and leadership to a sustainable future.

What it reported doing in 2024

Division of research and collections: a total of 150 new specimens were accessioned to collections, 102 requests by external researchers were fulfilled, 14 behind the scenes tours, and 292 public inquiries were fielded. The research staff published 6 articles in peer-reviewed journals. Published scientific studies include paleontology, investigations into early hominin behavior, and tool use as they relate to human evolution. Field research was conducted in kenya, New Mexico, northern Ohio, and the great lakes region, all of which advance the research endeavors of the museum's scientific program. The division staff participated in public programs that resulted in more than 2,151 direct interactions with the public, over 82 media interviews/appearances, and around 1,459 individuals reached in academic presentations.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 67% 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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 55
  • Transparency & Controls: 89
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 74
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 58.1%; rating input score 58
  • Program expense ratio: 61.9%; rating input score 62
  • Fundraising efficiency: $4.42 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • 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; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • 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: 16.8%; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 16.61; rating input score 95; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.22; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 9.6%; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 1% per year; rating input score 100; 14th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4.8% per year; rating input score 100; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.9% per year; rating input score 100; 55th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 58.1% of revenue deployed · 61.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 28 of 28 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $16.3M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $724K · 47 people listed · 5 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $32.9M reported
  • Consistency: 37 of 37 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 9 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 10 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.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 58/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 17/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 22/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 56/100.