Youth Science Institute

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
941265213
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Los Gatos, CA, USA
Phone
4083564945
Rating
77
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$944,100
Expenses
$1,070,929
Assets
$1,377,692
Liabilities
$582,104

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

Leadership & pay

10 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • ERIKA C BUCK (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THRU 9/24)
  • DAN GROSS (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FROM 4/25)
  • KATHRYN KACZMARSKI (INTERIM PRESIDENT)
  • PAMELA BENTLEY MILLS (INTERIM PRESIDENT/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • ERIKA C BUCK (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THRU 9/24): $192,739 total reported compensation
  • PAMELA BENTLEY MILLS (INTERIM PRESIDENT/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $30,449 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 youth science institute (ysi) is to "inspire enthusiasm for science and a love of learning" in people of all ages. Ysi's core programs are school and group programs, summer science camps, and science safaris, teaching hands-on, nature-based science to nearly 30,000 individuals per year. The vast majority of the individuals ysi teaches are schoolchildren (k-6) who are introduced to ysi through its school and group programs. Ysi is committed to ensuring these programs are available to low-income, academically at-risk, and underserved populations.

What it reported doing in 2024

During fy24-25, youth science institute continued to deliver its core environmental science and nature-based education programs, including school-based field trips, outreach programs, and seasonal camps. During the year, ysi delivered approximately 625 school and group programs serving an estimated 16,000 students across multiple grade levels. Programming included curriculum aligned with applicable science standards and emphasized hands-on, experiential learning. In addition to school and group programs, ysi hosted summer camps during 2024, serving more than 500 children over a nine-week period.notable developments during the year included the continued expansion of ysi's summer camp offerings, increased outreach to title i schools, and the launch of pilot programming in climate science and youth well-being. Ysi also strengthened partnerships with local districts and community organizations to broaden access to science education.during fy24-25, ysi experienced leadership and operational transitions. The organization focused on maintaining program continuity while strengthening internal systems related to finance, operations, and documentation. These efforts supported improved internal controls and organizational stability.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
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 - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 74
  • Transparency & Controls: 79
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 25
  • Growth: 40

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 82.8%; rating input score 83
  • Program expense ratio: 72.9%; rating input score 73
  • Fundraising efficiency: $7.48 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 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: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -13.4%; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.29; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.42; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 20.8%; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 0.9% per year; rating input score 100; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -3.8% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -4.9% per year; rating input score 0; 7th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 82.8% of revenue deployed · 72.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 7 of 7 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $780K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $193K · 10 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 29/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 14/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 51/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 14/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 19/100.