The Natural Science Center of Greensboro Inc Dba Greensboro Science Center

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
560885727
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Greensboro, NC, USA
Phone
3362883769
Rating
64
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Natural History, Natural Science Museums

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$23,729,267
Expenses
$11,491,183
Assets
$40,720,530
Liabilities
$5,049,785

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

Leadership & pay

37 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • GLENN DOBROGOSZ (CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • GLENN DOBROGOSZ (CEO): $451,489 total reported compensation
  • BETH HEMPHILL (COO): $234,309 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

The mission of the center is inspiring curiosity and connecting communities through science and conservation. We accomplish this by providing ever-evolving experiences where exploration and imagination intersect, igniting a lifelong passion for science and the natural world.

What it reported doing in 2024

Gift shop: among the 597,933 guests who visited the center in the fiscal year ending june 30, 2025, many extended their experience through a stop at the center's gift shop. Far more than a traditional retail space, the shop curates a wide selection of educational products, mission-focused merchandise, and science- and conservation-themed items designed to inspire curiosity long after a visit concludes. Each purchase offers guests an opportunity to continue their journey of discovery at home while supporting the center's mission of connecting people with animals, science, and conservation.omnisphere: the center's omnisphere theater, with its impressive 40-foot dome ceiling, brings science and the arts to life in breathtaking ways. Powered by our super mediaglobe full-dome projection system, the theater delivers immersive experiences in digital, laser, and large-format 3d.in the fiscal year ending june 30, 2025, the theater inspired 40,212 guests with shows ranging from big bird's guided tour of the night sky to awe-inspiring astronaut perspectives of earth and the cosmos.the omnisphere also transforms into an evening entertainment venue, where guests enjoy laser light shows set to the music of artists such as taylor swift, the beatles, and more. These programs create a dynamic blend of science, art, and culture, offering memorable experiences for audiences of all ages.rotary club of greensboro carousel: as the largest in North Carolina, the center's rotary club of greensboro carousel offers a whimsical experience for both center guests and the broader community. Featuring 56 hand-carved, hand-painted animal figures - from red pandas and tigers to dinosaurs and fish - the carousel reflects the center's mission of celebrating wildlife in all its diversity. Surrounding the ride, 32 artfully crafted rounding boards highlight the rich history and culture of greensboro, making the carousel both an attraction and a tribute to the community. Since its opening in 2020, the carousel has become a beloved destination. In the fiscal year ending june 30, 2025, it delighted 107,610 riders, adding joy and wonder to the center experience.all other program expenses and all other program revenues

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 65% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

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 few specific pay-setting methods are documented in the filing; unanswered boxes are not proof of absence.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 43
  • Transparency & Controls: 65
  • Accountability: 91
  • Sustainability: 81
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 28.6%; rating input score 29
  • Program expense ratio: 55.4%; rating input score 55
  • Fundraising efficiency: $42.02 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 73; 73rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • 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; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • 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: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 51.6%; rating input score 94; 94th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.54; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.12; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 6%; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 9.2% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 9.9% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 12.8% per year; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 28.6% of revenue deployed · 55.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 35 of 35 board members independent · 7 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $6.4M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $451K · 37 people listed · 0 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 4 contractors listed · $2.2M reported
  • Consistency: 35 of 35 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 29/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Pay-setting controls scored 0/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 55/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 9 not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 43/100.