Science Central Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Science central's mission is to be a "regional resource that provides inspiring and fun hands-on science education for all people of all ages." our purpose is to engage our community and the surrounding region with stem concepts in ways that inspire lifelong learning and future careers. Our science center provides visitors with over 200 permanent exhibits that explore and demonstrate the physical, natural, and applied sciences. We provide an annual measurable impact to 135,000 people in the region with on-site visitation and through our virtual programs. In 2024-2025 new exhibits include awesome aire tubes that teach visitors about the kinetic energy of the wind and gravity as they place scarves and pom-poms into the spiraling tubes powered by air blowers, follow them through the clear plastic tubes and collect them as they exit at the top of the exhibit. A new exhibit on diamonds teaches guests about the "4 c's" of diamonds: cut, color, clarity and carat. The many industrial uses of diamonds are explained in addition to the more well-known jewelry applications. Hands on models demonstrate the crystal structure of the carbon molecules in diamonds. This year we installed new animal enclosures in our nature nook. The new larger enclosures improve the experience for visitors as they interact with the animals and allow the animals more space to explore. We partner with the local master gardeners from purdue fort wayne to enhance the foliage in the enclosures and provide proper nutrition for the animals. Visitors are able interact with the staff in the area to learn more about the science behind the care and feeding of the animals. Over the course of 2024-2025 we presented three exhibitions in our temporary exhibitions gallery. On june 8 we opened an exhibit entitled america's monster, superheroes, and villains featuring hundreds of toys, comic books, games, posters and media. The vintage items were accompanied by interpretative signage that described their cultural heritage. In september we opened an exhibition of the renowned nature photographer thomas d. Mangelsen. The life in the wild exhibit featured some of mangelsen's finest images, captured around the world during a career spanning nearly 50 years. In january, through a partnership with nasa, we installed the hubble/webb telescope exhibit. This exhibit developed by nasa and the smithsonian institution surrounds visitors with colorful, compelling digital images of nebulas, galaxies, start clusters and deep space. The james webb display shares the most recent information on planets, galaxies, black holes, space technology, and other fascinating cosmic phenomena. Our planetarium capital project continues through the construction phase of this large exhibit has started. This expansion, using both a classic starball projector and cutting-edge digital equipment will allow us to have the region's only public planetarium in the region's only science center. A third laser projector will be used for science demonstrations and educational programs. Progress on the planetarium puts the opening of this significant exhibition in the fall of 2025. In 2024-2025 science central hosted 150 study trips ("field trips") from schools throughout the northeast Indiana and Ohio area. Study trips include floor exploration and often schools request additional demonstrations and labs, which are led by our education staff. Our 668 outreach programs brought labs, demonstrations, and afterschool programs to schools and community centers throughout northeast Indiana. These hands-on programs meet Indiana's science education standards and help students understand stem concepts that are often difficult to comprehend without firsthand experience. Following the changes necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic, science central has become adept in creating outreach kits (called "science2go kits"), which allow local students to benefit from personal, hands-on experience as they follow along with a lab or demonstr

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 68%; rating input score 68
• Fundraising efficiency: $2.99 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 8; 8th 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: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -42.2%; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.54; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 3.9%; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 5.1% per year; rating input score 100; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 2.6% per year; rating input score 100; 24th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 4.1% per year; rating input score 100; 30th percentile among comparable filings