Worcester Natural History Society Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
042105868
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Worcester, MA, USA
Phone
5089292700
Rating
72
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Natural History, Natural Science Museums

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$10,466,059
Expenses
$5,926,343
Assets
$27,256,433
Liabilities
$1,750,295

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

Leadership & pay

21 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • NOREEN SMITH (PRESIDENT AND CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • NOREEN SMITH (PRESIDENT AND CEO): $226,718 total reported compensation
  • DEBORAH BERMAN SHEAR (CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER): $126,442 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 ecotarium's mission is to inspire a passion for science and nature among all members of the community through one-of-a-kind experiences, interactive exhibits, and accessible programming. As new england's leading science and nature center, our vision is to be an innovative leader in experiential, community-centered, science learning. The ecotarium is widely recognized for innovative, interactive exhibits and programming for families with children and school groups, and for an exceptional guest experience.

What it reported doing in 2024

Educational programs: the ecotarium offers interactive, hands-on, educator-led programs that align with Massachusetts curriculum frameworks for pre-k to 12, as well as hosted birthday parties with fun, educational components. In 2024 the ecotarium's educational programming inside the museum and in the community at public schools and youth-serving agencies provided in-person education at the museum for 7,741 youth and adults, as well as traveling programs in the community and schools for 9,088 youth. Since 1885, the ecotarium has offered seasonal science and nature day camps for children during vacations and summer. In 2024, camp programs engaged 763 campers during vacations and summer camps. 19,653 guests participated in free, daily, educator-led, museum education programs, including, science discovery, early learning, animal discovery, afternoon astronomy, and collection connection.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 68% 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.

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 fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 53
  • Transparency & Controls: 84
  • Accountability: 85
  • Sustainability: 82
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 43.8%; rating input score 44
  • Program expense ratio: 70.5%; rating input score 70
  • Fundraising efficiency: $11.98 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 82.4%; rating input score 82; 17th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • 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: 43.4%; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.6; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 6%; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 2.2% per year; rating input score 100; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 5.1% per year; rating input score 100; 44th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 0.7% per year; rating input score 100; 12th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 43.8% of revenue deployed · 70.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 14 of 17 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $4.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $227K · 21 people listed · 4 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $136K reported
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 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.

Key Signals

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

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 44/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 43/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 43/100.