Science Kids

What it reported doing in 2024

2024 overview of science kids: science kids is a nonprofit in sheridan, wy. Established in 2009, we are in our 16th year of operation. Our mission is to "get kids outdoors, where great science learning happens," with the ultimate hope to encourage curiosity and life-long connections to science. In 2024, the core of science kids remained the same - to offer vibrant classes within the sciences to children. Those classes are at our core. We believe our most important service is summertime classes in the sciences for young children between the ages of 6 and 14. We are increasingly aware of the need middle-school students have to engage with outdoor spaces and reignite their love of the sciences, and we have actively worked to reach this age group with learning moments. To bring science learning to families, we also maintained our partnerships to offer well-attended science learning opportunities for 1,019 community members. A key focus this year was to market all 11 episodes of nature wy, our educational series co-created and co-owned with Wyoming pbs, to educators across the state. Nature wy is a nationally award-winning, regional-emmy earning, free educational series featuring science kids in action. Our goal is that this series promotes science learning for young people in homes and classrooms in Wyoming and across the nation. This year, we are excited to announce that nature wy became part of the official curriculum in sheridan county school district 2. To accomplish this work, we focused on continued and thoughtful board development, as well as training new board members and building a sense of community within science kids. Financially, science kids has met our fundraising goal of a full-year's worth of operating costs saved by year end. We seek stability and longevity, with enough funds available to respond to challenges and limitations and still meet our goal of offering learning opportunities to the communities we serve. Science kids by the numbers. 27,629 people reached with science learning opportunities since 2009 overall: our classes are in high demand, with many classes selling out. Our educators return year after year to teach, and we have attracted new educators. Our board has invested in training and is poised for good work. Our fundraising efforts are helping to safeguard our future. Our community events are well attended. Our partnerships are joyful and productive. 18 summertime classes for our youth 209 opportunities for learning in summertime classes 16 scholarships awarded 36 bioblitz attendees in nature wy workshops 182 attendees for 5 unplug events 142 3rd-5th graders and 15 educators learned with nature wy at the wow expo 60 highland park elementary 3rd graders and 3 educators learned with nature wy 20 sheridan junior high students joined our fossil country kidsf dig in kemmerer, wy 350 attendees at "creepy crawlies" for things that go bump in the night the core of science kids is summertime classes for youth. 18 classes in the sciences: 16 in sheridan, 2 in buffalo for ages 6-14, with a determined reach to 12-14 years olds. All sold out, with 12-14 year old classes sold at 2/3 of available seats topics from agroecology to zoology, with botany, chemistry, geology, paleontology, and physics in between. 9 weeks of summertime classes, with 1 to 3 classes each week. Serving 208 opportunities for learning. Taught by top-flight educators: our year-round staff is two, part-time people. Staff grows from 2 to 25 in the summer months. Many are educators in the school district. Many have higher degrees in their fields (masters, phd, dds, mfa). For all children: 16 scholarships awarded to students with financial need over 1500 provided in scholarship support 400 invitations all children receiving support from the food group to apply for scholarships for our summer classes we tried something new. Science kids took 20 sheridan junior high school students on a 4-day, overnight educational adventure to fossil country near

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 49.2%; rating input score 49
• Program expense ratio: 80.9%; rating input score 81
• Fundraising efficiency: $82.34 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings

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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 3 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 43
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • 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: 39.2%; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.49; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 37.2%; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: Limited
• Revenue growth: 10.8% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 20.1% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings