Homewood Science Center

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
811288818
IRS 990 coverage
2018–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2017
Location
Homewood, IL, USA
Phone
7082063369
Rating
68
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Science and Technology Museums

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$407,006
Expenses
$303,686
Assets
$574,568
Liabilities
$11,853

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

Leadership & pay

15 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JEFF MCCLAIN (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • EDITH DOBREZ (EXECUTIVE DI): $87,974 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

The homewood science center is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)3 of the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended, including developing and operating a community science center to advance learning for people of all ages in the areas of science and technology.

What it reported doing in 2025

The girls steam celebration is an annual career exploration event designed to inspire middle school girls to pursue interests and careers in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. In 2025, students engaged with more than 30 women professionals representing diverse steam fields, toured prairie state college, and participated in hands-on activities and vision- building exercises. The program addresses gender gaps in stem by increasing awareness, confidence, and access to role models and career pathways. The event served students from multiple middle schools, with participation continuing to grow toward a goal of 100 students annually.

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 most voting board members are independent. 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: 36
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 59
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 35.9%; rating input score 36
  • Program expense ratio: 48.1%; rating input score 48
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

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; 64th 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: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 25.4%; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.89; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 29%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5.6% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 10.1% per year; rating input score 100; 69th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 15.1% per year; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 35.9% of revenue deployed · 48.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 14 of 14 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $146K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $88K · 15 people listed
  • Consistency: 25 of 25 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 8 filing years from 2018 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 36/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 48/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Whistleblower policy not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 58/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 11/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 34/100.