Port Townsend Marine Science Center

What it reported doing in 2024

The port townsend marine science center (ptmsc) achieves its mission by engaging with the public through the aquarium, museum, gallery, the gray whale skeleton on union wharf, and traveling exhibits it curates; participating in collaborative citizen science and restoration projects; coordinating community sustainability initiatives; providing a suite of k-12 education experiences and resources; and hosting an annual calendar of public programs for the community and online. Overall, ptmsc served more than 38,500 people in 2024.aquarium and museum exhibits in fort worden state park welcomed 11,200 visitors in 2024. Over 14,800 people visited the downtown location at flagship landing where, throughout the year, the gallery hosted several original exhibits including the workspace/exhibits: fossil lab, repair it!, orca: shared waters, shared home, and inspired by sea & science: the fiber art of carla stehr. Additionally, visitors participated in unique programming such as microscope fridays, sketching from the collections, an elephant seal articulation experience, and found marine-themed books, crafts, and artwork by local artists in the store. School programs for prek to college students grew in 2024. A total of 1,650 students participated in indoor labs and classes, and outdoor field experiences. Staff and education program volunteers also brought live programming and collections resources to area schools who were unable to arrange field trips. Critical citizen science programs such as the marine mammal stranding network, sound toxins, and intertidal monitoring attracted volunteers and supporters. Additionally, ptmsc was once again contracted to train jefferson and clallam county community members to identify and report invasive green crabs along local shorelines. Sustainability initiatives such as repair events and beach clean ups, as well as wildlife cruises, low tide walks and summer camps filled to capacity. The future of oceans lecture series hosted 5 in-person presentations. There were more than 10,900 participants in these and other public programs. When not open to the public, the aquarium facilities also supported ongoing conservation and restoration efforts such as the larval dungeness crab research project and the pinto abalone restoration project.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 77.4%; rating input score 77
• Program expense ratio: 67.2%; rating input score 67
• Fundraising efficiency: $6.76 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd 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 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • 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: -11.3%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.47; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.49; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 8%; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 5.4% per year; rating input score 100; 44th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4.8% per year; rating input score 100; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 8.4% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings