The Explorers Club

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
131866795
IRS 990 coverage
2014–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024, Form 990-N 2018
Location
New York, NY, USA
Phone
2126288383
Rating
74
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Professional Societies, Associations

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$8,990,865
Expenses
$6,545,212
Assets
$21,124,064
Liabilities
$1,248,408

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

34 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • RICHARD GARRIOTT (PRESIDENT UNTIL 04/2025)
  • RICHARD WEISE (PRESIDENT AS OF 04/2025)
  • WILLIAM J ROSEMAN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • WILLIAM J ROSEMAN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $180,932 total reported compensation
  • VALERIE KILBRIDGE (DIRECTOR OF FINANCE): $180,733 total reported compensation
  • GRACIE ALMEIDA (ACCOUNTING MANAGER): $155,626 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To champion the pursuit of exploration and scientific understanding for the betterment of humanity and all life; to grow a global community of excellence, leveraging member credibility and expertise; and to inspire the next generation of explorers.

What it reported doing in 2024

Membership and club headquarters: educational programs held at headquarters for its approximately 4,000 members, and for students and the general public geared toward the advancement of field research, scientific exploration and resource conservation. Publications: publication of the explorers journal on a quarterly basis for members, also available to the general public on a subscription basis; publication of the explorers log on a quarterly basis for members; publications of newsletters and other pertinent information.library: reference and research services for members, schools, students and the general public. The library contains extensive information on exploration and other scientific fields.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 67% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 85% 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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of total spending goes to programs and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 61
  • Transparency & Controls: 69
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 73
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 54.5%; rating input score 55
  • Program expense ratio: 71.6%; rating input score 72
  • Fundraising efficiency: $16.89 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Fail
    • Conducts field audits: Fail
    • May suspend future funding: Fail
    • Requires financial reports: Fail
    • Conducts site visits: Fail
    • Requires grant agreements: Fail
    • May require repayment: Fail
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • 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: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 27.2%; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.23; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 10%; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 9.5% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 11.7% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 9.7% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 54.5% of revenue deployed · 71.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 19 of 19 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $4.7M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $181K · 34 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $426K reported
  • Consistency: 38 of 38 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 9 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 11 filing years from 2014 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 4 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 55/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight: 7 of 8 not reported.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 54/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 30/100.