Gunnison Valley Observatory Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
010631470
IRS 990-EZ coverage
2012–2025
Forms available
Form 990-EZ 2025
Location
Gunnison, CO, USA
Phone
9706412952
Rating
60
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Museum, Museum Activities

Reported finances

Revenue
$28,081
Expenses
$14,435
Assets
$102,535
Liabilities
$0

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • KIT FLORES-MADISON (PRESIDENT)
  • SUZANNE TAYLOR (VICE PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • KIT FLORES-MADISON (PRESIDENT)
  • DAVID CLAYTON (TREASURER)
  • RICHARD STONECYPHER (BOARD MEMBER)

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

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Establish and operate an observatory open to the public and to universities via the internet or in person to further education and research in astronomy, with special emphasis on k-12 student education.

What it reported doing in 2025

Provide education in astronomy via telescope time-rental and weekly viewing open to the general public (donation only). As this is the second-largest telescope located in the state, it has been well received by both local residents and tourist visitors.

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.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and revenue comfortably covers expenses. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 26
  • Transparency & Controls: 100
  • Sustainability: 82
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 18.8%; rating input score 19
  • Program expense ratio: 38%; rating input score 38

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 48.6%; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 7.1; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -2% per year; rating input score 0; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4.6% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 12% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 18.8% of revenue deployed · 38% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: Filed governance answers
  • Accomplishments: 1 filed program accomplishment · $5K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 9 people listed
  • Consistency: 8 of 8 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2012 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • 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: Mission deployment rate scored 19/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 38/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 56/100.