THE KENTUCKY SCIENCE CENTER INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

THE KENTUCKY SCIENCE CENTER INC

EIN 31-1005850 · Arts, Culture & Humanities (A570)

What they do

OUR MISSION is to INSPIRE CURIOSITY and EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS to EXPLORE and EXPERIMENT WITH SCIENCE IN ALL ITS FORMS. WE EMBRACE A "DO SCIENCE" PHILOSOPHY: PLAY, TINKER, COLLABORATE, TEST, EXPERIMENT, LEARN FROM MISTAKES, and TRY AGAIN. KENTUCKY SCIENCE CENTER PROVIDES A NEUTRAL SPACE to ENGAGE IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SCIENCE, FOSTERING CURIOSITY and COLLABORATION ACROSS GENERATIONS and BACKGROUNDS.WE BELIEVE SCIENCE MATTERS. IT EMPOWERS INDIVIDUALS, STRENGTHENS COMMUNITIES, and FUELS THE WORKFORCE of TOMORROW. STEAM SKILLS ARE ESSENTIAL for FACING THE CHALLENGES of THE 21ST CENTURY, and SCIENCE LITERACY CREATES A FOUNDATION for LIFELONG LEARNING and A BETTER QUALITY of LIFE. BY MAKING SCIENCE PERSONAL, PARTICIPATORY, and FUN, KENTUCKY SCIENCE CENTER ENSURES THAT CURIOSITY HAS NO LIMITS.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $79.00 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders42 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

83.68%of revenue went to mission work79.0% of expenses · Program services

5.96%of revenue went to fundraising5.6% of expenses

$105.96spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

16.32%of revenue went to management and office costs15.4% of expenses

$1.07in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

29.2%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $371,825 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $225,005 for MICHAEL NORMAN (PRESIDENT & CEO). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$6,238,719

Mission workProgram services$5,220,66283.68% of revenue79.0% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$1,017,94316.32% of revenue15.4% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$371,9395.96% of revenue5.6% of expenses

Total expenses$6,610,544105.96% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 79.0% mission · 15.4% management · 5.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 105.96% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 77.6% mission · 14.8% management · 7.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 114.62% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 78.1% mission · 14.0% management · 7.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 100.03% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 78.5% mission · 14.6% management · 6.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 69.74% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 80.0% mission · 13.1% management · 6.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 84.52% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 79.7% mission · 12.8% management · 7.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 119.26% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 82.1% mission · 12.5% management · 5.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 104.28% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 78.4% mission · 14.2% management · 7.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 106.64% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$6,238,719

Expenses$6,610,544

Annual shortfall $371,825 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$5,220,662 · 79.0% of expenses

Management and office costs$1,017,943 · 15.4% of expenses

Fundraising$371,939 · 5.6% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$6,238,719

Expenses$6,610,544

Assets$7,092,193

Income$6,781,990

Contributions$1,822,870

Mission work (program services)$5,220,662

Fundraising$371,939

Grants given$25,000

Average grant$25,000

Management and general$1,017,943

Stocks and bonds$932,652

Accounting fees$32,000

Investing fees$6,874

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

MICHAEL NORMANPRESIDENT & CEO · 40 hrs/week $225,005Base $203,526 · Other $21,479

ERYN WALKERCHIEF PEOPLE & CULTURE OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $140,891Base $127,837 · Other $13,054

MELLISA BLANKENSHIPCHIEF OPERATING OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $137,060Base $117,677 · Other $19,383

REBECCA BAIRDCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $123,915Base $109,743 · Other $14,172

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (42)

MICHAEL NORMANPRESIDENT & CEO

ERYN WALKERCHIEF PEOPLE & CULTURE OFFICER

MELLISA BLANKENSHIPCHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

REBECCA BAIRDCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

KYLE MILLERNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

KRISTIN COOKVICE CHAIR

LILLY MCGLONENON-COMPENSATED BOARD (FROM 07/24)

MASON LEICHHARDTNON-COMPENSATED BOARD (FROM 07/24)

MELISSA WHITEHEADSECRETARY / GENERAL COUNSEL

MICHAEL SHAFFERNON-COMPENSATED BOARD (TO 10/24)

PATRICK WILLIAMSNON-COMPENSATED BOARD (FROM 07/24)

PAUL DEMARCO JRNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

RON VONDERHAARNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

RUSS COMPTONNON-COMPENSATED BOARD (FROM 07/24)

SAM ELLINGTONTREASURER

SANDRA BAKERNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

SCOTT SKINNERNON-COMPENSATED BOARD (FROM 07/24)

SEAN HORTONNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

SIBUSISO NGUBENINON-COMPENSATED BOARD

THOMAS GRAY JRNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

VEENA REDDYNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

WILLIAM BILLY TAYLORNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

CHRISTINE RIESERNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

ALI FAROOQUINON-COMPENSATED BOARD (FROM 07/24)

ANDREA WILSONNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

ANDREW RENDANON-COMPENSATED BOARD

BECKY JOHNSONNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

BHANU CALVERTNON-COMPENSATED BOARD (FROM 07/24)

BILL SEIFRITNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

CARMEN MORENO-RIVERANON-COMPENSATED BOARD

CHRIS TEELEYNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

CHRISTIEN RUSSELLNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

AARON BUTLERNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

CORINNE MURPHYNON-COMPENSATED BOARD (FROM 07/24)

DAVID TANDYIMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR

DERRICK MILLERNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

GIAVONNE RONDOCHAIR

GRACIE BECHTNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

HEIDI KONYNENBELTNON-COMPENSATED BOARD (TO 03/25)

HENRY ENGNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

JOHN RILEYNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

KEITH HAMILTONNON-COMPENSATED BOARD

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1981
Location: 727 W MAIN ST, LOUISVILLE, KY 40202-2633
County: Jefferson
In care of: MICHAEL NORMAN
Primary officer: MICHAEL NORMAN, PRESIDENT & CEO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(502) 561-6100

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: CHERRY BEKAERT ADVISORY LLC
NTEE classification: Arts, Culture & Humanities (A570)
Grant-giving organization: Yes